Hair loss and cancer treatment

Hat and scarves

Hair loss is a common side effect of some cancer treatments. Some people choose to cover their head by wearing a wig. Others don’t want to wear a wig, or may not want to wear anything all the time.

What you could wear instead of a wig

Instead of wearing a wig, you could try:

hats
scarves
beanies
turbans
stretchy tubes
caps

This video talks about the different alternatives to wigs. The video lasts 7 minutes.

Where to get wigs, hats and scarves

There are lots of suppliers of wigs and other headwear. Your specialist nurse can advise you on local suppliers. Or you can look at a list of companies that have been recommended by visitors to this website.

See a list of some places you could buy these from

Last reviewed: 04 Apr 2023

Next review due: 04 Apr 2026

Where to get wigs, hats and scarves

Find details of helpful organisations and suppliers of wigs and other head wear.

Hair loss and cancer treatment

Hair loss is a common side effect of some cancer treatments. Find out more about it and how you may be able to use scalp cooling to try to reduce hair loss from chemotherapy.

Wigs

Read about the different types of wigs, whether you can get one through your health service, and tips on how to wear them.

Changes to your appearance

Cancer and its treatment can change how you look. This might affect how you feel about yourself.

Coping with cancer

Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. Find out about the emotional, physical and practical effects of cancer and how to manage them.

Your cancer type

Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.