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Dealing With the Hair Loss of Child Cancer Patients

Cancer itself is a traumatic disease. Children need to understand the kinds of risks that come with cancer and its treatment. Chemotherapy is a common procedure for cancer patients of any age, and hair loss is one of the more common side effects. The hair loss of child cancer patients could be a serious matter, for them and for the people who care about them.

Hair loss of child cancer patients may be a sensitive thing, especially for teenagers who are just starting to become conscious about their looks. After all the hair falls out, the most common recourse is to wear hair covering - like a cap, a hat or a bandana. After all, the hair is expected to grow back eventually. And yet, while waiting for that time, children risk being isolated by their peers. Head coverings may draw attention, especially in church, in the classroom and other places where head coverings need to be removed.

An alternative to wearing head covers is wearing hairpieces. Contrary to popular belief, toupees and wigs are not just for "old fogeys" whose hair fell out naturally. Even children can benefit from these hair replacement items. Reassure your child that he or she need not look different from the rest, just because he or she happens to be undergoing cancer treatment.

The sort of hair loss suffered by children undergoing chemotherapy may be classified as toxic alopecia. Hairpieces are traditional remedies for this. It would help to know if your child is allergic to any sort of hairpiece adhesive before buying one, however - ask your doctor or hair loss expert if the chemical adhesive you are planning on buying would happen to have an adverse effect on your child's sensitive scalp.

Let your child choose the wig or toupee he or she would like to wear. If your child is health insured, the high costs of most wigs may not be a problem: you could get a prescription from your physician for a "hair prosthesis," which would help cover the cost of the wig he or she wants. It would help if you took a picture of your child before he or she underwent chemotherapy: it could act as a guide for you and your child in picking out the right hairstyle, or for your child's hairdresser, in shaping the wig. Many adult salons carry wigs of all colors, styles, sizes and makes (synthetic and human hair), and hairdressers are often helpful about picking out or modifying the right hairpiece for your child.

Hair loss of child cancer patients need not be traumatic. Assure your child that even if chemotherapy affects his or her hair, he or she could still look forward to receiving the best sort of hair care.