No one can prepare for a cancer diagnosis. Learning you have breast cancer has already been the shock of a lifetime and dealing with the side effects of treatment can be emotionally and physically draining. Not recognizing yourself in the mirror anymore is never easy, but there are things you can do to stay positive and look and feel good at the same time. Here are a few reasons wearing a wig can boost your spirits and help you get through this difficult time.
1. Feeling Like Yourself Again
From the moment you are diagnosed and steadily throughout treatment, it is very common to feel like you’re no longer you anymore. The emotional and physical challenges related to breast cancer and the treatments for it can be overwhelming for anyone. So it’s normal they can drastically affect every aspect of your life. A wig won’t cure your disease or improve your treatment process, but what it can do is give you a piece of yourself back. Looking into the mirror and not being able to recognize the face staring back at you is tremendously difficult. Wearing a wig can remind you that you are not defined by this disease and despite the pain and devastation you’ve endured, you’re still there and you’re still the same person you’ve always been.
2. Avoiding the Sympathy Stares
Breast cancer treatment normally causes complete hair loss in many patients. When you are feeling well enough to go about your daily routine between treatments, you want nothing more than to feel like everyone else. Though most people have the best intentions, the sympathy stares in public can not only make you feel uncomfortable but take away from your “you” time. Wearing a wig can help you feel like a regular person – not a sick person. Sometimes, the emotional benefit to feeling like yourself and being treated like everyone else is all you need to lift your spirits.
3. Taking Your Power Back
Breast cancer can leave many patients feeling powerless. Often, women are the caregivers of the family – in charge of everything and seemingly doing it all. A breast cancer diagnosis can temporarily take that from you but it doesn’t have to take everything from you. Wearing a wig during your breast cancer treatments can help you take control of something in your life. You can’t control that this disease chose you, and you can’t control the side effects to your treatment, but you can choose to look and feel like the person you know you are.
At Transitions of Wisconsin, we will evaluate and measure your scalp, get a sample of your hair (if possible), and get your input and preferences to design a wig that is nearly identical to your natural hair. If you’re interested in scheduling a free consultation, contact us today!
Photo Credit: marijana Via Pixabay
