Wig services

About our wig service

Many people find that a well-fitted wig gives them more self-confidence during cancer treatment.

Thanks to generous donations from the Victorian community, our wig service is available to people affected by cancer-related hair loss, who would not otherwise be able to afford the cost of a wig, and where local services cannot be accessed. We offer a loan service on a range of synthetic wigs along with headscarves, beanies and cotton caps.

We are now offering a postal service with video and telephone consultations, while our face-to-face appointments are on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions. We know that it can be challenging to find the right wig without being able to physically try it on – if you would prefer to have a face to face appointment, we can provide you with details of services that are currently offering in-person services.

Regional wig service

We offer a free postal wig service to people who live in regional Victoria and who are unable to access a wig locally or through their private health insurance.

Wig eligibility

As we have limited resources, we need to ensure that our service is the most suitable for you and that all other options to access a wig have been considered.

Before contacting us about the wig service, we ask that you consider the following:

• Do you have access to another wig service in your suburb, health service or through other cancer-related support organisations?
• Does your private health insurance cover include wigs? Many policies cover the cost of a wig from a reputable wig outlet. We recommend calling your insurance provider to check. 

Make an appointment

Our wig service is by appointment only. This allows us to book in a time for our staff to call you and discuss your needs in detail and together you can select a wig that will look great. All appointments are currently being done over the phone.

If you are not able to access a wig through other sources then please call our cancer nurses on  13 11 20 or visit our web form to make an appointment. We also welcome enquiries from family and friends.

For more information in your own language using an interpreter, call  13 14 50 and ask to speak to Cancer Council Victoria.

Styling headwear with confidence

If you are experiencing cancer-related hair loss, watch tips from experts Dr. Susan Carland and Dianne Haynes on wearing and styling a headscarf or wig.

Donations

Wig donations

We happily accept the following items in good, clean condition:

• synthetic wigs
• head scarves
• beanies and cotton caps

You can post your wig to:

Wig Service
Cancer Council Victoria
Level 8, 200 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne,
Victoria, 3002

Please include contact details so that we can acknowledge the receipt of the wig.

Donating your hair

While we don't accept real hair donations, we do have a recommendation for where you can send your lovely locks. Learn more about donating hair.

Other ways you can help

While we don't accept hair donations or offers to make wigs, there are other important ways you can help:

• Start a fundraiser. Ask friends, family and colleagues to donate towards you shaving or cutting your hair.
• Donate to Cancer Council Victoria . Your donation will help us buy more wigs for those who face cancer in future.

To find out more about supporting or using our wig service call 13 11 20 or email askanurse@cancervic.org.au.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank you for providing this invaluable service free to cancer patients. Believe it or not, the first wig I chose was ‘the one', it made me feel safe and secure going out into the outside world after I lost my hair. The cancer nurse who looked after me was just wonderful and I left feeling more confident about my cancer journey." - Ruth, wig service client