September 2012

Just a Little Update.. Traffic, Wigs and a Haircut!

by Y on September 26, 2012

Hi Everyone.. made a little video the day before yesterday giving a little update on me, including talking about my recent haircut I just got. Yes it is true, I got my hair cut short. Like… short short. Like… I’m committed to not wearing a ponytail, short. Like…goodbye dry thin crappy hair, au revoir, don’t let the hair brush yank ya on the way out, short. 🙂

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Lina’s Custom Wig Experience

by Lina on September 24, 2012

Lina has sent me this post to share with all of you about her custom wig purchasing experience. Lina’s other posts: “After All Life Sentence in Canada Is Only 25 Years” and “Newbie Wig Washer.” 

My hair loss journey has me committed to wearing a wig at this point. I decided that I need to have more than one wig, I can’t even imagine the panic I would endure if anything happened to my one and only – so this past Saturday I had an appointment to order a custom piece and wanted to share my experience with you.

I went back to the place I’ve always gone, they provided me with the wig I have now and the two postiches (toppers) that I own. My wig is a lovely human hair wig but it is processed and I wanted to inquire about a virgin human hair wig since Y raves about hers and we all know how lovely and realistic hers are! Two of my biggest dilemmas were: 1) showing Michael and his staff at Continental Hair my shaved head and 2: the cost. I decided that as far as the cost, I need a second wig for my peace of mind, so I would put the wig on my credit card.

So Friday night before my apt. I washed Eva (that’s what I named her), I waxed my upper lip and eyebrows – yeah, I get the irony. You think I was going on a date, but nonetheless Eva and I had to look our best. Eva was drying on her head in the bathroom when my mom called saying her and my dad were coming over for a few minutes – shit! Wig is wet and how would I cover my head – I didn’t want dad to see. I was just about to put on a buff and then decided – what the heck, let me test drive showing my head , so they come over. Dad starts smiling and then says: “you look like a boy” (what a weiner – that’s dad), then he said: “no, you look healthy and good”, then he hugged me and said he loved me. Quick visit over and I was still standing – yay.

So I go to bed and it went something like: toss, turn, toss, turn, up to pee, time check, back to bed, toss, turn… I even had a dream and I saw Michael, I was bald and saying something like, duh, ummh… You guessed it, zero sleep. I finally get my tired self out of bed in the morning and head to Toronto, half way there I was coming up with excuses on why I was going to call and cancel my apt. so I could turn around and come home. I told myself to calm down and do this, for me. [click to continue…]

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Women’s Hair Loss in Today’s Parent Magazine Sept 2012

by Y on September 18, 2012

Okay so I should start this off with an apology for not writing this post sooner, the days slipped away and I looked at the calendar and said “Leaping Lizards!” I never wrote the post about the women’s hair loss article that appeared in this month’s issue of the Canadian magazine, “Today’s Parent.” If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube then this is old news for you because I did post a video about it on August 29th to those social media outlets, but I just never got around to writing the actual post for it.  My wig must be squeezing my brain too tight because I just totally vegged on it, blame Anya.

Onwards…

As we are all know women’s hair loss is such a closeted issue that whenever there is some media attention bringing more awareness towards it I leap up and down like a giddy little girl… I also do the same little chair leap when cake or wine appears before me, eagerly clapping my hands together 🙂

This month Today’s Parent published an article written by a really awesome writer, Marci O’Connor, titled “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.” In the article Marci shares her own story dealing with hair loss and writes about the causes, treatments, and available options that women have today, like wearing wigs. It’s rare that I read a hair loss article, “done right” and Miss Fabulous O’Connor, definitely got it right! [click to continue…]

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They Say It Takes 30 Days To Break a Habit…

by Lina on September 14, 2012

Lina’s Update: 

Hello to my wonderful sisters. I thought I would update you on my hair wearing process. Today marks exactly 5 weeks since I first shaved my head and have worn my wig “full-time”. The few posts that I have made I noticed a lot of struggles out there and I wanted to let you know that I have not abandoned you, on the contrary, you are all on my mind.

So, quick recap: I shaved my head because after 25 years of battling hair loss, I had a “melt down” this summer (hair loss plus a lot of life stuff), I was 3 months after major surgery and boom – a bout of TE set in – well, no hair to lose any more and out came the clippers (I was drinking wine at the time, hmmm). Well didn’t cry when I did it and haven’t yet shed a “hair tear”. Well, that night I was brave, next morning I looked in the mirror and went, hmm – is that what I really look like 🙂

Well, no going back right? I had to wear my “just in case” wig. Maybe God knew I would chicken out and get frustrated and not wear the wig after a day or two and that’s why he gave me the strength to shave my head – this way I had to commit to wearing hair. I will tell you the honest truth in my experience – I was frustrated with the wig, it takes getting used to: used to feeling like you have hair, seeing you with hair, accepting the fact you wear hair (that’s the toughest). So, first few days, wanted to rip it off, couldn’t look in the mirror because it didn’t look like me. How funny is that? I haven’t looked like me in a number of years – hair or expression. I avoided mirrors for the first few days. I finally washed the wig – much better, positioned her properly on my head (made a big difference), got the wigrip that Y suggested (life saver). [click to continue…]

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5 Point Plan For Telling Your Man You’re Getting Hair

by Franny on September 10, 2012

This wonderfully clever and cute post was written by a WHLP network member, Franny. She’s given me permission to repost it here to share it with all of you gals!

