You may or may not lose your hair from pre-transplant conditioning. It's less likely with the limited chemo they have lined up for you than with a full conditioning regimen. But if it happens, there are two very practical reasons to get a wig, hat or cap:
- Patients are already feeling some loss of identity. People (including youself) may think of you first as a patient, not as the person you started out as. Having such an obvious and unwelcome change to your appearance can worsen that tendency. With a wig, you can look and feel more like your real self.
- Your head gets cold much more easily when you have less hair. Its a noticeable difference, and hospitals are often kept rather cool. A wig or a fuzzy cap can keep you comfortable.
You might even count a third reason: it can be fun to shop for head coverings and collect a few of them. They usually aren't expensive. Patients spend a lot of boring hours at the hospital, so if you need a wig, treat yourself to a little shopping spree and feel good about doing something nice for yourself.
There are many specialists who help with hats and wigs for patients. Some hospitals even have a hat center right on their campus.