Road Construction in Beachwood - please call 216-595-9546 if you have trouble getting to TGP East or need directions. We apologize for any inconvenience!
How do I go about finding a wig or head covering?
Meet with the wig supplier/stylist while you still have a full head of hair so they can better understand your current hairstyle, color and approach to grooming. As the time gets closer consider a shorter style. That way you get used to seeing yourself with shorter hair, and the hair that falls out won't be as dramatic.
Bring a friend who can be honest about what looks good and natural on you. Better to have them be blunt up front, than to wear something unflattering.
Some women find that shaving their head or getting a crewcut as the time approaches is more empowering and less traumatic than watching as clumps of hair fall out. Some women ask a girlfriend or partner to shave their head for them, to have the experience be more shared and intimate. Some families try to make an 'event' of shaving Mom's head, so that the children feel a part of things, and can see the humor amidst the sadness.
Don't let someone talk you into spending more than you are comfortable with or more than is necessary. You can buy a very attractive, easy to take care of, synthetic wig for around $200. There are some salons that will charge over $1,000 and insist you will 'want' a human hair wig that needs to be washed and styled frequently. This is not recommended.
Your doctor can write you a 'prescription' for a 'cranial prosthesis' that you can submit to your insurance after purchasing a wig. Most insurance companies do not cover wigs, or only give you a small amount towards the purchase.
The Regina Brett Wig Salon
The Regina Brett Wig Salon is a service offered by The Gathering Place that provides a synthetic wig free to those who experience hair loss due to cancer treatment. Click here for more information.
Salons Offering Wig Services
We have surveyed our participants and they have said the following salons were kind, helpful and had a good selection. This is not a complete list of all salons in our area, and is not in any way a judgment of salons not listed.
East Side
West Side
Hair Loss Prevention with Ice Caps
Arctic Cold Cap, www.arcticcoldcaps.com , 877-234-1688$379+/month
Dignicap, www.dignicap.com, 877-375-8070, Dignicap is a machine that a clinic can buy to offer their patients. You are attached to the machine by wires. Not available in Cleveland yet. $275+ per treatment
Penguin Cold Caps https://penguincoldcaps.com/ 810 359 5257, Penguin cold cap system can be purchased for personal use. They are freestanding caps that are kept cold and need to be refrigerated and swapped out as they warm. You buy them as a set.
Hair To Stay (https://hairtostay.org/ ) is a national organization to offers financial aid to purchase cold caps.
Sharsheret: Among other projects for women with breast and ovarian cancer, they subsidize cold caps through their Best Face Forward program, covering $1,750 of the $2,000 cost. 866-474-2774. bff2.0@sharsheret.org
The Rapunzel Project (http://rapunzelproject.org/) has supplied many of our local hospitals with the ice cap option. Their website lists the following options. You may need to request this service, as it may not be offered as a matter of course.