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Living with Cancer > Handling Side Effects
Like most 17-year olds,
Kelsey Hill
had her hair styled
especially for prom:
Part of it was pinned
up into an up-do at
the crown of her
head, while the rest
of her auburn locks
hung long, framing
her delicate face.
But for Hill, it was
a wigstylist who
helped her get ready
for the big night.
Shortly after learning she had lymphoma, Hill shaved
her head and had her hair made into a wig. And although
she doesn't wear it too often -- opting instead for hats -- she
has used it for special occasions. In fact, Hill and two of
her friends from the Cancer Center, Sarah Cromer and
Rachael Asher, agreed that although they all have wigs,
they aren't as important to them as they thought they
would be.
"At first, I still tried to look normal, so I'd wear my
wig and make-up, but after a while I just didn't," Cromer
said. "Everybody knows you have cancer."
The girls, who all chose to be photographed bald,
prefer instead to make a different fashion statement: With
T-shirts and pins with messages like, Chemo Kid and
I have cancer. What's your excuse?
Rachel Asher, 14, loves to read fashion magazines, but she's developed a style all her
own since her cancer diagnosis.
Cancer treatments affect people differently -- physically
and emotionally. For Zoe Burroughs, 27, the decision to
sign up for the Look Good -- Feel Better program came
one night when she was getting ready to go out. Look
Good -- Feel Better, a program of the American Cancer
Society and two cosmetics industry foundations, teaches
women how to use make-up, scarves, hats and wigs to
feel more like themselves.
"I don't wear a lot of make-up generally," Burroughs
said, "but I went to put mascara on and I realized I didn't
have eyelashes. Clumps were missing."
We've assembled tips and different points of view
from the experts: Lori Ovitz, an accomplished make-up
artist and author of Facing the Mirror with Cancer; Nancy Hissong and Nola Freysinger, volunteer cosmetologists
with Ann Arbor-area Look Good -- Feel Better
programs; U-M Cancer Center social workers; and current
and former patients who know what it's like to try to
fake an eyebrow. Here's what they had to say.
Kelsey Hill models a hat.
- Be proactive. Shave
your head so you
don't cry every time
you lose a strand of
hair. Breast cancer
survivors Becky Cwiek
and Cheryl Holten told
us they involved their
children in getting rid
of their hair.
- Don't think you
have to spend a
fortune to get a
good wig. Synthetic
wigs can look just
as good as natural hair
wigs and can be
easier to manage. The
Cancer Center's Wig
Bank loans wigs to
patients free of charge.
Children With Hairloss
is an option for kids.
- Consider hats,
scarves and going
au naturel. Many of
the people we talked
to who got a wig told
us they hardly ever
wear it.
- Whatever you
choose, make
sure your scalp is
protected. Be sure
to use sunscreen and
moisturize your scalp
daily.
- Use your hats and
scarves to accessorize
your outfits.
For Colleen Tavaskavage,
a breast cancer
survivor who helps
Hissong out with the
Look Good -- Feel
Better Program, her
scarves added pizzazz
to her daily wardrobe.
Sarah Cromer, 16, wore a wig and make-up in the early days of her treatment, but has found
that she's more comfortable going bald than she expected.
Tip: The Cancer Center's Patient Education Resource Center provides
a listing of local and regional resources for wig shops, salons and
catalogs to help you find what you're looking for. To get a copy,
call 734-647-8626.
Many new products have been developed to replace or
supplement traditional wigs, said Jody O'Bryan, a social
work assistant who works in the Cancer Center Wig Bank.
Some hair pieces are designed to add fringe for a more
natural look with hats, while keeping the top of your
head cool. Also, products like skull caps and special gel
tapes are available to make wigs more comfortable.
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