This is in response to a recent blog which referred to telling her husband about getting her hair system which got me thinking….always dangerous.

My response was too long to post in the blog’s comments section so here it goes:

Don’t forget that with the majority of men you need to spell things out in simple, quick , unambiguous chunks that require no effort on their part to understand and little or no discussion.

I’ve thought about a handy 5 point plan for other women wanting to have a similar conversation with their husbands / partners….
Once you have decided on the hair system you want the conversation could probably go like this and take around 30 seconds to around 5 minutes (isn’t that usually the case with men??? LOL)

1: I need to get hair

2: This is the kind of hair I am getting and this is how it works (eg wig / topper, maintenance, etc – keep details to a minimum)

3: Getting hair will make me feel:
a. better about myself
b. happier & more self confident
 c. *sexier*

4: Cost (this is only an issue if he will be paying for it or the cost will be out of your joint agreed household budget / savings that you contribute to. If you are paying for it – it’s your money and you can spend it however you darn well please. )

5: Any questions?

If he has any question pertaining to cost, remind him of point 3c and infer that he could be ‘getting some’ if Points 1, 3a & 3b are achieved.

If he has questions about the system you’ll be getting – hit him with the technicals – use numbers and car sounding words like ‘110% density high performance mono top’, ‘oil based solvent’ and ‘ high tensile clips’ – avoid telling him things that may make his eyes glaze over like ‘how easy it is to style’ , ‘Cute cut’ and ‘natural parting’.

Be positive and assertive, keep referring to point 3c as required and you’re sorted! Hair system on its way stress free! [click to continue…]

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Hair Loss Musings From Florida – PRP Therapy, Wigs, Medications & More

by Y on September 5, 2012

Just had my 7th PRP treatment with Dr. Joseph Greco in Clearwater, Florida. Despite the fact I never go out without my wig anymore, I am continuing this hair loss treatment and I discuss the reasons for that in this video along with rambling about this and that and this and that.

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Newbie Wig Washer – Lina Shares Her Experience With Washing Her Wig For The 1st Time

by Lina on September 2, 2012

Lina has sent me this post to share with all of you about her first time washing her wig. If you don’t remember, Lina is the lovely gal who posted the story “After All Life Sentence in Canada Is Only 25 Years.” 

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Hello ladies, I recently transitioned into wearing a wig. I should of worn my topper a lot earlier so I could of got some real use out of it but fear kept me from it and alas the hair loss sped up and I am now 12 days into wearing a wig. Besides the fear of wearing a wig, I really thought I couldn’t possibly wash it on my own – that would of meant driving 2hrs there and 2hrs back every 2-3 weeks, cost of gas, time and $50-$100 for the wash and set – how could I do that?

Well, last night I decided to wash my wig myself. I used Admin’s videos as a guide – I bought the pins she suggested (way better than the t-pins) and even the shampoo and conditioner, I even shook the hair and hung it upside down. After the conditioner application, I combed it through and left it for 15 minutes before I rinsed it.

My wig heads are short (I am going to invest in the longer ones) so I had to prop them up with black bean cans (that’s all I had). I had the wig mostly hanging over the bathroom vanity and didn’t realize that my bangs were touching the vanity until this morning – they dried like the episode in “Something Like Mary” (no joke). I panicked and was getting my call in sick excuse ready when I said, “calm down Lina, wet the bangs an comb them down” – duh. Well, not really my fault, I haven’t done my hair in ages – letting it air dry and hang in crispy wisps doesn’t take much styling!
Ok, bangs wet, shook the hair, combed her and voila! My wig is a human hair wig but it is processed, when I got it it was not custom made and the salon added highlights to get the hair closer to my color – I put it on without ever washing it and to be honest it irritated the back of my neck but I thought oh well at least I have hair touching the back of my neck. They also flat ironed it – they seem to do that alot at the salon, I don’t know if it’s because everyone likes that but for me I always had some wave to my hair and never dared flat iron it – no way was I going to tug on my strands. Let me say, she air dried with wave, much closer to my own hair and she smells wonderful and is so soft and sits lovely on the back of my neck – this is the first time I have felt she isnt’ a wig!!! [click to continue…]

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