SAM Nordic stories

Wigs for cancer warriors

We reach her on an unstable internet connection in Australia in a place called, funnily enough, Denmark. She travels around Australia in a van with her family, combining holidays with remote work.

Her career also includes film and theatre productions with masks and make-up. A few big names she has worked with throughout her career include Mikael Persbrandt, Jonas Malmsjö, Anja Lundqvist and Henrik Dorsin.

Being able to express herself artistically without having to be on stage was something Angelica enjoyed about the profession before specialising in medical wigs. Most of her clients are women between 30 and 70 years old, mostly suffering from breast cancer. She says the number of men who have come for new hair over the years is negligible. But how did she come to the profession? She knew she wanted to work as a mask maker as young as thirteen.

"From the Dramatic Institute, where I graduated in 2008, four people graduate from all over Scandinavia every two years. Among the wig makers that you can apply for a requisition for a wig through the region, there are even fewer of us, about 8. I started with film, and in 2014, I started my business because I needed to understand why people I met on the street didn't have equally well-made hair. "

Angelica emphasises the importance of feeling comfortable and feeling what suits every individual in peace. Making a wig from start to finish is harmonious and undisturbed. The preparations are essential as each wig takes about 100 hours to tie.

"I work from home, measure the person's head and want to give personal attention to each individual. Initially, I only had a small stock of hair, but today, I have a stock ready for new wigs. In the beginning, I bought hair for each new customer. Now, I purchase the hair from a company in Germany. I want to work with companies that comply with fair trade conditions and can trace the source of the hair. People also come to me and donate hair, which I can use. Once we've taken the measurements, it takes about 3 to 6 weeks to complete the wig, depending on the availability of materials. "

The best part of the job is being able to make others happy. While working in theatres and productions has been fun, these women stand out as the most rewarding. As everyone is unique, so are the wigs. A colleague hairdresser sometimes helps cut certain hairstyles after Angelica has made them, which is included in the finished wig.

When asked how long a wig lasts, Angelica answers:

"I would say at least 1.5 years. If we need to fix something, I will, of course, do it. But most people don't get in touch after they've been with me. They use the wig during the illness, and fortunately, most of them get well, and then my job is finished."

The joy in this last sentence says everything about Angelica's passion for the profession.