Looking good!
Cancer survivors received a lesson on wig care and styling at a CanHOPE workshop.
How often have you walked into a hair salon when you felt down, got a shampoo or a new hairstyle, and walked out through the door smiling, leaving all your worries behind you? That is the magic hairstylists do.
In late July, 14 cancer survivors attended a wig-care and styling workshop organised by CanHOPE at Shunji Matsuo Hair Salon, The Grandstand.
You might be concerned about your thinning or balding crown, or why strands of hair seem to be always falling – stylist Lai Mei Jen has all the answers to that.
“Why are you losing hair?” she said. “Actually, losing hair is normal. Our hair cycle usually lasts two to six years and they will drop off at the end of the cycle. Every day, it is normal to have between 50 and 100 strands of hair dropping off.”
Even when our hair is really thinning, there is always the option of wearing a wig. She said that it was normal to use wigs in trendy Japan and encouraged Singapore women to experiment with wigs. She gave tips on the use of clip-on hair-extensions and wigs, and the use of a simple scarf or hat to create a different look or style.
Attendees were pleased with how different they looked under her guidance.
Hair Maestro Shunji Matsuo, 67, with over 40 years of experience in the beauty industry and owns 15 salons in Singapore and regional countries, decided to partner Parkway Cancer Centre (PCC) in its
fight against cancer earlier this year.
“Having a positive mindset is very important in fighting cancer. It is not easy to maintain a positive mindset. We have to try to stay happy, feel motivated, and look at each day as a brand new day. Personal grooming is important too. When you look good, you feel good. It is not difficult to look good. When your friends see you and start saying that you look great, it helps boost your self-esteem and confidence,” said Shunji, a cancer survivor himself.
He will also be working with PCC to put up a fashion show for cancer patients and survivors during their survivors’ retreat in September.
How to choose a wig
There are three types of wigs in the market: synthetic fibre, mixed hair and human hair. Here are some tips on how to choose, care and style your wigs.
- Choose a partial or whole wig depending on your needs. A partial wig can be good enough to make thinning hair look fuller.
- You may wear a whole wig to your hairstylist and ask him/her to cut it to a style that suits you.
- For synthetic fibre wig, do not apply heat treatment such as a hairdryer or flat iron.
- A human hair wig is easy to manage as it only needs to be soaked in hot water for cleaning. After washing, flip the wig over to dry.
- Choose a lighter colour wig and dye it for a different look.
- You can use a hair straightener or curler to change the look of the human hair wig.
Written by Chua Hwee Leng
