People lose their hair for a variety of reasons including natural hair loss from aging, alopecia, illness and from treatments used to cure diseases like cancer-related chemotherapy.
If your hair loss is severe you may decide to cover your head with a hat, cap or woolen beanie but many men choose instead to invest in a toupee to address their hair loss problems. If your hair loss is patchy and located at the front or top of your head, or only in the initial stages then a toupee may be a good solution for you. If total hair loss results you might decide to wear a wig at a later stage. You may choose to wear your toupee permanently or only when you are out and about, it really is up to you. Here are some general guidelines on how to buy a toupee and disguise your hair loss.
General Tips
* Start to shop for your toupee long before you lose a lot of hair. This way you can match it to your natural color, texture, and style.
* Specialty shops for cancer patients are a good source of hairpieces. If you aren't comfortable going to your local retailer, a sales associate may be able to come to your home to help you fit your toupee.
* The American Cancer Society's "tlc" catalog is another source of toupees and wigs.
* If your hair loss is likely to be temporary consider borrowing one instead of buying it. Call your local American Cancer Society or enquire at the social work department at your hospital.
* If you need to buy a toupee due to hair loss from cancer treatment, it is a tax-deductible expense and may be (at least) partially covered by your
health insurance
. Do check your policy and ask your doctor to write out a prescription for a "hair prosthesis".
