All Topics → Forum: Chemotherapy - Before, During and After → Topic: Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Posted on: Jun 15, 2008 09:16 AM
Deen wrote:
Hi All,
I know that there have been several threads on this, but I'm asking the question again: on average, when did your hair start growing back in after chemo?????
I'm 4 weeks out from my last AC and any positive encouragement (and "you're almost there" posts) would really make this week wonderful.
Deen.
Posts 15331 - 15360 (18,766 total)
Jun 8, 2012 04:52 PM stjude10 wrote:
Divine indeed! Love the pics, you look great
I would be happy if my bangs were Mia Farrow long (Rosemary's Baby)...patience
My eyebrows are starting to thin, hoping I don't lose them again
Love the hamster hair, I've always said mine looks like a chia pet
Jun 8, 2012 06:37 PM Sandyland wrote:
My hair has definitely come back (all 1 1/2 inches of it) GRAY. Yesterday I dyed it brown with over the counter Feria color. I love it. Not much makes me feel better these days...but that did :)
SAN
Jun 8, 2012 08:44 PM Mags20487 wrote:
I bleached my hair about a month ago---it is really blonde. Love it. HUGS to you Sandyland...I am really feeling down right now and cannot seem to get out of this funk. I have been researching recon options and dealing with LE now and hate my new reality. This sux...short hair, compression garment for day and night, and no boobies just feeling all around UGLY!!!
SIGH!!!! this too shall pass and soon I will be all new!
Maggie
Jun 9, 2012 12:16 AM Sandyland wrote:
Mag~ I am feeling so low too. The extra weight is KILLING me! I hate the super short hair, but I could probably deal with it. The mastectomy scars blow, but I can even deal with that...it is the stinking 20 chemo pounds I hav gained that are really challenging me. I have to say how grateful I am for my awesome DH, who has been a trooper through all of this.
Once this unbelievable fatigue lets up, I think the weight loss will get easier. We'll see. Until then, I'm looking on the bright side as much as possible, but it's rough. Wine helps :0
SAN
Jun 9, 2012 07:28 AM WaveWhisperer wrote:
I'm right there with you -- fatigue, an extra 20 pounds (all around my middle) and the "hamster hair." (LOVE that description, it's so apt.) For the time being, I wear elastic-waisted pants and look in the mirror as infrequently as possible. I don't recognize that person who stares back at me. I get depressed a lot, but I'm also grateful for every day.
Jun 9, 2012 08:41 AM lago wrote:
The weight will come off. You wouldn't believe how much of that weight is just bloat. The hamster hair eventually goes away too. I used to just call it fur.
Jun 9, 2012 10:52 AM schatzi14 wrote:
lago...me too! It is still so soft...couldn't even begin to make it stylish...it's just there, covering my head but million times better than a hair hat!
Jun 9, 2012 05:05 PM Yvette10052011 wrote:
hi ladies!! i was just catching up on the last several pages here because i was out of commission. i had my second mastectomy on May 15 & just finished my first week back at work. long story but i went into cardiac arrest during surgery in Nov '11 so they could only take my nodes, one breast & insert the expander. had to wait until after chemo to finish what they started.
so excited to see Divine's hair time line!! gorgeous :) & very encouraging for all of us!!
for all who are asking about losing eyebrows & lashes -> get Latisse - it's like steroids for eyebrows & eyelashes!! if i had known it's preventative loss factor, i would have started using it during chemo!! don't worry about it changing your eye color - that can only happen IF you apply large amounts directly into your eyes over a long period of time. i lost all my lashes & most of my brows by the second week of completing chemo (i had 4 DD of AC & 4 DD of Taxol). i started using it in april & within 4 weeks had ALL my lashes & brows back!! i only use Latisse one a week on the brows (they were growing TOO MUCH, yes TOO MUCH) BUT continue to use nightly on my lases. a girl can never have too many lashes. i know lashes and brows can fall out as many as 3 more times so i'm going to keep up this regimen.
went back to work *topless* for the first time on Monday & was SUPER nervous!! i really felt like i still had the chemo head/look but my friends told me it was time & that i look like i have a short pixie cut. for me, i look a bit boyish & miss my thick shoulder length hair. i definitely have hair envy - even of kids :)
my office can be a tough crowd & i was convinced i'd get many stares... to my GREAT surprise i received tons of happy faces, compliments & the best of all --> i love your new haircut!! i laugh at that because this is not a choice nor a cut - it's all the hair i have so i guess it must look OK :) my growth started VERY slow during Taxol but it's going fast now. i'm 11 weeks PFC but it looks ~15 to ~18 weeks PFC from the pics i've compared mine to on this forum.hoping this rate of growth continues!!
i'll try to take a pic & post tomorrow!! happy weekend to all :)
Jun 9, 2012 06:32 PM Elizabeth1889 wrote:
Today, I am exactly one year PFC. What a year! In many ways, the hard work begins when chemo is finished. Anyway, I have a lot more hair today than I did one year ago. The first two pictures were taken today and the third was taken on June 11, 2011. I never thought I would ever have this much hair again. Thank you to everyone for your support.
Jun 9, 2012 06:37 PM stjude10 wrote:
I'm with you gals. I've got some extra weight around the middle too. For all I know, maybe it's been there the whole time but I couldn't see it when I looked down 'cause my boobs were in the way...out of sight, out of mind!
Congrats on topless Yvette! Get that monkey off your back!!
Elizabeth, you look great! I just can't imagine having that much hair again.
Jun 9, 2012 06:40 PM carolinames wrote:
You look great Elizabeth! You give me hope to have my hair back...one day! Thanks.
Jun 9, 2012 07:29 PM onvacation wrote:
great head of hair Elizabeth!
