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Hair Hair Hair - Another question

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  • JudyNaomi
    JudyNaomi Member Posts: 209
    edited July 2010

    Charley hi - I finished chemo last year on 27th July and took off my scarf at the end of November. My hair is coming in thick and curly now, but it does take time. I did not take any biotin and I did find that after I uncovered, it started to come in more.

    Give it a bit longer, it should start to come in more noticeabley soon. Good luck and hang in there!

    Judy x

  • Issymom
    Issymom Member Posts: 27
    edited July 2010

    I am 11 weeks PFC and really saw no new growth until week 6.  The good news is that once it started to grow, it really took off.  I have coverage all over my head but the longest is probably still only 1/2 inch long.  I am tired of hats and wigs (too hot) so yesterday I decided that I am going "topless".  This is who I am and why am I hiding.

    Charley - Now that you have seen some sprouts, I bet you see some amazing progress.  I have a lot of white chemo hair but I swear every day my hair looks darker as the real hair comes in.  Definately a work in progress.

  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 626
    edited July 2010

    issymom:  Congrats on going topless - isn't it a great feeling?

  • Iamstronger
    Iamstronger Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2010

    Way to go!  It looked great!!!  I can't wait to be where you are.....  :)

  • sugar77
    sugar77 Member Posts: 1,328
    edited July 2010
     
    Here's an updated hair photo taken last week at 21 weeks PFC.  I had it trimmed for the 3rd time the week before.  My trims have been very small...really just enough to shape and cut off the chemo ends. I'll be happy when my bangs are longer (...or when I actually have bangs!).  Other than that, I'm going to try some different short styles as it grows.  I've never had short hair until now and it's really easy. I can only imagine how much easier it'll be getting ready for work in the morning when I return in Sept.
     
  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 5,858
    edited July 2010

    SUGAR 77---- YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL...GOD BLESS.

  • MarieK
    MarieK Member Posts: 467
    edited July 2010

    Hi All!

    We've just come back from a 2 week family road trip down the Oregon coast.

    Here's photo of me at almost 6 months PFC.  It's not my best smile/look because I had been holding it for a while.  My son was taking this photo and he takes sooo long to take a picture!

    My hair is actually getting darker and the back is almost all dark with a few grays.  I would say that it is around 2 to 2 1/2 inches long and I'm in need of a SHAPING trim!

    I hope you are all enjoying your summer where ever you are and I hope the warm weather will make our hairs grow faster!

    Marie

  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 626
    edited July 2010

    Sherry:  Your hair looks great, don't worry abou the bangs, the hair fames your lovely eyes!

    Marie:  Wow, your hair is thick!  Nice to hear it's getting darker too. Mine came in almost completely white/gray and now (10 1/2 weeks PFC) I'm noticing a little more pepper in it.  Going to visit my stylist this week to see what he suggests;  really would like more colour and trying to be patient!

  • Charley
    Charley Member Posts: 10
    edited July 2010

    Marie, Sugar - Your hair looks great!  So thick. Hopefully mine will someday look that good.  I do have exciting news to report~ I now have the 5 oclock shadow in blotches all over my head!! I hope this means that hair will be coming in soon!  It's 8 weeks PFC this week!

  • stlcardsfan
    stlcardsfan Member Posts: 227
    edited July 2010

    I love coming to this site whenever I log on. I appreciate everyone posting their pictures with their various stages of hair regrowth. Gives me hope! I am 10 1/2 weeks PFC, scalp is finally covered, yea! Still on every 3 wk Herceptin and heard that can mess with how fast hair comes back. I am also taking the biotin everyday and that seems to be helping as well. It sure is making my leg hair grow quick!

    When should I start the mini trims? I have a few areas which seem poofy and longer than others, but not by much. I guess I am hesitant to cut to much off since I have been without hair for so long.  

  • precioustime
    precioustime Member Posts: 26
    edited July 2010

    Lookin good Sugar77 and MarieK!

    I am 9 months post Chemo and have had 4 trims due to the fact my hair was coming in uneven and very very curly.  I had more growth in the back of my head than sides or bangs.  I am just now getting to where the sides are getting thicker and the bangs are about the length of yours Sugar.  I wonder why the bangs are taking longer to grow?  Before Chemo-- I would have to trim my bangs in between hair cuts..... 

  • faithfulc
    faithfulc Member Posts: 25
    edited July 2010

    Sugar77 and mariek, your hair looks beautiful.

    I'm almost 8 weeks PFC.  There is growth everywhere on the head and there seems to be more in the back than the crown.  Still, my scalp definitely shows under a light and I still consider myself bald at this point.

    Also eye lashes continue to shed.  There is virtually nothing for lower lashes.  Possibly 1/3 of the upper lashes have dropped - and they held on during all the 6 TC sessions.  Uggh! 

    I believe all of the "original" eye brows are now gone, but things seem to have turn around there, too. The 4-6 weeks PFC were the worst in terms of brows for me.

  • claire_in_seattle
    claire_in_seattle Member Posts: 2,793
    edited July 2010

    Dear Faithful,

    Your brows are being pushed out by the new ones growing underneath.  Hang in there....I went to a bit of shadow for brows to "now, where are those tweezers?" in a space of a week.

