Alopecia World
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I know it's a long one, but please read. I need advise
So last month while I was in NY I decided to purchase a "lace wig" according to the website, this wig is different from a lace front wig although don't ask me how because I really don't know. Anyways, when they attached it (approximately 10 days ago) they told me that they were using the "sensitive skin" glue & tape and that with this combination the wig can stay on my head for up to 5 weeks. Of course I realize there are no guarentees in life, but I have quite a story for you...
I returned to my hometown loving my new hair. I'd only had it for 1 day in NY before returning home. My fiance loved it, my family and friends loved it everyone was excited (myself included). It appeared that I would now have great freedom to put my hair up in a pony tail or do whatever I wanted with it. This wig is different from even my 100% human hair wigs because it was attached to my head directly and the design was different too.
It was a bit itchy from day one, but nothing I couldn't handle. It was quite a change to be sleeping with hair on and showering with a shower cap on my head and overall being able to do with it as I wished. It has been 15 yrs since I last slept with hair on my head. I even went in to work on Friday (August 1) for my first day back after being away for 2 months and when people commented on my hair I told them about my aleopecia. This for me was a HUGE thing (see previous blog post). I did not tell everyone I work with, but I did tell a select few and I was feeling pretty great about it. A hospital is a very large place with too many people even on one given unit to be sharing that sort of thing with.
Today (August 4) is a long weekend in Canada and I was off work. With the help of my sister I decided I wanted to remove the wig and wash it before putting it back on as I felt the hair was getting a bit oily and the itchy factor was becoming too much for me. OMG I was shocked when I pulled off the wig. Not only was my entire head covered in little red dots/bumps but I had a horrible rash everywhere that the tape & glue were on my head. No wonder I was so darn itchy from day one. It looked like I had the chicken pocks on my entire head.
Once we figured out how to get the stuff off my wig and wash it and then off my head and I showered I realized that the skin on my head and neck was burning red and seriously painful (understatement of a lifetime). I wrote the company that sold me the wig and supplied and requested that in the morning someone please contact me immediately. I've called in sick to work tomorrow (claiming an allergic reaction to something; it's the truth afterall). I've also cried A LOT!
This new wig was supposed to be my opportunity to enjoy having hair that I could truly do whatever I wanted with. This was my less expensive option for new different hair styles without breaking the bank every time I purchased hair. It was supposed to be my chance to consider different styles and different wigs to change it up from day to day (my eventual personal goal). This was also supposed to be a way for me to still maintain my 100% human hair as I will never return to synthetic ever!
What the heck am I supposed to do now? I'm going to go tomorrow on my self imposed day off from work to some places within my hometown that sell hair peices in desperate hopes that they can help me. I realize that just last week and all throughout the summer, I was making serious leaps and bounds in sharing my aleopecia with people, but I know that I am NOT ready to be FORCED into sharing it with everyone not of my own volition. I feel forced at this point.
I am a person who sometimes thinks the worst of situations when I feel I have little or no control. And I fear that tomorrow I will find out the worst...that I am screwed and cannot ever wear the lace wig again because there are no products available for my super sensitive skin and I'll be forced to return to my previous wig (there's nothing wrong with it, just I was ready for change) and I will have to return to work on Wednesday and share my aleopecia story with everyone eventhough I do not want to.
Any ideas for me? I know loads of you are much more comfortable with sharing your story with the world, but I am not. therefore recommendations on that note will likely be disregarded, no offence. I'm just not there yet in my personal aleopecia journey.
Thanks for listening.
I returned to my hometown loving my new hair. I'd only had it for 1 day in NY before returning home. My fiance loved it, my family and friends loved it everyone was excited (myself included). It appeared that I would now have great freedom to put my hair up in a pony tail or do whatever I wanted with it. This wig is different from even my 100% human hair wigs because it was attached to my head directly and the design was different too.
It was a bit itchy from day one, but nothing I couldn't handle. It was quite a change to be sleeping with hair on and showering with a shower cap on my head and overall being able to do with it as I wished. It has been 15 yrs since I last slept with hair on my head. I even went in to work on Friday (August 1) for my first day back after being away for 2 months and when people commented on my hair I told them about my aleopecia. This for me was a HUGE thing (see previous blog post). I did not tell everyone I work with, but I did tell a select few and I was feeling pretty great about it. A hospital is a very large place with too many people even on one given unit to be sharing that sort of thing with.
Today (August 4) is a long weekend in Canada and I was off work. With the help of my sister I decided I wanted to remove the wig and wash it before putting it back on as I felt the hair was getting a bit oily and the itchy factor was becoming too much for me. OMG I was shocked when I pulled off the wig. Not only was my entire head covered in little red dots/bumps but I had a horrible rash everywhere that the tape & glue were on my head. No wonder I was so darn itchy from day one. It looked like I had the chicken pocks on my entire head.
Once we figured out how to get the stuff off my wig and wash it and then off my head and I showered I realized that the skin on my head and neck was burning red and seriously painful (understatement of a lifetime). I wrote the company that sold me the wig and supplied and requested that in the morning someone please contact me immediately. I've called in sick to work tomorrow (claiming an allergic reaction to something; it's the truth afterall). I've also cried A LOT!
