$5,000 custom 10/12" wig sold to Cancer Patient

naturalmanenyc

Well-Known Member
[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]I am kind of offended at the price of this 10-12 inch wig sold to a cancer patient. I have a good friend going through chemo right now and she does not even like to go out of the house because she has lost her hair. She does have 2 wigs, donated, but I had no idea that some of these wig salons that specialize in "helping" cancer patients are charging ridiculous prices! [/FONT]


How Hope Travels With a Wig
By JEFFREY ZASLOW

In the days ahead, Alicia Gaudio will be visited by a woman she has never met to receive a gift she wishes she wouldn't need.

Nicole Rowe, holding the wig she wore during cancer treatment, with her husband Michael, daughter Jordan and son Alex. She is giving the wig to Alicia Gaudio.








Ms. Gaudio, who is 23 weeks pregnant, learned two weeks ago that she has breast cancer. On Thursday, the 40-year-old attorney from Mt. Kisco, N.Y., underwent a mastectomy, which will be followed by chemotherapy.

The gift—a stylish brown wig—is intended to help her return to good health. It will be delivered by Nicole Rowe, who wore it after she lost her own hair during breast cancer treatment last year. "We call this the healing wig," Ms. Rowe, an optician, plans to tell Ms. Gaudio.

For four years, the wig has been passed from woman to woman with cancer, all friends of Vanessa Pacella, a psychotherapist in Wellington, Fla., who bought it for $5,000 after her own diagnosis. "When you wear this wig and look in the mirror, you see yourself as a healthy person," says Ms. Pacella. "There's a lot to be said for positive energy." Adds Ms. Rowe: "That wig got me through."

Why do human beings attach such great power to objects that are given to them, especially in times of crisis? For thousands of years, civilizations have embraced the mystical possibilities in amulets and talismans. Now science is explaining how these items actually work, and why, in today's digital age, they often take on even more significance.

"It's not voodoo," says Barbara Stoberock, a researcher at the University of Cologne in Germany. "It can be explained. If you have a lucky charm, and believe it helps you, there's a psychological mechanism. It lifts your beliefs in your own capabilities, and gives you a boost."

In a study released this year, Ms. Stoberock and a team of social psychologists found that people are more likely to attach superstitions to items during moments of uncertainty—when they're under high stress and low levels of perceived control.

The researchers conducted several experiments in which subjects performed better on memory and dexterity tests if they had personal talismans with them, whether stuffed animals, childhood blankets or inherited jewelry.

The 'healing wig' worn by Nicole Rowe when she lost her hair amid chemotherapy treatments. Now, the wig is being sent to another woman who will be receiving breast-cancer treatments.








"It's the talisman placebo effect," says Scott Sandage, an American history professor at Carnegie Mellon University who has studied success and failure in America. "There's a desire to have a physical token of a wish. It's tangible, and if it worked for someone else, you think it's more likely to work for you. It has a track record."

Erika Tinker was the 80th bride to tape the same Scottish sixpence into her shoe. Her husband's grandmother, in 1936, had been the first. On her wedding day in 2004, Ms. Tinker, a preschool teacher in Castle Rock, Colo., felt that the coin marked her symbolic arrival into her husband's family. But now, six years later, she won't discount the possibility that the coin has special powers. "All I know is that my husband and I are very happy," she says. (There is a list of the brides who've used the sixpence, but no record of whether their marriages were happy or long-lasting.)

While such old-fashioned superstitions continue to resonate, people today also find meaning in less-traditional talismans. San Francisco Giants first baseman Aubrey Huff has gotten attention for wearing a red, rhinestone-trimmed thong under his uniform, which he believes helped his team make it to the 2010 World Series.