Jun 9, 2012 07:41 PM schatzi14 wrote:
Elizabeth...looks great and I love the colour!
Jun 9, 2012 08:25 PM Carrol2 wrote:
Looking good Elizabeth!
Jun 10, 2012 04:14 AM Momine wrote:
You look great, Elizabeth.
Jun 10, 2012 06:22 AM TheDivineMrsM wrote:
Elizabeth, congrats on the 1 year PFC and wow, you got lots of hair! Looks lovely!
Jun 10, 2012 07:50 AM WaveWhisperer wrote:
Elizabeth, you, too, give us hope that we will one day have "real" hair. You look great!
Jun 10, 2012 09:42 PM borntosurvive wrote:
I have been away for a bit with a 5 day girls trip to Florida last week. Just getting caught up.
While I was in Florida my eyebrows became CRAZY so I went and had them waxed. I actually have full eyebrows now. I am also enough eyebrows to wear mascara now. My hair is coming in SO thick and soft. I have about a centimetre of hair all over my head. I'm 2 mons PFC. It's all coming back quickly. I think the heat, sunshine and wind does help. It seems that hair grows faster in the summer months - maybe that's because I am more aware of how often I have to shave my legs!!
My DH told me yesterday that I should get back to the gym. Why don't you just say that I've gained a little weight?! I don't think he has any filter. He has been trying to dig out of that hole since he said it.
Jun 10, 2012 10:17 PM shells43 wrote:
Hey Hair Gals,
I am really fascinated by the incidence of chemo curl. I wonder if any of you would help me do a little informal study? I will run some simple statistics and let you know the results.
If you would like to participate, please PM me the following info:
1) what type of chemo you had and how many treatments
Example: FEC/3 + Taxotere/3 (that's what I had)
2) Did you lose you hair - YES/NO
3) If YES, % lost (approximate)
Example: YES/90%?
4) Did your hair come back curly? YES/NO with curly defined as wavy or curly NOT typical of your previous hair
5) Months PFC (post final chemo) and are currently curly YES/NO
Example: 16 mos/ still curly if NO, then about when it returned to your normal hair texture
I think this will be fun. Thanks!
Jun 10, 2012 10:55 PM Seagrover wrote:
Someone was talking the other day about the Nioxin being used. I am using the number 1 set for thinning hair. Someone the other day was using 3. Anyone know the differences?
Jun 10, 2012 11:17 PM Carrol2 wrote:
seagrover I used the nioxin 1 immeidatly after my last chemo. The I switched to 3 i think for color treated hair cause i got a semi perm color but just kept using it until it ran out even though i sopped with the color. now i use my regular stuff per BC (18 month PFC)Jun 10, 2012 11:21 PM Seagrover wrote:
Carrol2, ok. Good to know. I'm using 3 products in the number 1. I'm 8 weeks PFC. The hair seems to be coming in pretty good. And I am happy about that!
Jun 11, 2012 04:07 AM, edited Jun 11, 2012 08:47 AM by Momine
Shells, I had 4XFEC and 4Xtaxotere. I lost my hair twice (it had grown back slightly between the two chemo regimens, when I had my surgery), the second time 100%, brows and lashes too.
My hair has come back the same as it was before, to my pleasant surprise. It is mostly straight, with a slight wave (had that before too) and the same murky dishwater color. My brows are mostly back, but still a bit ratty.
I am 6 months past chemo, so I am hoping this is the way it will continue.
I am 48, soon to be 49. This is the most recent pic, from about a month ago. I look bleary-eyed, because dh snapped over breakfast:
Jun 11, 2012 06:23 AM schatzi14 wrote:
When does hair become like "real" hair and less like fur? I am over 4 months PFC!
Jun 11, 2012 07:37 AM Momine wrote:
Schatzi, I think it is just because it is still very short that it feels like fur. I am 6 months out, and it is finally feeling like just hair.
Jun 11, 2012 07:55 AM slak wrote:
Shells43 - what a great idea to do a survey! Can everyone add their age if they don't mind...I have a theory that the younger you are the more likely your hair is to return to its previous state. I unfortunately can't add to the survey yet, I'm just 14 days PFC so nothing really happening here!
Jun 11, 2012 08:02 AM Myleftboob wrote:
I love the idea of a survey. Can I ask that we add if Herceptin and hormonals are also factored in?
Slak
I don't know about the age thing though. My DH's Aunt was 66 when she completed 6 cycles of AC and her hair came back in more beautiful than before DX. Thicker, a bit of a wave.
Jun 11, 2012 08:27 AM, edited Jun 11, 2012 08:28 AM by schatzi14
age:68
1) 3 DD/AC....12 weekly Taxols.....16 rads...arimidix
2 YES...after 2nd AC
3) 100%
4) NO..straight as a pin
5) 4.5 months PFC...not curly
Jun 11, 2012 08:29 AM lago wrote:
Shells I think your hair will get chemo curls if you had wavy or curly hair before. My theory is your hair will get a bit more curl or wave depending on the type of hair you had. I had rather straight hair so it got some wave and the few cowlicks are always had were more unmanageable. Seems many of the Asian gals don't get curly hair. Just an observation, no science behind this. Let us know when you start the survey thread.
schatzi my hair went back to normal about 1 year PFC but I keep my hair really short. I have read some women say 18 months but that might be because they keep their hair longer.
Jun 11, 2012 08:35 AM Kelloggs wrote:
age: 45
1.) 6 TCH, currently Herceptin every 3 weeks, Tamoxifen
2.) Yes - gone by 2nd tx
3.) 100% - I shaved it
4.) No - not long enough to tell yet. I was crazy curly before so we'll see!
5.) almost 12 wks PFC
I spent the weekend with my head in the incredible sunshine....let's hope it helped!