The Truth About Chemotherapy & Trichotillomania Wigs

Chemotherapy Wigs - Trichotillomania Wigs Kenner, LAIf you suffer from trichotillomania or are going through cancer chemotherapy treatments you are probably worried about losing your hair or trying to hide the bald areas that have developed. Both conditions can cause women to feel self-conscious about their hair and that really can affect their self-esteem.

Chemotherapy and Hair Loss

Just hearing you have cancer is scary enough but then starting chemotherapy treatment can be a destabilizing time. Anticipating your hair loss only adds to the anxiety you could be facing. Some cancer treatments can cause more hair loss than others. After just a few treatments you will begin to notice your hair falling out slowly and sometimes in clumps.

Trichotillomania Hair Pulling

Trichotillomania is a hair-pulling disorder that affects millions of people and to different degrees. This condition can lead to large bald patches and even a receding hairline. The good news is often this type of hair loss can be just temporary unless the hair follicle is damaged and is no longer able to grow hair. Even though the hair loss trichotillomania suffers have is often not permanent it does take a while for it to grow back. If your hair loss is permanent due to damage to the hair follicles, we offer hair replacements for women that moves and feels like natural hair.

The Right Wig Can Make All the Difference

When women suffer from hair loss from chemotherapy or even Trichotillomania the negative effects go beyond having baldness. Women’s medical wigs for trichotillomania, chemotherapy, and alopecia today are so vastly different from decades past. Medical grade wigs are means to be worn by those with very little to no hair. They are comfortable and designed to fit your scalp shape. The hair is real human hair so what you get is a wig that is so natural.

There are even wigs that are open frame capless, giving them a cool and light design. Synthetic hair fibers have been developed to replicate human hair so closely that it can be difficult to tell the difference. The synthetic hair moves freely and it gives you styling flexibility.

When it comes to wigs the biggest hurdle is deciding to go with synthetic fibers or one made from human hair. Synthetic wigs are typically more affordable, while human hair wigs can run quite a bit more. If you can figure out the length of time during the day you will be wearing a wig throughout the day, then choosing the right kind of wig can be a little easier.

We have compiled a list of differences to help you know the advantages of both:

Synthetic Wigs

• Less expensive
• Always come pre-styled and ready-to-wear.
• High-quality synthetic fibers feel and look like natural hair without the need for salon restyling.
• Easier care and maintenance than human hair wigs.
• Style and color are unaffected by washing or environmental factors, like sunlight or humidity.

Human Hair Wigs

• More expensive than a synthetic wig.
• Functions like your own hair. It can be curled, straightened, and styled as you would your natural hair.
• It can be custom cut and colored.
• Can handle the heat from styling tools.

There is no reason for women today to have to suffer from female hair loss. We would be happy to assist you in making the right decision for your type of hair loss.

What is Trichotillomania?

trichotillomania wigs new orleans laDo you know what trichotillomania is? Well, almost 11 million Americans suffer from trichotillomania, someone close to you is probably suffering and being aware of the disorder you can help.

The National Institute of Health classifies it as an impulse control disorder that prevents an individual from resisting the urge to pull hair from her body. Symptoms of trichotillomania usually manifest in your teenage years. We need to get rid of the stigma attached to trichotillomania… So more people will seek help. The symptoms of trichotillomania can often be alleviated, allowing the suffer to lead a normal social life with an undetectable human hair wig which breaks the hair pulling cycle.

Several pop-culture icons and public figures, such as actors Olivia Munn, Charlize Theron and Megan Fox, have went public with their condition.

If you are suffering from trichotillomania or you know someone who is, at Hair Styles Unlimited in Kenner, Louisiana, we offer real hair loss solutions for anyone experiencing the negative effects of trichotillomania.  We can personally customize a solution to your specific needs and provide temporary or permanent solutions to help conceal and protect a frequent place of pulling. Call today at (504) 464-5949.

Trichotillomania and Your Teen

Trichotillomania (trick-o-til-o-MAY-nee-ah), sometimes called TTM or “trich”, is a disorder that results in individuals pulling out hair strands in various parts of their body. TTM is one of several behaviors that are identified as “body-focused repetitive behaviors” (BFRB). Other behaviors in this category include skin picking, scraping of skin, or biting of nails. According to the Trichotillomania Learning Center, “trich” impacts people of all ages, with one in 50 people experiencing “trich” in their lifetime. The majority of people begin pulling out their hair between the ages of 11 and 13. If hair pulling goes unnoticed by parents, children could move into adolescence with the compulsion. If you suspect that your child is struggling with trichotillomania, it’s important to take steps to help your child.

Signs and Symptoms

There are a few common signs that your child may be engaging in BFRBs, particularly trich. Your child may engage in hair pulling in front of you. Often, individuals are compelled to pull their hair during sedentary activities, such as watching television, surfing the web, or listening to a lecture. You may also notice thinning hair or bald patches on your child’s body, perhaps on the scalp, eyelashes, or eyebrows. A very common symptom of people struggling with “trich” is social isolation and withdrawal. Pullers will likely feel embarrassed and ashamed by their behavior, which causes them to isolate from people who love and care about them.

Treatment

TTM is a very real psychological and medical condition that requires treatment. The desire to pull out the hair is compulsive and may result in bald patches. Hair pulling varies based on the individual’s compulsion. Individuals may feel compelled only to pluck hair from a particular part of their head or eyebrows. Others may pluck hair from all regions of their body, unconcerned with the location. Teens are a particularly challenging TTM population because there are many other stressors in a teen’s life. Therapy for “trich” will address the hair pulling compulsion while discussing broader aspects of the child’s life.

The therapist, child, and parents determine parental involvement in therapy meetings. Depending on the age of the child and the presenting problems, the level of parental involvement will vary. Parents may be involved to a greater degree in some aspects of the therapy than in others. Living with a child who has TTM can be emotionally trying for parents as well as siblings. In addition to the individual therapy that your child receives, attending your own individual sessions may also be important.

If you notice that your child is engaging in hair pulling, you should make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician and a trained therapist immediately. Working to stop TTM requires a team approach that includes trained professionals. Supporting your child through this difficult situation is complex. Work with other adults that your child trusts to build a support team around him/her. Providing your child with resources and someone with whom to talk is a necessary first step.