Hats and Hairloss

Our philosophy in helping people find hats due to hair loss is to make sure we’re finding hats that work with the person’s lifestyle and personality. We approach wearing hats as a way to bring out the individual’s inner beauty and match it to their style expression (even if it’s a humble one). Wearing hats can be fun and needn’t be seen as a ‘cover up’. It’s simply an alternative look – one with many options, and much easier to change than a hair style!

Here are some specials considerations to make when choosing hats for hair loss:

Head Size: Your head size will be at least one size smaller without hair

Material: Fabric choice will become very important when in contact with a sensitive scalp. Something that covers, yet is breathable and soft is the best choice. Cotton fits the bill wonderfully. Other hats with a soft lining inside work well too.

Color: Matching color to your skin tone versus your wardrobe will ensure the hat looks good every time you wear it, with whatever you're wearing.

Hats are a wonderful way to create an instant change in your look. Our caring and sensitive staff members are ready to help you find a hat that works with you. We also recommend checking out our dear colleague, Linda, creator of "Hats by Emmanuel" for her collection of hats that are especially designed for wear during chemotherapy treatments.

For more information, we’ve included some information on Alopecia and Hair Loss due to Chemotherapy.

Alopecia

Alopecia areata (al-oh-PEE-shah air-ee-AH-tah) is a highly unpredictable, autoimmune skin disease resulting in the loss of hair on the scalp and elsewhere on the body and affects approximately 1.7 percent of the population overall. In alopecia areata, the affected hair follicles are mistakenly attacked by a person's own immune system (white blood cells), resulting in the arrest of the hair growth stage. Alopecia areata can affect small areas, or can affect the entire scalp and body. Fortunately, the stem cells that supply the follicle with new cells are not targeted; therefore, the potential to regrow hair always exists.

Alopecia areata does not affect the overall health of the individual. In fact, people with alopecia are healthy in every other way. The main discomfort with this disease is emotional and psychological. It can be incredibly distressing to lose your hair, or to have it come and go in patches. Currently, there is no cure, but breakthroughs in research are creating treatment options that may eventually lead to hair restoration.

Cancer Treatments and Hair Loss

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause temporary hair loss. If you do lose your hair there are many ways of dealing with this. You may not mind your bald head, but if you want a change, or if you wish to protect your scalp, you may want to wear a hat, headscarve or wig.

Chemotherapy is a treatment which uses anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. The drugs work by attacking the cancer cells and disrupting their growth. Unfortunately, they can also affect the normal cells in the body, including the cells of the hair follicles. This causes hair loss. Unlike cancer cells, however, the normal cells quickly recover, so if you lose your hair as a result of chemotherapy it will grow back once your treatment is over. Before you start chemotherapy your doctor or chemotherapy nurse will discuss the possibility of hair loss and other side effects with you.

Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss, and sometimes the loss is so small it is hardly noticeable. Some people, however, have temporary, partial or complete baldness. Some chemotherapy drugs cause other body hair to fall out.

If hair loss is going to occur, it usually starts within a few weeks of starting the chemotherapy, although it can happen sooner. Hair loss occurs in different ways for people. For some, it starts falling out gradually, or simply thinning. For others, partial or complete baldness can occur quite rapidly. It may be easier to cope with if you cut your hair shorter. Your hair may become very dry and brittle throughout the course of treatment and during the regrowth phase. This won’t last forever. Talking to your hairstylist about deep conditioning options may help to build the strength of your hair back up.

Radiotherapy treats cancer by using high-energy rays which destroy the cancer cells, while doing as little harm as possible to normal cells.Unlike chemotherapy, radiotherapy causes hair loss only in the area being treated. For example, if you have radiotherapy to your head you will probably lose some hair from your scalp.

After radiotherapy your hair is likely to regrow although it may not be as thick as it was before. The time it takes to regrow depends on the dose of radiotherapy that you have had and the length of your treatment. On average it takes 6–12 months for your hair to grow back after you have finished your treatment. Some people have permanent hair loss after radiotherapy, or the hair that grows back appears patchy.

*Your health care practitioners will discuss the possibility of hair loss and all other side effects with you before you begin treatment.