New Yorker Kerry Apicella, 62, did the pre-emptive buzz cut too: "I sobbed and sobbed. It was at the place where I ordered the wig, so they were probably used to it. It was a good release. My daughter was there with me and she was very understanding when I cried. We just kind of talked about different wigs and hairstyles and pretty soon it was over with and I moved on."
Melissa Graves, 40, of College Station, Texas, was surprised by the physical pain of hair loss: "It hurts when your hair falls out—the closest thing is when your hair has been up in a ponytail all day; it's sore," she says. "I said, as soon as it starts thinning, we'll cut it off; this is one thing I can control." Graves ended up with a spiky blue Mohawk (she videotaped the outrageous cut-and-color), then went to Supercuts and had the rest of her hair cut off.
...or an excuse to try a new look
Many women opt to plan ahead and find a wig before they need one. That way you can match it to your own color, hair texture, and style, says Ramy Gafni, author of Ramy Gafni's Beauty Therapy: The Ultimate Guide to Looking and Feeling Great While Living With Cancer (M. Evans and Company, 2005) and a cancer survivor himself. "Get a wig that's longer than your hair so you can get it cut and styled in the style you want," he adds.
If a wig isn't for you, or you just want one for certain situations, there are plenty of other options if you want to cover your head— hairpieces, hats, caps, knitted skullcaps, scarves, and turbans.
Victoria LaRosa, 57, of Warrenton, Va., liked to cycle through all the options. "I was bald from August until the beginning of April and I did everything—wigs, turbans, and I went without," recalls the owner of I'm Still Me, a post-mastectomy clothing boutique. "It's whatever you feel comfortable doing."
For inspiration and guidance, check out the free makeup and head coverings/wig-styling classes offered jointly by the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) and Look Good...Feel Better (www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org; 800-395-LOOK).