Thirteen California women made news a few years ago when they purchased a $37,000 diamond necklace together and took turns wearing it. Each agreed to make love at least once with it on. The women said the necklace bonded them and helped change their lives.
Talismans for Romance

Meanwhile, a recent book, "Three Wishes," tells the true story of Carey Goldberg, a single woman who at age 38 decided to find an anonymous sperm donor. Shortly after buying eight vials of sperm for $175 each, she fell in love with the man who would become her husband; they conceived a child naturally. She passed the vials on to Beth Jones, who also ended up falling in love, having a child, and never using the vials. The vials were then passed on to Pamela Ferdinand, who proceeded to fall in love and have a child naturally.

Nicole Rowe









The unused vials of sperm became talismans for romance, luck and motherhood. "Especially for me, as the third recipient of the sperm, I saw the strength and sense of freedom it gave Beth and Carey to take control of their lives," says Ms. Ferdinand.

"That gave me hope."

It's often assumed that unsophisticated people are most likely to be drawn to talismans, but intellectuals and corporate titans are drawn to them, too, says Dr. Sandage.

Personal talismans often are most meaningful when they offer a sense of connection to a time, place or community. Dr. Sandage, 46, keeps a small box on his office desk, which contains an odd assortment of items, including a hose clamp, a chrome lug nut, some brown string, and a 13/64th drill bit. After his dad died last year at age 88, this box was discovered among the few belongings he'd brought with him when he moved into a nursing home. The old man never talked about why he held on to these stray items, but Dr. Sandage now sees them as talismans linking him to his father. He finds it comforting to think of the small box "as a kind of survival kit that got him through 88 years."
Taping Personal Stories

In some communities, efforts are under way to get older people to talk about their personal amulets before it's too late. The Boston-based Keepsakes Project, for instance, invites senior citizens to be videotaped telling personal stories about their keepsakes. The videos are shown on local cable television.

As the world changes, and we age, material objects that we find meaningful remain the same, says Susan Bosak, chair of The Legacy Project, an educational organization that connects generations. Older people struggling with dementia can use talismans to recall happier memories. The objects trigger connections in their brain that can't otherwise be accessed.
Not a 'McMoment'

Given the pace of technology today, "everything is so fleeting," says Ms. Bosak, who dismisses much of our online interactions as "McMoments." "These McMoments don't feed our spirits. Kids, especially, need a sense of rootedness. They have a real need for lasting family keepsakes."

Ms. Bosak's father died in July, and she feels a strong connection to his sweater. "When I touch it, I feel like I'm touching him," she says. "We can use an object almost like a compass. If we're feeling lost and directionless, we can go to it, and the values it represents, and that helps us get our bearings."

These items—including a clamp, bolt and drill bits—were among the few belongings Scott Sandage's father brought with him when he moved into a nursing home. After his father's death, Dr. Sandage, held on to the items, drawing comfort from their connection with his family.









In that spirit, "the healing wig" offers a shared strength, and a path back to health, say the women who've worn it. Before she passes the wig on to Ms. Gaudio, Ms. Rowe will have it washed and blow-dried at a salon near her home in Salisbury Mills, N.Y. She plans to encourage Ms. Gaudio by telling her that the three women who've already worn the wig are now well. She'll also share a story.

Last winter, after Ms. Rowe went through chemotherapy, she promised her 3-year-old son, Alex, that her hair would return when the leaves were back on the trees. The first time Alex saw her in the wig, he got excited. He ran to the window, and even though it was still winter, he shouted, "Mommy, I can see the leaves coming back on the trees!"
The wig's magic reaches beyond those who've worn it, Ms. Rowe says. It helped her little boy imagine the possibilities of spring.

Write to Jeffrey Zaslow at [email protected]
 

Mrs. Verde

Well-Known Member
$5k for that?!?!?!!?!?! What a rip off. Many women don't know a lot about wigs. This salon should be ashamed of itself. Reminds me of those Jon and Kate Plus 8 $7k extensions. She would have been better off going down to the Korean BSS. She could have gotten the same wig for $200 or less.
 

