Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Comments
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treadsoftly - thank you for posting your March and current hair pictures. It gave me real hope that I'll have hair again - soon. I'm almost 6 weeks past my last chemo, have some growth and am anxious for more. Your hair looks great!
lovetosail - my brow/lash disappearance didn't happen until after chemo, too. It was very disappointing and I hated to see myself without wig/make-up. I was happy to read a couple of earlier posts by faithful and claire that they come back pretty quickly.
Gina
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Mariek,sugar and treadsoftly,your hair looks great.I'm 17 mos pfc and i have only had 1 haircut so far.B4 chemo i had very thick hair with a slight wave especially if i helped it with a round brush.Now what hair i have is as straight as a ruler,thin,especially on the top/back,has no body,no life to it at all.Seems the shine is gone as well,looks dry and dead to me.B4 chemo i used to go every 4 to 6 weeks for a haircut,now it's been 5 mos since i had it cut.I think i'm going to make an appt to have it cut into a Jamie lee curtis type cut,i just hate that "old lady "bald spot in the back and need a way to camoflauge that.Oh,I am an old lady 72,so i can say that.LOL
Kathi
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For those of you who have posted pics, your hair looks amazing. I'm happy for you. I'm 13 months PFC. I have had 1 little tiny trim and my hair is about 2 - 3 inches long. It is very fine and very thin especially on top. It is dry and lifeless and dull looking. My scalp shows through although I try to hide it as much as I can. I went for a consult re: extensions. I was told by 2 different people at 2 different places that my hair is too fine and extensions won't work well. I have been taking Biotin 2 x a day since I finished rads. When I had my hair done for my son's wedding, the hairdresser put brown eyeshadow all over my scalp to try to camoflauge the baldness. I have been using minoxidil for about 5 months now - I think it helped a little. The dermatologist told me to keep trying for another 6 months. I do go topless and my friends try to be kind but they are lying to try to make me feel better. When I press them, they admit it. I'd rather people just be honest than try to convince me that it looks ok. They are all grateful that it is not them. This was my second chemo. I had FEC the first time and my hair grew back quickly and was thick. I think it's the Taxotere that did me in. I used to have unbelievably thick, curly hair that always looked great. If I was an 82 year old man, my hair would be fine .. but I'm not and it's devastating for it to not grow back. It's one more loss for me.
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I'm sorry hrf! Have your eyelashes and eyebrows come back at all? I'm 8 weeks PFC and just now started with a little bit growing on my head ... but only on one side. I hoping it will spread.
My eyelashes are almost nonexistent ... despite using latisse ... eyebrows are growing back in only the places I used to pluck. At least that's a hopeful sign. <sigh> 0 -
Your hair sounds like mine hrf. I'm almost 16 months PFC and my hair is only a few inches long and my scalp shows thru. I was thinking about getting that Joan Rivers hair powder that will color your scalp and not rub off or sweat off. And then I just think, why? It's just another $30 every month. I'd rather wear my wig when I want to look nice. But mostly I just let my head shine. I feel your pain!!
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Charley, the dermatologist gave me a Rx for her generic concoction for Latisse ... so very inexpensive. It has helped somewhat - my eyelashes and brows have come back but not as thick as they were. However, they were not abnormally thick ... I use pencil to fill in my brows and mascara helps with the lashes ... they are basically good enough.
Firni, I hadn't heard of the Joan Rivers hair powder. I'm willing to give it a try - where do you get it? I never could have imagined how terrible I'd feel losing my hair this way .... as women, our hair is very important to our image and our self esteem.....it's awfuly being this way. I don't wear my wig anymore .... but I sure don't like how I look and I'm very self conscious of my shiny head and thin hair.
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hrf, you can only get the hair powder on line as far as I know. joanriversgreathairday.com is where you can find it. I was actually kind of excited to lose my hair and have it come back thicker and curly. Like most people. But, thank you Taxotere, that will not be. I have days that I get depressed about it. Most of the time I can just go about my day and not think about it. At this point, I wouldn't even care if my hair never grew. I kind of like my boy cut. It would be nice if it would thicken up. I have tried supplements, shampoos, minoxidil, everything. I guess it is what it is.
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Thanks, Firni. I wouldn't mind the short part ... it's the thin, fine, sparse part that bothers me....a lot.
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I had my last of four T/C doses on March 22nd, and let's allow 3 weeks for the side effects to wind down, so that makes 8 weeks till today that my hair has had to grow. I had it shaved off as soon as a few hairs started floating down onto my sleeve in late January, and there were a few hairs that continued to grow to about 1/2" throughout the chemo period.
I had coarse, thick steel gray hair with a medium wave here and there.
