Donna --

The people who lose hair with radiation only lose it where the (external) radiation beam impinges on their scalp, and then it doesn't usually show too much (tends to be at the nape and lower hairline) if you cut hair long over this area. That's what my husband did, no one noticed his bare-naped look. With guys it also affects the beard. Sometimes the hair and beard grow back a different texture and color, which can be interesting!

However with brachytherapy I am not sure that there will be any hair loss due to the radiation, as it is very short-term.

Unless your mom is getting one of the chemo drugs that causes hair loss such as Taxol she is unlikely to have any hair loss. Cis- and carboplatin do not cause massive hair loss, although in some folks there is a thinning of hair. (Which could also be due to the radiation field, so hard to pin down).

In other words, no - she does not have to shop for a wig...

Gail