Moopeh

New Member
Some of the wigs though are the natural color of the person who donated it, The wig cap is made of a soft flexible translucent material and is form from a bust of the person's head (so they do a cast of your head for a perfect fit) and then small group of hair is individually sew in, so it's not tracks. You can part is anywhere shake your head and it won't come off. Then you get a haircut with the wig on, highlights if you wish. So it really is as natural as it can get. That's why some wigs cost 5K. Can you imagine the man hours going into that?
 
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naturalmanenyc

Well-Known Member
I know!!!! She could have gotten a custom full thin skin 12" full lace wig with Virgin Indiam Remy or some other Virgin hair for probably $1,000 or less from an American Vendor, and maybe $500 or so from a Chinese Vendor.


$5k for that?!?!?!!?!?! What a rip off. Many women don't know a lot about wigs. This salon should be ashamed of itself. Reminds me of those Jon and Kate Plus 8 $7k extensions. She would have been better off going down to the Korean BSS. She could have gotten the same wig for $200 or less.
 

HappilyLiberal

Well-Known Member
If she can afford a $5000 wig, paying that for a wig could potentially help the wig manufacturers provide wigs to poor patients at deep discounts. I'd have to know more to decide whether or not I am going to castigate the salon for charging her that price.
 

Mrs. Verde

Well-Known Member
If she can afford a $5000 wig, paying that for a wig could potentially help the wig manufacturers provide wigs to poor patients at deep discounts. I'd have to know more to decide whether or not I am going to castigate the salon for charging her that price.

**Castigate:perplexed leaves site for dictionary.com**:grin: I like learning new words.
 

naturalmanenyc

Well-Known Member
I can only speak for my friend with respect to her 2 free wigs. The wigs were donated by former cancer patients (or their families if the person died). The wigs were not donated by wig salons.

If she can afford a $5000 wig, paying that for a wig could potentially help the wig manufacturers provide wigs to poor patients at deep discounts. I'd have to know more to decide whether or not I am going to castigate the salon for charging her that price.
 

B3e

Active Member
initially, i was equally perplexed by anyone's desire to pay so much for such an bland piece, but after reading through i second janet', i don't think she is paying for the wig, but rather the perceived affects of wearing the healing wig. hope is the best medicine. personally, my hope would be in a completely different price range, priceless or otherwise. :/
 

empressri

Well-Known Member
Did someone put a gun to her head and force her to buy it?? If that's what you want to do then more power! I'm happy she was able to purchase that if it lifted her spirits.
 

naturalmanenyc

Well-Known Member
I totally get it that buying the $5,000 wig was all about the hope to be cancer free. That was not my point in posting the article.

Losing your hair during chemotherapy treatments is one of the worst parts of dealing with cancer for women. One can pretend that the cancer treatment is not "that bad". My friend refers to her chemo treatment days as "spa days" to try to escape in her mind. However, losing your hair does not let you escape having cancer. You see it every day in the mirror, you feel it in the shower. It does not go away.

Another friend, who passed away after battling cancer, also turned to wigs but she simply used BSS wigs and then wore her own short cut when some of her hair grew back.

Having a realistic wig to wear make the days a bit easier such that it's not always a pity party when one wakes up bald. My point is that cancer patients who are losing their hair are vulnerable. They are dealing with a life threatening illness and trying to hold on to some semblance of feminity in buying a wig.

It upsetting to me to know that some companies are taking advantage of these women by charging such over the top prices for wigs.

Many health insurance companies cover the cost of a wig for those who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy. If an insurance company covers the cost of a wig, one may need a referral or prescription stating why they need a "hair prosthesis".
 
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JuiceMobsta

Well-Known Member
initially, i was equally perplexed by anyone's desire to pay so much for such an bland piece, but after reading through i second janet', i don't think she is paying for the wig, but rather the perceived affects of wearing the healing wig. hope is the best medicine. personally, my hope would be in a completely different price range, priceless or otherwise. :/

Did someone put a gun to her head and force her to buy it?? If that's what you want to do then more power! I'm happy she was able to purchase that if it lifted her spirits.

