How do you cover your head at work when you’re bald from chemotherapy?

One of the questions I get asked quite often is:

“I’ve lost my hair from chemotherapy. How do I cover my head at work without looking too casual?”

It’s such a reasonable question.

When you’re already dealing with so much change, going back to work can bring a whole new set of things to think about. What will I wear? Will people stare? Will my hat look professional? Will I feel like myself?

The good news is, you can absolutely cover your head after chemotherapy and still look polished, professional and like yourself at work.

Quick answer: How can you cover your head professionally at work after chemotherapy?

If you’ve lost your hair from chemotherapy, look for soft, comfortable headwear designed for hair loss, such as a scarf hat, turban-style hat, soft cap or lightweight beanie.

Choose styles that feel like part of your outfit rather than something that looks like a medical head covering. Simple colours, flattering shapes and soft fabrics can make a big difference, especially when your scalp is sensitive.

You might also find it useful to have a few different options — a lightweight hat for indoors, something warmer for winter and a sun-protective style for outside.

The most important thing is finding something that makes you feel comfortable and confident, rather than giving you another thing to worry about.

You don't have to look like you're wearing a "chemo hat"

This is probably one of the biggest things women tell me.

They don't necessarily want something that announces, “I'm wearing this because I've lost my hair.”

They want something that looks like something they would normally choose to wear.

And I completely understand that.

If you're going back into an office, meeting clients, going to meetings or simply sitting at your desk with colleagues you've worked with for years, you may want your headwear to feel like part of your normal wardrobe.

That's where I think choosing a proper fashion-focused hat can make such a difference.

A scarf hat, soft turban-style hat or or a scarf hat with a scrunchie can look like a beautiful accessory rather than a medical necessity.

Think about what you normally wear

One of the easiest ways to choose a hat for work is to start with your existing style.

If you normally wear classic clothes, you might feel most comfortable in a simple black, navy or neutral hat.

If you love colour and prints, there's no reason you have to stop wearing them just because you've lost your hair - have a little fun with it.

And if you're someone who normally wears earrings, glasses, lipstick or a favourite necklace, keep those things going too.   You could even add a fun brooch to your hat.

They might seem like little details, but familiar things can help you feel more like you when so much else has changed.

What about looking professional in meetings?

This is another thing women sometimes worry about.

Will I look strange wearing a hat in a meeting?

Honestly, I think the answer is much more about the style of the hat than the fact you're wearing one.

A simple, well-fitting hat can look completely intentional with workwear.

Think of it in the same way you would think about a scarf, earrings or a great pair of glasses. It's an accessory.

A scarf hat with a jacket or blouse can look polished. A simple cap can work beautifully with more relaxed office clothes. A neat beanie can be lovely with knitwear during winter.

You don't need to apologise for wearing it.

What if my workplace is quite formal?

If your workplace has a more formal dress code, I'd stick with clean shapes and colours that work easily with your wardrobe.

Black, navy, charcoal, cream and other neutrals are particularly easy to dress up.

A scarf or wrap n twist hat can also work really well because it tends to feel more like an accessory than a casual winter beanie.

But don't feel that “professional” has to mean boring.

If you normally wear colour, pattern or something a little more fashion-forward, you are still you.

There's no reason chemotherapy has to take that part of you away as well.

You don't have to wear the same thing every day

Some days you might want to wear a beautiful patterned hat.

Other days you might want something simple and neutral.

And some days you might not want to cover your head at all.

There really isn't a right or wrong way to do this.

I've spoken to women who are very confident about their hair loss and others who find it incredibly difficult. Both reactions are completely understandable.

Your headwear should work for you, not the other way around.

So, what should you wear to work when you've lost your hair?

If you're trying to work out where to start, I'd look for:

• A shape that suits your face and works without hair underneath

• Colours that work with your existing wardrobe

• Something that feels like your style, rather than something that makes you feel like a patient

And most importantly, choose something that makes you feel good when you look in the mirror.

You are still you

I think this is the part that matters most.

When you're going through chemotherapy, there can be so many changes happening to your body and your appearance that it can be easy to feel like you've lost a little bit of yourself along the way.

Finding a hat you genuinely love isn't going to change what you're going through.

But it can make getting dressed in the morning a little easier.

It can make walking into work feel a little more comfortable.

And sometimes having something beautiful to put on your head can give you back a tiny bit of that feeling of “this is me”.

That's really why I started Kaus Hats.

I wanted women experiencing hair loss to have headwear that was comfortable, practical and beautiful — not something that looked clinical or made them feel like they had to hide.

So if you're heading back to work after losing your hair from chemotherapy, don't feel that you have to choose between being comfortable and looking professional.

You can have both.

And you can still look like you.