The short list of pluses and minuses of living without my own bio hair.
by Asta Cardinale

Pluses of living without bio hair.

1. I don’t have to wash my hair every day. The wigs don’t get oily the way bio hair does so they stay cleaner longer. In fact, I only wash mine every couple of weeks.
2. Remember those brutally hot summer days when you wished you could just take your hair off? Well, I can. Since I’m wearing the super comfortable Joli Dancer (the cap breathes really well) my head doesn’t get any hotter than it did with my bio hair, but I still have the option if I want to go ‘au naturel’.
3. I can see what the back of my hair looks like without a mirror.
4. I can experiment with different hair colours without worrying about what dying it will do to my scalp.
5. I can change the length of my hair just by popping on a different wig.
6. I can fight traffic tickets by wearing a scarf and no make-up. Just kidding. That one’s a fantasy.
7. I can get my husband to run downstairs to answer the door. ‘Oh honey, can you get that? I don’t have my hair on.’
8. I can take a shower without getting my hair wet.
9. I never to have to shave my legs.
10. I can help other women who’ve experienced hair loss because I know how it feels on a personal level.
11. I’ve been able to look at my life from a different perspective.

Minuses of living without bio hair.

1. Finding the right wig. There isn’t a whole lot of information out there and a lot of companies trying to sell their products. In the beginning it’s trial and error.
2. Paying for pieces that just don’t work. I’ve wasted a lot of money.
3. Uncomfortable wigs. They can be hot and itchy, and rogue hairs can fall into your eyes.
4. Learning to care for the wigs. It’s not that hard really if you take the time to read what your manufacturer recommends. I’ve learned that it’s important to read the instructions carefully as all the pieces are different, and there is a learning curve.
5. Relearning how to put my make-up on. I have alopecia universalis and initially I had to draw my eyebrows on every morning. Even though I used a waterproof pencil they would eventually wear off before the end of the day. I’ve since had them tattooed on.
6. Unless you have the right wig, your hairstyles are limited. Updo’s and pony tails will often expose the caps.
7. Not understanding why my hair fell out.
8. Becoming paranoid about my health.
9. Constantly having things fall into my eyes. This is the worst. Losing the hair on my head was assault on my ego, but having no eyelashes is really uncomfortable. I try to keep my eyes well lubricated with drops.
10. Worsened allergies because of the lack of eyelashes and nostril hairs. Yes. I lost those too! These are our natural filters and without them we are more susceptible to airborne particles, irritants, and bacteria. A friend who travels a lot recommended I put a small amount of vaseline in my nostrils before getting on a plane or spending time outside. Sounds gross, but it’s a good precaution.