As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month which to many individuals translates to one thing: hair. This is because when people think of breast cancer, they think of one of the most notable consequences of cancer treatment: chemotherapy hair loss.

Dealing with cancer is already a long and sometimes painful ordeal. Feeling like yourself is one of the most important steps you can take in the recovery. That’s why many cancer patients suffering from chemo hair loss buy custom wigs. Here are some tips for choosing the right wig for your skin tone and face shape.

Color & Skin Tone

Keeping it Natural

For those who have a good understanding of their skin color and makeup choices, choosing a wig color is a no-brainer. A wig color should be chosen based on whether you’re skin has warmer or cooler tones.

If you’re skin has golden or peach undertones, or happens to be very pale or yellow, you’re on the warmer tone range. If your skin has dark olive or rosy undertones or is porcelain or brown in tone, you’re towards the cooler tone range.

You can also use your natural hair color to choose the color. Stand out in the sun or under a light with a mirror and notice the hair color that shines. If your hair has golden or red undertones, you should choose a warmer color. If your hair glints more blue, green or purple, you choose a cooler colored wig.

Wig Style & Face Shape

Optimize Your Features

Now that you’ve chosen a color, the next step is to choose the wig style. But which style is best for you? The style is usually chosen based on your face shape. There are over half a dozen face shapes and plenty of wig styles for each face.

The trick to finding the right wig is finding the right hair style for your face shape. Pay attention to the curves and angles in your face, and find a hair style that works best to enhance your good features, balance your face, and detract from what you feel are negative features.

For instance, if you have a triangle-shaped face, you want a hairstyle that balances the wider width of your chin with a smaller forehead. To do this, choose a short length wig with an uneven part to put more emphasis on the top of your head, creating a balance between the top and the bottom of your head.

Understanding style can be difficult, but it’s not hopeless. Most wig websites and good wig stores have professional information based on your face shape (and on skin tone as well”> to help you make the right decision.

Human vs. Synthetic Hair

Decisions, Decisions

The debate between human hair and synthetic hair will directly affect your choice of wig. Why? Because both types of wigs have pros and cons that meet different needs.

Human hair can be styled every which way, but should be done by someone with experience or a professional wig stylist. However, human hair is more difficult to maintain than synthetic hair given that human hair often has to be detangled and maintained with special products just like the hair on your own head. Synthetic hair cannot be styled, but is low maintenance.

There is such a huge difference between the two types that there are now combination wigs with both human and synthetic hair. Done properly by a professional, the combination wig has the ability to take on new shapes, but is easier to maintain than straight up human hair. Win-win for those who want the best of both worlds.

Generic Tips related to the Gallery

  • Often times, wigs are one of the many important items for someone suffering from chemo hair loss. They give that person a sense of strength and self.
  • If you are suffering from cancer, something like the confidence from wearing a wig can even enable a faster recovery.
  • Whether it is the right color based on skin tone, the perfect style based on face shape, or choosing a synthetic or human hair wig, wigs are a good option for those who want a boost and a great option for those who want to look good and feel better.

Want More?

For women going through chemotherapy, wig shopping is a part of life. But, this begs the question: when will your hair grow back?

Samantha Berley

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