Confidently You: Choosing and Styling Wigs that Look and Feel Right - Episode 3

How to Style a Wig After Hair Loss From Cancer Treatment

November 3, 2023
Kristie L. Kahl
Kristie L. Kahl

Kristie L. Kahl is vice president of content at MJH Life Sciences, overseeing CURE®, CancerNetwork®, the journal ONCOLOGY, Targeted Oncology, and Urology Times®. She has been with the company since November 2017.

In this on-demand webinar series, CURE partnered with Look Good Feel Better to show how patients who experienced hair loss from cancer treatment can style their wigs.

In part three of CURE’s “Confidently You: Choosing and Styling Wigs that Look and Feel Right” webinar, Daniela Hernandez-Salas, a Look Good Feel Better volunteer, offered ways for patients with cancer to style their wigs following hair loss from treatment.

“So the wonderful thing about wigs is that you really don't ever have to style wigs that much,” Hernandez-Salas explained. “wigs have memory. So even after you shampoo them, they come right back to (their original style).”

In particular, she recommended using a mousse product specifically meant for synthetic hair, and also explained how to untangle and restyle wigs after shampooing. Further, she added, hair stylists can help with this process.

Summary:

00:20 – Limited styling of wigs after shampooing

  • Daniela Hernandez-Salas made note that even after shampooing a wig, the style of it typically comes right back.
  • She added that she uses mousse product, specifically produced for synthetic hair, to bring the style of her wigs back after shampooing.

01:12 – Customizing wigs for hair loss.

  • The speaker also highlighted that hairstylists, professionals and licensed cosmetologists can help personalize and modify wigs for individuals experiencing hair loss.

03:04 – Styling wigs with tips for untangling and reforming curls.

  • Hernandez-Salas suggested starting from the bottom of the wig when styling wavy or curly hair, using ones’ fingers to scrunch and untangle the synthetic hair and using special spray to hold the style.
  • She noted that this could take about 25 minutes per section.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.