In early April I could see a 5 o'clock shadow on the back of my head, and my daughter swore there were hairs growing on the top and sides, but I couldn't see it. The back started growing at an astonishing rate, and the straight top and side hair soon was growing in nicely. A few weeks ago I noticed really strong waves going back and forth in the back, hugging the scalp. Overall, I looked like an old Marine with a buzz cut. I am old..I'm 76.
Then, about a week ago, all of a sudden the top, sides, and the much longer back hair started curling up...I took these pictures today (blindly) and this happened literally within a few days! Much curlier than I've ever had and as soft as cotton candy. It's my new obsession and I can't stop stroking it! I should add the heat and high humidity probably have pushed the curls to the max.
Actually, this is the only fun thing that has come out of this whole ordeal! The hair is the same color, but texture and curliness beyond imagining! I hope it stays this way for a long time--much more fun than my boring old hair.
BTW, my eyelashes got sparse during chemo but I could still use careful mascara on them, and then they disappeared a month after chemo was over. I didn't pay much attention after that and then a few weeks ago I suddenly noticed they were back to pre-chemo condition.
Judy
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Wow, Judy, your hair is coming along wonderfully!! I love your waves & curls. So glad that you are happy with it and hope it stays this way. My last Taxotere chemo was March 31, and I have about an inch of very fine, extremely soft & wavy dark hair with a LOT more gray than I had before all of this cancer stuff. I find that after all I've gone through, I am really missing my hair. I've given up the wig and wear a hairband because it is so thin yet on the sides, and I feel somewhat covered there with the headband. My husband says, "Hey - you're alive & doing well, so quit fussing about your hair!!!" But as women, it's hard to be patient. Anyway, you look great!!
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Emegram - I completely understand you! In some ways, losing my hair was worse than my bilat mastectomy. What you are feeling is normal and in time, you hair will come back. I am one week short of 1 year since my last treatment and it is growing, thick and curly.
I also found that once I had taken off the headscarf, it came in faster.
Good luck to you!
Judy.
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Hi girlz!
I used to post on this thread quite a bit when I was first getting my hair. I still follow it, just don't post here anymore. But I thought I would post my most recent hair picture. Actually 2. I was one that was one, (to me unfortunate), to get the chemo curls. I really don't like them. Very curly and somewhat frizzy. None the less, its hair and I'm alive, that's the important thing! I am 22 months PFC. I tried today to just put some mousse on my hair and go with the curls, this would be the pic on the left. If I take time to style and curl, I get the pic on the right. Not bad but very time consuming! I also have a link on my profile of my "hair journey". I think I may just go with the curls, but I need a cut to have it styled a little better for the curls.
Good luck to you all and God Bless Us All!
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Goldie, you look FABULOUS!! I would do anything to get the hair you have. I'm quite jealous. It looks like you even have eyebrows! Awesome.
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Oh Firni, I certainly don't want to make anyone jealous, that is the LAST thing I would want to do, but thank you. Especially since there some of you special ladies that are having a heck of a time getting hair back. I think you are one, and hrf. I had taxol, and not the taxotere. If I am offending anyone, PLEASE let me know. I would not have a problem deleting the post. Yes I do have eyebrows. I have all my hair back, everywhere on my body! Like I said, I am almost 2 yrs out from treatment.
Lori
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Lori thanks for posting your photos and also sharing the info about your hair photo journal.
It's amazing and encouraging to see how quickly your hair grew during that first year PFC!
You're hair looks fantastic!
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Lori, please don't take off your pictures. I'm not offended, just jealous. I am truly happy for each and every one of the women who had chemo whose hair came back full and thick. If it's too upsetting for us not so good hair growers to look at the pics of a full head of hair, we don't have to come here to look. Every bald headed woman out there needs to see that there is hope for hair after chemo. I think those of us who are having no luck is a small percentage. Altho it does seem like since the use of taxotere there are more of us.
I wonder if it depends on how many rounds of taxotere a person has is related to the amount of hair grown back. I had 6 rounds and I think if I could have stopped after 4, I would have fewer long term problems now.
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Lori, your hair looks great - please keep your pics posted for others to see.
I agree with Firni that the Taxotere is the problem for hair growth. I had FEC my first time and my hair did grow back but the second time (4 rounds of TC) has not been as good. I have no hair growth on my arms and legs either. I'm going to try the minoxidil for another 6 months but I'm not optimistic that my hair will grow back the way it was. If I could find someone who could fill it in with extensions - I'd even appreciate that - but so far everyone I have consulted has said my hair is too fine and thin.
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Thank you Marie, hrf, and again Firni. Hair or no hair, and all of the other crap I could complain about, but try not to! No mojo, bone pain, weight gain, terrible hot flashes from the Arimidex....bottom line is ..................I'M ALIVE! And that is what counts.
