"Let's Talk - The Truth Behind the Wig" with Kim Hammon | Ellen Wille Guest Blogger

"Let's Talk : The Truth Behind the Wig" with Kim Hammon | Ellen Wille Guest Blogger

Oh my gosh! I just got a new wig! Woohoo!  
 
This is exactly the way I feel when I get hair in the mail. I’m even more excited when I put that girl on my head and have the hair of my dreams. I play for hours and I look at myself in the mirror, seeing the person that I want to be. No, hair isn't what makes me who I am. But it sure does make the makeup and clothes look good and boost the self esteem! 

Now let's talk about the truth behind the wig. First, I have to say the following is my own personal journey and a bit out of my comfort zone opening up like this...but here it goes. I hope you find it helpful.

I used to love a nice hot relaxing bath, but now not so much. No one sees the tears that often happen during my longed for relaxation time. I always wait until the end of my bath to wash my hair because I know what is going to happen. I apply the shampoo and slowly wash my hair as if it is a very expensive, delicate piece of glass. I do this gently, hoping to save my hair, but knowing it isn't true. I finally open my tightly closed eyes to find strands of hair between my fingers, on my back and neck. Taking a deep breath, I convince myself to condition my hair. Surely this will help? I use all of the best conditioners for thinning hair. I lay back letting this magical potion do its trick. Eyes closed tightly again. Here I go, opening my eyes to the exact same thing. Even more hair has fallen out! 
  
With intense sadness and heartache, tears once again fall down my face. I say to myself, "Well Kim, at least you have some beautiful wigs to wear."  As I dry myself off, I gently put a towel around my hair to absorb the water. I put on my clothes, my face creams and then it's time to bravely comb my thinning hair. I comb from the bottom to top as I’ve learned is the best way to do this. Here I go again... I’m holding my breath and my eyes are closed. I open my eyes to find the comb full of my hair. I look at the comb and wonder... how so much hair can fall out and yet I still have hair? "It's only a matter of time," I say to myself.  I feel myself getting annoyed and upset. Why not just shave it off? Cut it really short? Believe me I have come very close.  
 
Well, my friends, this may happen one day, but for now I’m hanging on to what I have and that's okay. Did you know that it's okay not to be okay?  I know that I may have more hair than others but my hair loss is still just that.... it's hair loss. After the radiation treatment, I lost a little part of me when my hair started thinning and I had no idea of what to do. I thought I would just have thin hair and eventually no hair.  
 
Wow! Was I so wrong. I know now that I will always have hair. I will just buy it. At first I was so afraid to put on a wig and even more terrified to walk out into public wearing it. However; after a lot of trial and error, money wasted and determined persistence... I soon found the promise and satisfaction of what a good wig can provide. I now feel completely the opposite. I feel naked if I go out without my wig! My only advice to someone losing their hair is please don’t wait to find that perfect wig. There IS such a thing as your perfect wig waiting for you. And when you find that perfect fit, wear it with pride, it is your hair my friend!  
I'm truly thankful for wigs and how they have given me back my self confidence and even better, my smile. Being a stay at home mom, it can take me months to save up for a new wig. Honestly, sometimes I wish I had that head full of hair and I could use that money on my children or other things. But, I have to remind myself that I’m worth it and deserve a gift of love because God knows that I love wigs. And, if you think about the cost of haircuts, treatments and color on your bio hair just to alter and maintain that latest style...it can cost well over $125.00 and that's without a tip. Not to mention that after six weeks here we go again, another trip to the beautician, another day of anticipation and worry hoping it turns out okay and you get what you paid for.  So, now I just save my money and buy the perfect wig, knowing that I will get exactly what I paid for without the worry and wonder of what results I may get at the salon. So maybe exchanging the worry and time spent at the salon, for the excitement of what shows up in the mail isn’t so bad after all. 
 
My reason for writing this is to let others know that I understand the pain associated with hair loss. I hope to help others by sharing my journey. I acknowledge and have compassion, knowing that others have it so much worse than I do. I am thankful to have bio hair even though very thin. Sometimes in this life we can't choose what happens to us but we can choose the way we respond to it.  I will not let this autoimmune disease define me. It can take my hair, but not my smile, my song, my dance and my love of life and self. 
I’m a dreamer and a fighter. I look forward with exciting expectation to that next beautiful long, short, curly, straight, blonde, brunette, auburn or lavender wig to then stand on a mountaintop with my hands on my hips and my gorgeous hair blowing in the wind. To all of you losing or have lost your hair, I’m sending you the biggest hug and high five, because now we have many choices on what hair we have . We can have curly, straight, long, short, and wow the color choices are amazing. We are empowered! Together, we will keep on keeping on.

Remember to BeYOUtiful! Big hugs and kisses my friends,

-Kim

Check out Kim's latest video on her YouTube Channel, Let's Talk With Kim, where she goes into more depth about her journey with hair loss and her personal truth behind the wig.