This new wig was supposed to be my opportunity to enjoy having hair that I could truly do whatever I wanted with. This was my less expensive option for new different hair styles without breaking the bank every time I purchased hair. It was supposed to be my chance to consider different styles and different wigs to change it up from day to day (my eventual personal goal). This was also supposed to be a way for me to still maintain my 100% human hair as I will never return to synthetic ever!
What the heck am I supposed to do now? I'm going to go tomorrow on my self imposed day off from work to some places within my hometown that sell hair peices in desperate hopes that they can help me. I realize that just last week and all throughout the summer, I was making serious leaps and bounds in sharing my aleopecia with people, but I know that I am NOT ready to be FORCED into sharing it with everyone not of my own volition. I feel forced at this point.
I am a person who sometimes thinks the worst of situations when I feel I have little or no control. And I fear that tomorrow I will find out the worst...that I am screwed and cannot ever wear the lace wig again because there are no products available for my super sensitive skin and I'll be forced to return to my previous wig (there's nothing wrong with it, just I was ready for change) and I will have to return to work on Wednesday and share my aleopecia story with everyone eventhough I do not want to.
Any ideas for me? I know loads of you are much more comfortable with sharing your story with the world, but I am not. therefore recommendations on that note will likely be disregarded, no offence. I'm just not there yet in my personal aleopecia journey.
Thanks for listening.
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Comment by Mandy on August 5, 2008 at 9:11am
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Hmm...can you wear a cap under your lace wig to protect your head? That would be best since you love the hair so much. I'm not sure how the lace wigs works and if that would be possible. If not...do you have a wig you were wearing before this one? Just wear that one to work tomorrow until you can find something else. If not, I would look for local shops to visit so you can buy a new one for work tomorrow. If you don't want to share your alopecia with work, that's what I would do. You don't have to tell others about your alopecia if you don't want to. Keep me posted, ok?
Hugs,
Mandy
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Comment by Nicole on August 5, 2008 at 10:24am
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That is terrible! Did the company who gave you this new hair system do a patch test with the tape before applying it to your head? They should have done that before putting it on your head and sending you home....if they didn't that is very irresponsible of them.....
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Comment by amanda~ on August 5, 2008 at 10:43am
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Thanks for the responses Mandy & Nicole. To answer your questions, Mandy your suggestions are essentially what I'm doing today; trying to find a place in town that does wigs etc and figure out what options I may have. As well, I do still have my old wig so I'm not entirely hooped.
Nicole, no the company did not do a patch test on me. I should have requested that, but I was just so excited about the new hair that I didn't think of it. Good lesson for future I guess. I really hope that something can be done today.
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Comment by Lorena on August 5, 2008 at 12:50pm
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Absolutely Amanda demand compensation for your loss of work too. I work in retail and I know that the wheel that squeaks gets the grease. Be concise factual and stern. Persist till you speak to the top dog of that company and demand your trip costs ,loss of work, and cost of the wig. Ask big so you can settle for less. Every company knows that one unsatisfied customers can share with at least 10 potential customers mention Aw. cause you can share it with hundreds. Good luck! Hey and try a scarf tomorrow for work they look great ...and you know you are beautiful, .....God only made so many perfect heads the rest he put hair on. Smile Amanda a scarf will look great and you can heal, poof it out like your hair is tucked in it. There's a video and how do it ..
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Comment by Carmella on August 5, 2008 at 1:38pm
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As terribly painful as that was - I'm sure - and as pissed off as you have every right to be with the company ... there could be a blessing in this. I know a woman who used a "hair regrowth system" from Redken (since discontinued) that made her break out in just the way you describe. Within two months of the irritation all of her hair grew back! It stayed for seven years and then fell out again. She says she'd give anything to recall the name of that product and convince Redken to re-release it.
Hope you're feeling better.
CAR
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Comment by Lee on August 6, 2008 at 2:44am
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Hi Amanda....
It seems like you had an allergic reaction to the tape, thats all. I also used to wear a lace wig and I used tape to hold it down. However, you definatly do not need to wear your wig for days at a time. In fact, its better not to sleep in them. It puts pressure on the cap and can cause damage overtime. Im not sure why they would tell you to wear it to bed...unless you need to for some reason. I would go to the nearest wig shop, and get another kind of tape...maybe not as strong. I could never imagione having the same tape on my head for 6 days in a row...or course you are going to be uncomfortable! I would take it nightly...get yourself some adhesive remover at the wig shop. You should be fine! Theres a lot to learn about what works best for you! Don;t get frustrated...you will be fine ; )
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I agree with Lee......I also have a lace wig and I would never wear it to bed..... and I always remove the tape at night and replace it with new tape the next morning.... If you got a mild tape from a different wig shop and didn't wear it to bed I bet that would work out great....it's not as convienant as beening able to wear it for days at a time but I bet you would like doing it that way a lot better and your hair system will last a lot longer :)
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Comment by Shel on September 24, 2013 at 4:08pm
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There is "its stays adhesive" that washes off with water and I love it!!!
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