Medical Oncologist
Before you start
Buying a wig or scarf before you need it
Before your hair falls, if you want one. Buying while you still have your own hair lets you match the colour, parting and length against the real thing. First, though, check whether your plan causes hair loss at all, and whether you actually want a wig: many people find a scarf or cotton cap suits them better.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
17+specialists on panel
15,000+patients treated
35+centres across Telangana & AP
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The short answer
When should I buy a wig?
Before your hair falls, if you want one. Buying while you still have your own hair lets you match the colour, the parting and the length against the real thing, and lets the fitter see how you actually wear it. Afterwards you are working from a photograph and memory.
First, though, check two things: whether your plan causes hair loss at all, and whether you actually want a wig. A great many people find a scarf or a cotton cap suits them better, and discover it only after spending on a wig they rarely wear.
Try the cheap options first
Buy a couple of cotton caps and scarves for very little, and live with them for a week or two. If they feel right, you have saved a large sum. If they do not, you now know exactly what you want from a wig.
Nobody has to wear anything
Some people cover their head every time they leave the house, some only for weddings and work, and some never do. All three are completely normal, and this is not a decision anyone else gets to make for you.
Ask your oncologist first: does my plan cause hair loss, and roughly when would it start?The choices
What is actually available
- Synthetic wigs
- The commonest choice. Much cheaper, lighter, and they hold their style after washing without any setting. They cannot be heat-styled and they look less natural close up, and most people find that trade-off acceptable.
- Human hair wigs
- More natural in appearance and can be cut, coloured and styled like your own hair. Considerably more expensive, heavier, and they need setting after each wash. Worth it for some people, unnecessary for many.
- Hairpieces and partial pieces
- Useful where hair has thinned rather than gone, or where the loss is patchy. Cheaper than a full wig and easier to live with, and rarely mentioned as an option.
- Cotton caps and sleep caps
- What most people actually wear at home. Soft, cool in the Hyderabad heat, cheap, washable. A sleep cap also keeps the pillow clear during the shedding, which many people find helps.
- Scarves and dupattas
- Familiar, inexpensive and require nothing new to be learned. Cotton in summer; avoid synthetic fabrics that slip. Many people use a scarf daily and keep a wig for occasions.
- Nothing at all
- A perfectly good choice, particularly at home and in the heat. Just keep the scalp covered in direct sun, because a bare scalp burns much faster than people expect.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistIf you do buy one
How to choose one you will actually wear
The commonest regret is a wig that was chosen in a hurry and then sat in a cupboard.
Go before the hair goes
Take a photograph of yourself now, from the front and the side. Match the colour against your own hair in daylight rather than under shop lighting, which flatters everything and matches nothing.
Take with you
- A recent photograph in daylight
- Someone whose eye you trust
Choose comfort over perfection
A lighter, slightly less convincing wig that you wear is worth far more than a perfect one that is too hot to keep on. Weight and breathability matter more in this climate than most buyers expect.
Ask the practical questions
How to wash it, how often, how to store it, whether it can be trimmed, and what it costs to maintain. A wig that needs setting after every wash may not suit your life.
Also ask
- Whether it can be adjusted as you lose hair
- Whether alterations are included
Wear it before you need it
Try it at home for an hour or two before the day you must rely on it. Getting used to how it feels and sits, in private, makes the first outing very much easier.
Money
Spending sensibly on this
Question
What to do
How much should we spend?
Try caps and scarves first; they cost very little
Is it covered by insurance?
Usually not; ask the hospital desk rather than assuming
Are there charities that help?
Ask the medical social worker; some do, and few people ask
Can we buy online?
Cheaper, but colour and fit are hard to judge from a screen
Synthetic or human hair?
Synthetic suits most people and most budgets
Will we need it after treatment?
Usually for some months while hair regrows
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Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you what is available near you or what it will cost. Suppliers, quality and prices vary enormously between cities and even between shops in the same city, and nothing written here is a substitute for asking your hospital who local patients actually use.
It also cannot tell you whether you will want one. People are frequently surprised by their own reaction: some who were certain they would wear a wig every day end up in a cotton cap, and some who thought they would not mind find they mind a great deal.
Comfort in this climate is not a small consideration
A wig in a Hyderabad summer is hot, and that is the reason most expensive wigs stop being worn. It is worth weighing before spending, not after.
What to do next
Ask whether your plan causes hair loss at all. Buy two cotton caps and a scarf this week and see how they feel. If you decide you want a wig, go while you still have your hair, take a daylight photograph, and choose the one you will actually wear rather than the most convincing one.
Commonly believed
Four things people get wrong about this
"Buy the wig first thing, before anything else."
Check first whether your plan causes hair loss, since not all do. Then try a cap and a scarf. A great many people find they prefer those, and the money spent in the frightened first week is frequently wasted.
"A human hair wig is the better choice."
It is more natural and also heavier, hotter, far more expensive and needs setting after every wash. Synthetic wigs suit most people, particularly in this climate. The best wig is the one you keep wearing.
"Wearing a wig will damage regrowth."
It does not, provided it is not so tight that it irritates the scalp. Keep the scalp clean and moisturised and give it some air at home. Discomfort is worth acting on, but there is no harm to the regrowth itself.
"If I cover it well, nobody will notice."
Some will, and that is worth preparing for rather than dreading. Many people find deciding in advance what to say makes it much easier than being caught off guard, whatever they choose to wear.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about wigs and scarves
Should I buy a wig before my hair falls?
If you know you want one, yes. Matching colour, length and parting against your own hair is far easier than working from a photograph later. Check first that your plan actually causes hair loss.
Wig or scarf, which do most people choose?
Many use both: a scarf or cotton cap at home and a wig for work, weddings and going out. In this climate, comfort tends to decide it. Try the inexpensive options before committing to a wig.
How much does a wig cost?
It varies widely with the type and the supplier, with synthetic considerably cheaper than human hair. Ask your hospital who local patients use, and ask the medical social worker whether any charitable support exists.
Is a wig covered by insurance?
Usually not, though it is worth asking the hospital's insurance desk rather than assuming. Some charitable trusts help with the cost. Very few families ask, and some support goes unused.
How do I look after a wig?
Ask the supplier for written instructions at the time of purchase: how to wash it, how often, how to store it and whether it can be trimmed. Synthetic wigs hold their style after washing; human hair ones need setting.
Will it be too hot to wear?
It can be, and this is the main reason wigs stop being worn here. Choose a lighter, breathable one, and expect to use a cotton cap at home. Weight matters more in this climate than appearance.
What should I wear at night?
A soft cotton sleep cap suits most people. It keeps a bare scalp warm, which surprises people, and keeps the pillow clear during the shedding. A satin pillowcase makes shedding less visible too.
When can I stop using it?
Whenever you want to. Regrowth usually begins within weeks of the course ending, and most people cover their head for some months while it comes in. There is no right point at which to stop.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- Cancer Research UK — Wigs and hair loss
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Wigs, hats and headwear
- National Cancer Institute — Chemotherapy and You
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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