    You will notice lashes about the same time. - Claire

  • Firni
    Firni Member Posts: 521
    edited July 2010

    For all of you who still have balding areas, very thin areas, etc, check out Joan Rivers hair powder. I don't know if it really works, but it looks like it on the website video.  Not toooo expensive.  About $30.  joanriversgreathairday.com

  • ginadmc
    ginadmc Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2010
    Faithful and Claire - Last night, I was just lamenting the fact that my lashes/brows are thinner than ever. I was disheartned to think that I had made it through 4 AC and 4 Taxol (finished chemo June 4th) with most of them, only to lose them now. So I was very glad to read your posts about the quick recovery of lashes/brows! I guess I'm in the worst of it right now and just have to wait it out with lots of eyeliner and brow pencil. I did notice that once I put my wig on, that it wasn't as noticeable. My hair is coming in but I'm still wearing my wig during the work week and head wraps on the weekends. Thanks for your posts, they really helped my outlook today!  Gina
  • claire_in_seattle
    claire_in_seattle Member Posts: 2,793
    edited July 2010

    Hi Gina,

    Based on what happened to me, I think you are about a week away from major change.  Then the challenge will be figuring out each day what looks fine, as your looks will change almost overnight.  One other thing you should know is that my lashes initially came in white, and I figured any color was much better than no lashes.  Then I looked at them one day and realized they were once again black.  My blue mascara looked great either way. - Claire

  • Dawnmrn1
    Dawnmrn1 Member Posts: 21
    edited July 2010

    Hey Ladies!  does anyone know anything about hair extension?  I am a year post chemo, but my hair is fine 3 to 4 inches long with no body. It just sticks to my head, I always had thick curly hair!!! I called a hair extension place and may go in for a consult!

  • MarieK
    MarieK Member Posts: 467
    edited July 2010

    Today I used a small round brush and blow dryed my hair into a STYLE!!!

    Here are some photos:

    Look how thick and curly it's coming in!

  • Firni
    Firni Member Posts: 521
    edited July 2010

    Nice!!!

  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 486
    edited July 2010

    Wow! Marie, your hair is looking great.

  • Everett78
    Everett78 Member Posts: 45
    edited July 2010

    Sugar & Marie,  Your hair looks great!  I coming here and seeing new photos.  The top of my hair looks like Sugar's and the back looks like Marie's.   I'm a combo!  lol

  • JudyNaomi
    JudyNaomi Member Posts: 209
    edited July 2010

    Gorgeous!

  • TreadSoftly
    TreadSoftly Member Posts: 88
    edited July 2010

    Hi Ladies!

    MarieK and Sugar77  - you both look fantastic in those photos!

    Heres an update on my hair regrowth - 6 1/2 months post chemo: Major curls but able to use hair accessories!  I have got 2 trims and 2 colours - its probably a little darker than it was pre-chemo, you can see my lighter red at the roots if you look closely! Its prob not the best quality photos, taken with my phone!

    I really dont have much of a fringe/bangs so I prefer using the hair-band - I think it makes my hair look longer than what it really is.....!

  • TreadSoftly
    TreadSoftly Member Posts: 88
    edited July 2010

    To give hope to all those undergoing chemo or at the stage when your hair is JUST starting to come in, this was me in March, only a few short months ago.....!

  • sugar77
    sugar77 Member Posts: 1,328
    edited July 2010

    Treadsoftly - your hair looks great.  I love the curls.  Did you have curls before chemo?  I've got a wave going on but not tight curls.  My hair was straight before.  I'm enjoyin the wave.

    Sherri 

  • MarieK
    MarieK Member Posts: 467
    edited July 2010

    Treadsoftly your curls and hair colour are gorgeous!  I really appreciate you posting your "before" photo.  It's nice to see how far you've come and how fast your hair is growing!

    Great encouragement and inspiration for everyone!

    My hair is getting darker and it seems like the white/gray bits are mostly on the ends now.  When it first starting growing in it was all light, white and whispy.  I looked like Albert Einstein!

    Now it looks and feels more like healthy hair.

    I'll probably have another trim soon (I've had 2 tiny trims since it started growing in Jan) and that will take care of most of the white ends.

    So don't despair if you see lots of white hair coming in at first!  It doesn't mean that's what you'll end up.

    Happy hair growing to all!

    Marie

  • Shrek4
    Shrek4 Member Posts: 519
    edited July 2010

    This thread is so long I cant' sift through it.

    I have a question: did your hair try to come back before the chemo was over?  I am 10 days after my 3rd treatment - one more to go on the 26. For the last week - 10 days I didn't shave my head anymore. There was growth from whatever didn't fall (it's about 1/3 of what I had). In the last three days though, I have A LOT of hair coming back, it seems though it's all on the back of the head, some on the temples and sides - I don't notice any growth on the top of the head. Will this fall as soon as it grows because of the next tx? Or will it stay in place? I didn't lose my eyebrows and eyelashes, they just thinned out some, and two days ago I had to use the tweezers on my eyebrows, and also on my upper lip (sheesh!), and I looked and it seems I need to shave my legs too. No re-growth in the nether regions though.

  • Marion
    Marion Member Posts: 116
    edited July 2010

    treadsoftly: my hair is exactly like yours! Lots of curls ! I personnally hate it. I want my straight hair back!

    I wish I could post a pic. I have tried so many times to post pics but it won't work. They really need to do sthg about that on this website.

    hair

  • lovetosail
    lovetosail Member Posts: 36
    edited July 2010

    Day, some of my hair came back before chemo, but it was never enough to cover my scalp.

    RE: eyebrows/lashes - I didn't lose mine until 4 weeks after my LAST chemo tx.  A lot of people don't lose lashes/brows until chemo is all over :(

  • stlcardsfan
    stlcardsfan Member Posts: 227
    edited July 2010

    Day - I too had chemo fuzz that hung around all thru Chemo and grew some. I let it go. Eyebrows and eyelashes held on until about the 5th treatment of TCH, then they started to go. About 4 to 5 weeks after final chemo the real hair started to poke thru. At about 6 weeks, I had DH cut all the fuzz off as it wasn't healthy anyway. I also started Biotin about 1 week after last Chemo. I have stopped taking it as I have hair now, very short, but scalp is now covered - yea!