I totally get it that buying the $5,000 wig was all about the hope to be cancer free. That was not my point in posting the article.

Losing your hair during chemotherapy treatments is one of the worst parts of dealing with cancer for women. One can pretend that the cancer treatment is not "that bad". My friend refers to her chemo treatment days as "spa days" to try to escape in her mind. However, losing your hair does not let you escape having cancer. You see it every day in the mirror, you feel it in the shower. It does not go away.

Another friend, who passed away after battling cancer, also turned to wigs but she simply used BSS wigs and then wore her own short cut when some of her hair grew back.

Having a realistic wig to wear make the days a bit easier such that it's not always a pity party when one wakes up bald. My point is that cancer patients who are losing their hair are vulnerable. They are dealing with a life threatening illness and trying to hold on to some semblance of feminity in buying a wig.

It upsetting to me to know that some companies are taking advantage of these women by charging such over the top prices for wigs.

Many health insurance companies cover the cost of a wig for those who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy. If an insurance company covers the cost of a wig, one may need a referral or prescription stating why they need a "hair prosthesis".




All of you guys are missing the whole point. They said that the person who originally bought the wig paid $5000 for it. And since then it has been passed on to different women who have cancer as a GIFT. So the person who is about to receive it now is getting it for FREE in the hopes of it getting her through her cancer just like everyone else.


Now for the original buyer, she payed alot, but that was her choice. If the wig has held up this long then maybe it is some specially handcrafted wig like someone else mentioned. All that really matters is that they are cancer free. :yep:
 

naturalmanenyc

Well-Known Member
No, I did not miss the point. I read the article and realize that the original buyer, 4 years ago, paid $5,000 for the wig. My point was and still is that a "handcrafted" wig does not need to cost $5,000.

Not everyone does their research prior to making large purchases. Lots of people just go to the "expert" and follow the advice of that person. And of course there are the people who think more expensive means better quality when that it not always the case.

Nonetheless, when battling cancer one is even less inclined to do research. I feel that some of these wig sellers are taking advantage of cancer stricken women. That is MY opinion and nobody else is required to agree; however, that was my point in posting the article.

This is not the site my friend is using, but she was referred to them to find an "affordable" wig:
Wigs For Cancer Patients NYC - Featuring Hair Stylist Andrew Disimone

Our Wigs link - European wigs - Wigs NYC - Your Wigs Super Store

I have referred her to several American vendors where she can get a custom made wig for $300 or less (her hair was short, maybe 8 inches). If she uses a Chinese vendor, the wig will be even less but she prefers to go into a wig salon (in New Jersey).


All of you guys are missing the whole point. They said that the person who originally bought the wig paid $5000 for it. And since then it has been passed on to different women who have cancer as a GIFT. So the person who is about to receive it now is getting it for FREE in the hopes of it getting her through her cancer just like everyone else.


Now for the original buyer, she payed alot, but that was her choice. If the wig has held up this long then maybe it is some specially handcrafted wig like someone else mentioned. All that really matters is that they are cancer free. :yep:
 
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Tiye

New Member
Yes she can order direct from a China vendor for 300 or less but those are not the same quality as a custom wig - and by custom I mean one where you work one on one with a master wig maker and have fittings - not where you email pics to a factory with no in person contact. First of all the low cost is because of the so so hair quality even if they tell you it's "virgin". The wigs are ventilated by factory workers who I don't think are master wig makers. Also the CV wigs are not custom molded to your head or your hair line. Overall the quality varies - as any of the lace wig junkies on bhm will tell you straight up. As stated the cancer patient's wig is donated however if she paid for it I think some insurance might cover some of the cost of hair prostheses. Castigation is not necessary. There are various levels of quality of any product, and we all go with the level that we can afford. Just coz I know how to improvise or bootleg the look of a higher level for less doesn't mean that a higher grade doesn't exist.
 
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