Workplace LQBTQ+ Guide - Cancer Hair Care

Rainbow service – A safe space

At Cancer Hair Care, we have a dedicated LGBTIQ+ Specialist and ‘Rainbow Service’ that is centred on supporting individuals to navigate their cancer-related hair loss journey. When hair loss happens as a side effect to cancer treatments, you may choose to tell people about your diagnosis and treatment or prefer to keep it private.

This Workplace guide is dedicated to supportive ideas for people within the LGBTQI+ community who are experiencing cancer treatment related hair loss. The suggestions and ideas focus on managing changes to your image and dealing with colleagues and the general public in relation to this change. The idea is to provide you with the confidence to make choices around how you deal with hair loss and maintain your privacy.

5 Top Tips for the LGBTQI+ community – managing hair loss in the workplace

Be prepared

If you are concerned about hair loss, it’s a good idea to plan. This way you won’t find yourself getting up for work and having to deal with hair falling out unexpectedly. Many people within the LGBTQI+ community have previously experienced changes to their image and so changes now, as a side effect to cancer treatment, can trigger past memories. Make sure you are clear on the timing of hair loss. For example, generally speaking hair starts to fall out around 10-14 days after the first chemotherapy treatment. This is important to know so that you can plan.
Book in for a Workplace consultation and request a ‘Rainbow Service’

You will receive a warm welcome by our trained team who can chat through your concerns and help you to discover options for changing your style and managing hair loss.
Your individual look

There are many ways to retain your own identity and feel professional and ready for work when managing hair loss. From fake fringes, caps with hair attached to being bare and bold. When it comes to adapting to being hair free in the workplace, think about any dress codes or uniform requirements and ensure your employer can support you with any reasonable requests to adapt your workwear.
The Script

Think in advance how you might respond to comments about your ‘new hair style’. For example, if you are wearing a wig that is shorter than your usual style you may choose to say something like “I fancied a change” or “it’s nice having a shorter style, less styling time in the morning”
Lashes and brows, facial and body hair

Some people say they hadn’t thought about how they would feel without eyelashes or brows. Others were surprised to lose body hair. Don’t get caught out in the workplace. Be prepared and think about having items such as false lashes to hand.