Wigs for Cancer Patients

ahaaha

Hi

Does anyone know where in Ireland can one get a realistic looking yet reasonably priced wig, preferably in the Munster area?

A friend was just diagnosed with cancer, but unfortuanately money is tight for her and us friends are going to buy her the wig as a present. We really have not got a clue as to the whole procedure and prices - any advice would be greatly appreciated ...

leesmom

hiya,
what a nice thing for you to do.really thoughtful.i dont know anywhere in the munster area as im from dublin but as regards the procedure,basically when your hair is falling out rapidly(depending on the type of treatment) you go into the hairdressers that stock the wig or even preferably go in prior to the hair falling out so they can match it as closely as possible to the natural hair.they will normally cut it as tight as possible when you go in to buy the wig.
my mum got a synthetic one as you can then wash them ,let them dry and they basically reshape themselves rather than human hair which as far as im aware takes alot more maintenance.
my mums cost about 900 euro and it looked pretty natural.
maybe try the goldenpages ot even go in to a hairdressers and ask them if the know of a place in your area

kizzyr

Why not call one of the Irish Cancer Society and ask whoever answers the phone.They get asked so many questions I don't think that this would be an odd one as it is a concern of many people going through cancer treatment.
I think this is a really nice thoughtful thing you are doing for your friend.

beaushalloe

afaik the hospise organised it for my sis in law, she got in somewhere in wexford i think, like the previous poster said the real hair ones are incredibly expensive, but you can get synthitic ones for cheaper, try to get one as close to their own natural syle as it will look more 'real'

i could be wrong, but i think there was some sort of subsidy towards the cost as well. sorry i cant be of much more help to you.
best of luck to your friend

save_our_socks

You dont say where you are based but theres a Boots chemist in wilton shopping centre in Cork that has a wig clinic, havent heard much about it, but seems like they specialise in wigs for alcopecia/cancer patients.
Good luck with the search!

ahaaha

thanks so much for yer help. we are based in kerry so the wilton sounds ideal as her chemo is startin this week anyway up in cork so we might give a quick dash there. otherwise i found that bellisimo in limerick also does them. we can sort the subsidy out later - i presume once you keep receipts it will all sort itself out.

thanks again

save_our_socks

Heres a link to some basic info on the wig clinic in boots in wilton... http://www.boots.ie/news.asp?nid=48

Kamili

I've used Mellissa's hair wear for extentions and stuff before and found her amazing.
I know she does wigs for medical use also.
She is based in Wicklow but will post around Ireland too

http://www.melissashairwear.com/

CathyMoran

I got my wig when i had cancer in snips in dublin< it cost sixteenhundred but it was extra long and real hair and i was getting married during treatment> i got all the money back from the vhi (surgical appliance) but i do know that you can get the money back from your health board>

i would agree in getting your friend to see about the wig before her hair falls out< it really is far more traumatic than you will ever imagine> i did not want a wig but my brother persuaded me a week after chemo started which was a bit late as my hair was starting to fall out>

i know that it sounds selfish spending all that money on the wig< if i was doing it again i would have had a synthetic wig (though i would not have been able to wear a veil on my wedding day)>

good luck to your friend>

leesmom

snips,is that in kimmage?if so thats where my mum got it.sadly she passed away nearly 4 years ago ,but the wig really did do alot to help her confidence,she wore turbans in the house but wouldnt go out without the wig and it made her feel more feminine,now when im having a bad hair day i just say to myself thank god i have hair to complain about:)
i reckon thats one of the toughest things for females to go through with cancer,loosing their hair,it really is a good thing you are doing for your friend,fair play too you.

CathyMoran

It was snips near the jervis center leesmom i am really sorry about your mum> yes< loosing your hair is really hard> i remember my then bf (now hubby) hiding the fact that my hair was slowly falling out< the day it really decided to go i cried all day but it was luckily also the day that i got my wig and got all my hair cut off> mine was a wedding present from my brother sort of (he paid then when the vhi paid he insisted that i kept the money)> op< what you are doing for your friend is lovely< she will really appreciate it>

ahaaha

thanks so much for all of your comments, help, advice and stories.

her chemo is starting now - its all happening so quick that we really think the wig is the last thing on her mind at the moment, but we will try to get her to visit them soon enough. one step at a time i suppose