Marian – My little wig man

Marian – My little wig man

I told my grandson that he was to be my little wig man….

I wasn’t expecting my grandson, who was 7 then, to come through the door at the very moment when the hairdresser was cutting my hair short. So I just said “As you know nanny hasn’t been feeling very well and has to take these tablets to make her better and you know what those silly tablets make nanny’s hair fall out so I’m having it cut short, but don’t worry it will grow back and I’m going to have a wig”…I think that because my reaction was quick and to the point he was fine with it…his reaction was a typical 7 year old boy with a gentle “Whatever ok nanny..” off he trotted up the stairs. Not seeming rattled or confused.

Later I showed him my wig and said” You need to be my little wig man…if my wig isn’t on straight you have to tell me”. Sometimes I would make it wonky on purpose and he would smile or look quite serious and say “nanny”…and point at the wig.

There’s so many different ways to deal with these things but in my opinion kids of his age aren’t stupid and so I felt it best to be honest and tell him what was happening.

More to share…

I want to start by telling you that I have just had my first hair cut and colour on my new hair growth. A lou lou flicky style with blonde highlights. Now I am starting to feel like myself again.

Before I started treatment and lost my hair I had a long bob style, shoulder length sleek and blonde. I have always been someone who has styled my hair and enjoyed making my eye lashes long with black mascara. Nothing to fussy but just making myself look the best I can.

When the specialist told me that I was going to lose my hair but I could have a wig I remember feeling really angry and wanting to say “it’s all right for you…you have hair”. It really was one of the things that I found the thought of devastating. But I have to tell you that I coped with a beautiful wig and no one at work even knew that I was wearing one and I work in a hospital.

The time it was really tough was when it started to fall out. Over a period of about two weeks I would go into the garden and shake my head and my hair would fall out. I used to tell my daughter that the birds would use it for a nest. It would have been helpful to have had some tips on what to do when you hair is falling out. I didn’t find out until afterwards that I could have worn a specialist head scarf, designed to cover hair loss – this would have caught the hairs and been a lot less of a mess. That’s why I am so supportive of this web site and cancer hair care because it is those little tips that can make all the difference. You will have good and bad days but I guess it’s necessary to go through the hair loss to get better.

As I told you at the beginning I have now got blonde highlights and a flicky style. I have to blow dry my curls (which are a new thing for me) sleek and use a tiny straightening iron to get it smooth. I grew my hair for a good 8 months without having it cut. I made the mistake of using a wash in colour that ended up pink! I just laughed, when you have lost your hair, even if it’s pink, it’s my hair and so I feel more like myself. I didn’t have a clue who to turn to for my first hair cut. Then a friend told me about Cancer Hair Care. The tips and helpful information about colouring and managing curly hair are a life saver. I just wanted to know that I was doing the best I could for my new hair.

I wish you all the best of luck. Just don’t colour your new hair pink! unless that is what you wanted”. Marian

Marian has since trained to become a Cancer Hair Care Advisor. She has over 5 years of clinical experience to add to her own and is one of our dedicated Cancer Hair Care Hair Loss Advisors working for our charity helping to support others. You can chat with Marian and our team by calling Our helpline.