Wigs | A short story

You may notice I post a lot on my socials about wig wearing.

Of all the ways I have altered my appearance over the years, outside of theatre, I never dabbled in wig-wearing. Wigs seemed fun; but reserved for costumes, the stage, and other people.

In 2022 my youngest sister shaved her head and went into wig-wearing full time. She rocks EVERY look. From bald head to fashion colors - she looks incredible. And while I loved that for her - I still felt it wasn't for me.

In March of 2023, after a bout of COVID and some weight loss, I began to notice hair thinning around my forehead, temples, and crown. In all of my weight and skin struggles, my hair had never been my concern. But starring at the collection of hairs in my palm after every shower I knew I was now dealing with something new.

Like most people, my first course of action was to turn to the internet. First, it was Scholar.Google.com to see if there was peer-reviewed information about rates of hair loss following COVID and/or weight loss. And while there was some information there, I felt the need to connect to a discussion and community - so to TikTok, Youtube, and Instagram I went.

What I found was that women experience various types of hair loss for a variety of reasons. After having a baby, stress-induced, weight-loss induced, female-pattern baldness just because, Alopecia... the list goes on. And yes, there was colloquial conversation to support post-COVID hair loss. Essentially, I found out I wasn't alone.

From there, it was a short skip into the world of wigs. My sister was a resource, of course; but also, the incredible community of education and users in the social media space who do reviews, share tips and tricks, and share their experiences. Let me tell you, I consumed content RAVENOUSLY. And by the late Spring, I took the leap and purchased my first wig from Chelsey Smith Cosmetics.

And then... I bought a lot more!

I found that wig wearing gave me back the confidence I had been losing as my hair had started to fall out. It also gave me the opportunity to try colors, cuts, styles, and lengths I wouldn't have otherwise tried. As I learned more and my skills grew, I got more and more comfortable.

Now, six+ months into my journey (and an official partner for my favorite brand!) I can confidently say that jumping feet first into this experience was one of the very best choices of my life!

I would love to hear about your journey with wig wearing, hair loss, or if you're curious about it!