So, after my first chemo, and before my second one, I decided that I wanted to shave my head to make losing my hair a bit less dramatic for me. I invited all of my close friends over for lunch one day (including my hairdresser friend) and announced that I was shaving my head.
It turned out to be a really good day!
Although i shed a few tears when Cerise shaved my head, I felt better knowing that this part was something i'd chosen to do and i was in control of and it felt great. I can't believe i still had to dye my hair even when it was shaved down to a number 2 because of my grey hairs ha ha ha! I'd organised for one of the ladies from the local wig company to come over to my house on the same day and after I shaved my head I tried on some wigs with all my girlfriends around, giving advice. It all worked out so perfectly because it was easier to try on the wigs when my head was shaved and i'd had my close girlfriends around for not only the hard part of shaving my head but also for getting opinions on what suited me. Although i didn't buy wigs that day, i ended up buying 2 wigs - a golden blonde called Codi and a darker brown/red called Erica (see the photos) on a wig shopping trip the next weekend. These are some pictures of Codi and Erica -
After lots of champagne to celebrate my new look my wonderful twin sister decided that she would shave her head as well, this way I wouldn't feel as rare walking down the street if I knew that she had to do the same. How awesome is that! I told her not to but she didn't even hesitate. The next thing I know my husband had done the same, and then 2 of my other really close girlfriends did the same. Even my friends husband and her little boy shaved their heads as well.
For anyone going through the same thing, this was a fantastic way to help deal with the fact that you're going to lose your hair. I'm not saying that you won't cry because believe me, I still cried a lot when I lost my hair but just knowing that I had that sort of support and that I could take control for just a few weeks before it fell out anyway was a great feeling at that time.
It didn't take long after i'd shaved my head for my hair to fall out. I first started to notice it in the shower when i'd run my hands over my head and my hand would be covered in hair. But at least it was really short stubs of hair and not my previously long blonde hair falling out in clumps. Sometimes I wore my wigs but mostly i just wore scarves. During winter it was so much warmer anyway because you really don't notice how much heat you lose out the top of your head until you have absolutely nothing there to keep it in, especially at night time.
The first photo below is before my hair started to fall out, the second and third are when it started to fall out.
By the time of our benefit night (i'll tell you about that later) I had pretty much lost it all so I got my husband to shave it completely. With a razor blade even! It felt like a good idea at the time but I think it made Mat quite upset - me sitting in the bath looking really sick and pale from chemo, one boob and him shaving his wife's head with a razor blade. Not exactly a normal friday night for us that's for sure!
These are some picture of the scarves that I used to wear all the time. I wore these mostly instead of the wigs as i found them more comfortable.
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