Getting Wiggy With It

As I prepare for my chemotherapy journey, I have been struggling with the fact that I will lose my hair. I cried for two days when I first found out, and then I realized how many others are going through this and that hair should be the last of my worries.

I decided to get a head start and begin my search for wigs that I can wear and feel comfortable with while out in public or on Zoom calls. I did a quick Google search and made an appointment at the first place I saw.....Custom Hair of Tampa.

My dear friend, Chaya, went with me and we both had no idea what the experience would be like. As soon as walked in, we were greeted and immediately made to feel like we were at home.

Melissa was who my appointment was with, and I think she could tell I was nervous. I explained to her that I was diagnosed with breast cancer and would be starting chemotherapy shortly. I also told her that I was completely clueless with wigs and had never worn one, not even for Halloween. She smiled and told me we would find something I would love. She was right.

I truly believe that we are destined to meet certain people and Melissa was like an angel that was sent to guide me. She truly understood my situation as she had been through it herself. She took my natural hair down from the top-knot bun it was in and ran her hands through my thick, naturally curly hair. As soon as we made eye contact, it was as if she knew exactly what I would like.

We walked out into the display area and pulled a few samples. I could start to feel myself relax a bit and was intrigued by the thought of being able to change-up my hair style on a regular basis. I suddenly thought about the scene from Sex and the City in season 6, when Samantha Jones (who is going through chemotherapy and wearing fun wigs) is out with her boyfriend, Smith, and they run into their friends, Stanford and Marcus. Because they saw Samantha from the back and saw only a dark head of jet-black hair, they did not notice that it was their blonde friend. When she turns and smiles, a pleasantly surprised Marcus says, "Oh my god, that's a good look for you. It's very Jefferson Starship." Samantha then says, "Well, I decided to turn a little hair loss into a lot of hair gain." Stanford then smiles and says, "You're getting wiggy with it." Oh, how I love that scene and now it really hits home.

As Melissa pulled my hair back into a bun and slipped a wig cap over my hair, I started to feel my heart race. All I could think about was what it will be like to have a bald head. Will I be depressed? Will I cry? So many emotions were running through me, and I started to feel like Jello. She then put the first wig on my head, which was a strawberry blonde bob. As I looked in the mirror, I could not believe how different I looked, and also realized that it was not the best color for me. However, I did like the fact that it was a fun style and maybe in a darker color, it would be perfect.

We tried a few more and I started to feel my mood improve. I realized that I would be able to change up my hair styles on a regular basis. I could be blonde, brunette, a red head, or even rock some fun, cool colors. I would also be able to get ready in record time without trying to straighten my naturally curly hair or deal with curls that turn to pure frizz in this Florida humidity. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all!

I also learned all about the differences between synthetic wigs and those made from real human hair. Aside from the cost, ($2500 average for real human hair vs $600 for synthetic), I learned about the incredible, hand-made craftmanship of wigs and how real they look. I was blown away! You could not even tell I was wearing a wig and that made me feel so much better.

The next one we tried was my absolute favorite. As they say, third time is a charm, and it sure was! I instantly fell in love with this brown, balayage beach-wave wig. I wanted to leave with it on my head! I told Melissa that this was the one I wanted to order, since it would take a little over a week. Thank God this one was synthetic, as it was less expensive. At about $550, it was a lot, but I knew I could work my side-hustle doing grocery deliveries on the weekend to earn most of the money.

I thanked Melissa, and I also thanked God for having our paths cross. She truly made me feel so much better, and I actually smiled for the first time since finding out I would have to go through chemotherapy. She also said she could help me with the shaving of my head since it is such an emotional experience.

If you are in the Tampa Bay Area and are looking for a fantastic place to get a wig, be sure to check out Custom Hair. They have locations in Tampa, Brandon, and Clearwater.

Be sure to check out my Instagram Reel of my experience.

Stay tuned for updates on my new hair journey!

xoxo,

Tracy