So you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer? And on top of having to prepare for the physical and emotional challenges, you also have to deal with losing your hair. SERIOUSLY, isn’t just having cancer enough to deal with?
You’d think that fighting my cancer should be my only focus and in the grand scheme of things a small thing like losing my hair shouldn’t matter… Well Guess Again! You walk down the street and envy those with shiny, luscious locks knowing that in a couple of weeks or months you may lose yours. Perhaps you stop washing your hair or brushing it hoping to preserve every last strand… You frequently hold up that hand mirror checking for bald spots… You even have sudden panic attacks when you do lose a few strands of hair…
The emotional and mental anguish that cancer patients must battle through is not only courageous but also inspiring. Loss of hair is one of the most distressing and inconvenient side effects due to chemotherapy. Hair defines our identity and we take extreme pride in choosing its length, style and color. How many of you had thoughts similar to these go through your mind:
1. What will I look like with no hair?
2. What shape is my scalp under all my hair?
3. Will I lose my eyelashes, body hair and (gulp) my pubic hair?
4. Should I wear a wig or scarf?
5. Do people buy just one wig?
If you had any of these thoughts, we’d like to hear from you. Share some advice or your story so that others heading down this path don’t feel so alone or embarrassed. (Don’t forget, you can share anonymously.)
Hair loss can be devastating. But, there are many people that when asked to think back to their experience, find laughter to help ease the moment until their hair starts growing again.
~ One Of the Many Voices of Pink Inspires