In a room at the Odette Cancer Centre, shelves of neatly arranged wigs and head coverings line the walls. They’re free for patients who’ve lost their hair from chemotherapy or other cancer-related treatment. Many of the wigs sit atop expertly handcrafted wooden wig stands, which are also available free of charge to patients.

Woodturner Allan Cooper says his wife lost her hair due to chemotherapy nine years ago. In an attempt to add something beautiful to her life, the retired lawyer made her a wig stand. Although she has since passed away, he’s been making and donating them to the hospital ever since. 

“I decided the hospital could use something more attractive than the Styrofoam heads,” he says.  

In addition to creating his own wig stands, Allan Cooper also collects stands from other woodturners across the province.

Allan also collects stands from other woodturners across the province. In the last two years, he’s collected more than 150 wig stands for donation, with no two being identical. “Wigs are very important to patients going through chemotherapy. Having a stand to place it on gives it the respect it deserves,” says Erin Di Lella, volunteer coordinator at the Odette Cancer Centre. “And these stands are beautiful works of art made with love.” 

Each stand varies in finish, from a clear lacquer that showcases the wood grain to colourful paint.  

Volunteers at the cancer centre say patients are comforted knowing that somebody took the time and energy to make such striking showpieces. 

“The object of life is to try to improve life for other people,” Allan says. “When somebody has an illness, it’s not difficult to make their life just a little bit better, [to] add something unique, make them feel special. So, if I can make them even a little bit happier, then I’m satisfied.”

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Here’s a little fact I learned this week: the average person has more than 100, 000 hairs on their head, and loses between 50 and 100 strands per day. You might be wondering, who cares? Fair enough, and you probably shouldn’t unless you notice handfuls coming out at a time. If you do, there’s a problem.

Angie Strlic first realized this problem three years ago while in New York with her daughter. Walking down the street, Angie’s daughter looked up and asked why the back of her coat was covered in hair. Angie had no idea, but the hair loss kept happening. She remembers crying in the shower as clumps came out each day. “I just shed, like a dog,” she told me. “My hair falls out continuously.”

Angie was losing about 500 strands of hair every day, caused by a condition called aggressive telogen effluvium, or one type of hair shedding for us average folk. I was admittedly surprised when I met her, as she still appears to have a normal head of hair. But for Angie, who is well aware of what she’s lost, her condition has at times been emotionally wrenching. “Hair has a lot to do with how we feel and look, and when that’s happening to you, you become an emotional wreck.”

So why does hair shedding happen? Sunnybrook Dermatologist Dr. Jeff Donovan says, there are several reasons. For some, it can be triggered by a highly stressful event, like surgery or the loss of a loved one. For others, thyroid problems, low iron levels and even crash diets can be to blame. Certain medications can also trigger hair shedding, including some anti-depressants, blood thinners and even some high blood pressure pills. Knowing hair shedding can be a symptom of a bigger health issue, Dr. Donovan says it’s important to get it checked out by a dermatologist as soon as you can.

After being treated for a thyroid condition and taking certain vitamins daily, Angie is happy to report significantly decreased hair loss. She also uses a special powder to conceal any thin spots on her head, and a laser brush for 15 minutes every other day to promote hair growth.

Angie agreed to talk to me about her hair shedding with the goal of helping others like her. Her advice? Follow through with recommended treatments, and no matter what, stay hopeful. “I used to cry and I don’t any longer,” she told me. “I feel good now.”

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Like many patients with alopecia, Mr. Pokas wasn’t the first one to notice the condition. His wife, who’s acted as his barber for decades, noticed his usually full head of salt and pepper hair was thinning in spots. Not unusual for older men, but the severe itching was another sign. Despite the daily discomfort Mr. Pokas was experiencing, it took a full year before he sought medical advice.

It’s a typical scenario for patients with scarring alopecia, a condition that many mistake for hair loss associated with aging, says Sunnybrook Dermatologist Dr. Jeff Donovan. But scarring alopecia has telltale signs, including itching and burning of the scalp. If this is your experience, don’t ignore it. The problem in waiting is that the scars left behind when the hair falls out make regrowth a near impossibility. Timely treatment won’t be able to restore lost hair, but it can prevent further hair loss from happening in up to 70% of patients.

Treatments range from cortisone creams and lotions to injections and a variety of oral medications. It all depends on the individual and their type of scarring alopecia (there are several). But Dr. Donovan, who has seen far too many patients wait far too long to seek care, urges you see your doctor to start the discussion. Not to mention, to help alleviate your discomfort.

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It all goes to say, ignorance is not always bliss, so here are a few things I’ve since learned. Alopecia areata is a chronic condition that can affect anyone at anytime or age. Resulting in hair loss in small patches, the whole head or the entire body, alopecia can come and go without warning and the cause is unknown. And it’s extremely common. If you were riding the subway, let’s just say at least two people in your car would be affected.

Here at Sunnybrook, we’re lucky to have a literal hair loss guru on staff. Dr. Jeff Donovan has treated countless patients with alopecia, and he told me that personal support and appropriate treatment can make a world of difference for patients. There are a variety of options, ranging from creams to injections. And Sunnybrook is also one of the few hair loss clinics in the country to offer a topical chemical treatment called DCPC, which is about 60% effective in promoting hair growth.

It was in this clinic that I met Beverley, a patient of Dr. Donovan’s who in mid-life, started experiencing hair loss. “I thought, gee, this is odd,” she told me. “And then consistently, it just fell out. It was really hard.” Beverley now comes in for weekly DCPC treatments, which last about 5 minutes and consist of a giant Q-tip saturated in the medication being rubbed all over her scalp. While the medication does cause some temporary discomfort, Beverley described it as not too bad.

But just as important as dealing with the physical side of alopecia, she told me, was managing the psychological toll. “I think the main thing is to not lose your own personality, not to get depressed even though it’s difficult at times. You’re still the same person and you’re getting help. When you come here, you’re getting help.”

Beverley agreed to talk to me for this story to try and help other patients and to educate the public about the condition. That’s knowledge I could have used a few years ago myself. And knowing how pervasive alopecia is, hopefully this can help you, too.

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