One of the most devastating side effects of chemotherapy for women is hair loss, as it can negatively impact self-esteem and confidence. Whilst the sufferer will be relieved to be free of cancer, the treatment can have more long-lasting effects.

Speaking to Wales Online this week was Cathy Fisher, a breast cancer survivor who lost all of her hair during chemotherapy treatment. She has explained her battle with hair loss – marking it as the worst part of her illness – and the effect it has had on her life.

Cathy, now 45, started to lose her hair during her third course of chemotherapy. She describes what happened:

“I woke up one morning feeling like death and I looked at the pillow and there was my hair. It was devastating.”

Cathy took the bold step of cutting all of her hair, but this upsetting experience made her feel even worse. She says that she no longer felt attractive in her partner’s eyes.

Describing how she felt when the hair started to grow back, Cathy says:

“I couldn’t wear a scarf over my head or a wig because it was too hot so I was walking around with this awful hair until it grew to a certain length and I became socially acceptable again.”

For women like Cathy who lost their hair during chemotherapy, there are now more advanced solutions available to help. You could try hair replacement treatment, or one of the increasingly realistic human hair wigs now being made.

Although human hair wigs are a good solution for temporary hair loss and they are becoming increasingly more realistic-looking and easy to wear; they aren’t the right solution for every hair loss sufferer.

It makes sense that more permanent conditions require a more permanent solution, one that gives you the freedom you need and allows you to live your life as normally as possible. Losing your hair changes the way you look at yourself and how you interact with people, and wearing a wig doesn’t always help you shake off that self-conscious feeling.

So what alternatives are there for women with hair loss?

Hair replacement therapy has advanced at a tremendous pace in the last few years and although it can’t offer any miracle cures, it can offer you the freedom you need and help to restore your self- confidence.
A key example of this is the Intralace system, which is a viable alternative to the standard human hair wig.

The system can either be used as a way of making clients hair look fuller and thicker, or as a wig alternative for those with full head hair loss. It is a permanent solution lasting two to three years, helping to restore a natural looking hairline and boost overall volume without the need for daily maintenance.

If you have suffered or are suffering with hair loss, it is likely that’ll you have looked far and wide for a way to disguise your problem. Hats and head scarves are an ineffective short-term fix, and not every hair loss condition is severe enough to consider human hair wigs.

This is why hair replacement treatments have become so popular, as they improve the appearance of natural hair in a more permanent way. The most effective solutions include:

• Medi Connections – These are a lightweight, more specialist version of hair extensions, designed to boost the volume of hair whilst still maintaining a natural appearance.

• The Intralace System – This pioneering treatment consists of ultra-fine mesh panels containing human hair being integrated into your existing hair. A natural-looking parting can also be added. This method disguises hair loss and still allows you to wash and style your hair and live your life as normal.

Concerns

A lot of women considering either of the aforementioned treatments are worried about one key issue – will the natural hair be able to grow under the hair replacement method? Such fears are unnecessary, as the treatments have been specially designed to allow natural hair regrowth. If your hair grows enough, you will be able to get the Intralace System or Medi Connections extensions removed.

Losing your hair can knock you for six, shattering your confidence and changing your perception of yourself and your place in the world. Some people will take the view ‘it’s only hair’, but it isn’t only hair; it’s an integral part of your self-esteem.

From being a young child to an adult woman, we are conditioned by the media, entertainment and fashion industries to believe that shiny, healthy hair is a symbol of beauty, youth, femininity and sexuality. This is why losing it can be so devastating, as we feel that all of these ‘attractive’ qualities are robbed from us, often without warning.

Confidence-boosting tips

The key to regaining your self-esteem and confidence when interacting with the world is acceptance. Once the initial panic of losing your hair has passed, you can accept what has happened and start to look for solutions.

Here are some confidence-boosting solutions for:

Temporary hair loss (caused by hormonal changes such as pregnancy)

Whilst you are waiting for your hair to fully grow back; human hair wigs are a great idea. Some of the latest wigs are extremely realistic, so you never need to feel self-conscious about your appearance.

Permanent hair loss (caused by alopecia, female pattern baldness)

Hair replacement treatment has improved rapidly in the last few years, with solutions such as the Intralace system offering you a way of disguising hair loss even if you cannot cure it.

Stress can cause all sorts of changes in the body, both mental and physical. The stress of a messy divorce –or other difficult emotional times such as a death in the family – can cause everything from weight loss and insomnia to hair loss.

This is what happened to former model Elin Nordegren, who this week officially finalised her divorced from famous golfing husband Tiger Woods. Speaking to People Magazine in her one and only interview, Nordegren spoke of the emotional turmoil caused by the revelations of Woods’ nineteen suspected affairs, and of the stresses of the divorce proceedings.

Speaking of her experiences, Nordegren said:

“It’s hard to think you have this life, and then all of a sudden — was it a lie? You’re struggling because it wasn’t real. But I survived. It was hard, but it didn’t kill me.”

In the days before the divorce was finalised, however, Nordegren says that her trademark long, blonde hair began to fall out due to the stress of it all. Not only was her marriage shattered, but her self-esteem and confidence in her appearance was under threat as well.

For women, the loss of hair can be a devastating experience. It undermines confidence, self-esteem and can interfere with the way you live your life. There are solutions available though – such as hair replacement treatment or human hair wigs – so that you don’t have to live under the shadow of hair loss.

Sadly, there is no miracle cure for female hair loss, nor is there one particular type of food you can eat to either prevent hair loss or cause hair to grow back. The best way to find a solution to your problem is to consult your GP or a hair loss specialist.

However, there is a link between some aspects of female hair loss and the sufferer’s nutritional intake. Whilst permanent hair loss is usually caused by genetic disposition, temporary loss or thinning of hair can be affected by nutritional deficiencies.

The following is a brief outline of the vitamins involved in hair growth and loss:

• Vitamin A – You need a sufficient intake of Vitamin A to promote the growth of healthy hair and scalp tissues. A prolonged deficiency can cause cellular debris to accumulate in the hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.

• Zinc – A mineral which promotes cell reproduction, tissue growth and repair, Zinc deficiency has often been associated with dandruff and hair loss.

• Vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid – These B Vitamins are essential for ensuring that your scalp receives enough blood and oxygen to keep it healthy and strong. A deficiency could cause shedding or thinning hair, as well as slow regrowth.

Other vitamins and minerals associated with hair growth and loss include: iron, Vitamin C, copper, and protein.