Lori
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Goldie - you also give me hope. I am 14 months out of chemo, and I too have the dreaded curls. My hair would be a good length if it was straight. These curls are very difficult to deal with, especially in humidity. I end up with some version of a bad afro by the end of the day. I am hoping that my hair is as long as yours by 22 months. I like your hair both ways, and would be very happy with either of those styles. It is easier to go with the curls for me too. I was hoping that the curls would relax with time. I guess for some people they do.
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Goldie - you look gorgeous!
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Hi Ladies,
I'm new to this thread. I'm 13 weeks PFC and am trying to get up my courage today to go without my wig to the pharmacy to buy some pomade for my hair. I have lymphedema too so I have to wear the compression garment on my arm. I don't want people staring at me, but it's so hot here and I'm tired of the wig and hats. I have just under an inch of hair and it looks like it's going to be very curly too. I've always had straight hair, so I'm not sure how I'm going to manage that. Goldie thank you for the pics on your profile. You look fantastic! You also give me hope. I hope I can be bold and just get out there with confidence.
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goldie0827 - you look wonderful! thank you for sharing, the photos are inspiring and encouraging
. i had my last treatment July 7th and i can't wait to get my hair back! i start tamoxifen in about a week (i read the side effects about the possible hair loss/thinning) but i'm not going to let that discourage me. take care! 0 -
Hi Goldie, Thanks for sharing. You look fantastic! As others have said, you give me hope! I'm 16 weeks PFC and have barely an inch of hair. Not able to tell yet whether it is going to be curly, but I would be thrilled to have curls.
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Thank you ladies.
Rocket, that would be a good way to start. Its a baby step. You will find that people are not going to stare like you think! Or perhaps just go get some gas. Then go to the pharmacy. Take a wig or hat with you, just in case! Baby Steps
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Thanks for the encouragement Goldie/Lori. I DID IT! I went to the pharmacy and bought some stuff called "Hair Putty". I dabbed a little on in the car and spiked the top as much as possible. I was feeling pretty positive about my experience in the pharmacy, so I decided to go to Sam's Club. I acted a whole lot more confident than I felt. I got a few stares from men, but I pretended that it didn't bother me. I then decided to go to church without my hat or wig to pick up my mom who was working for summer camp. No one at church had seen me without the wig. They all thought that the wig was my hair. It looked almost identical to my hair prior to chemo. It could even be parted in several places and you could see my scalp underneath. When I walked in, several people didn't recognize me. After they looked at my face they realized it was me. I got several comments that I look like Demi Moore (yeah right - in my dreams). It did encourage me though. Now I think I'm ready to ditch the wig and the hats and go au naturale. I can do this! Thanks again for your encouragement. Without the help of you and others on this site, I'd still be a sobbing mess. I feel blessed to know you.
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Way to go Rocket! I'm proud of you. The fact that you have enough hair to use hair putty is enough to go au naturale. Enjoy your freedom.
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Goldie: go with the curls!
My hair is growing back super curly too but I'm only 6 months out so it is not long enough for me to like it yet.
I think long curly hair looks awesome. I just don't like mine yet now 'cause it is curly and short!
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I'm just over five months out and mine is starting to curl up especially in the back. I'm really liking the loose curls so far. It's very odd for me to feel these curls. My former hair was straight and I had to fuss and use the curling iron to get a style. This is kind of like the perms I used to get in the 1980's. So far, this is bouncy and soft. Not sure how long the curls will last, though. My SIL had chemo two years ago and she said her's was similar and now it's straight. I'm not going to grow it long again. Right now my plan is to keep it short but just grow my bangs and the top a bit more.
Sherri
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Goldie - your hair looks like mine did pre-chemo! It looks great! So does yours Judy! I am assuming (hoping) I will get the curls back when my hair finally grows out. It has just started growing ... too early to tell. The side I thought wasn't growing is actually just more gray than the other side so I couldn't see it until this week.
Charley
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Yay Rocket! You did it. It took me a long time before I went comando. I just felt so ugly. Good for me that we live out in a very remote area, town is an hour away, so we only go out once a week! At home I did not wear anything on my head. I hated that my husband had to look at me like that, but wigs just are not comfortable! I too have a funny story about not being recongnized. I was actually on my way to the airport to go to my cancer center for chemo, stopped for gas and my dental hygienist was there as well. It took me a moment before I realized it was her, said something to her and she just looked at me like "how do you know me". It was funny!
Marion, at 22 months I am JUST NOW starting to like mine!
Sugar, it didn't seem like the bangs were ever going to get there! And I find it so odd how some get curly hair, some get straight, some get the opposite of what they used to have. You just don't know! My previous hair was wavy.
Charley, it's just a wait and see game. A LONG wait and see game!
I think I would do chemo and rads all over again in trade for my old hair and body!
Thank you again all-----Happy Hair Growing!
Lori
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