Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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Jules - please let us know about the Brazilian blow out. My hair is similar in length to yours. I have wanted to try it, but since it is expensive, I have been waiting for a little more length.
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My hair stylist plans to do some kind of natural blow out when my hair gets longer, too. From what I understand, it is very expensive at least initially because the product itself is pricy and she has to buy it in salon quantities.
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MBJ - Thanks for the info. I'm heading to Rite Aid to buy some of the Hair Straightening Creme. Like LIlyLou it might take more than that as my hair is still pretty short - about an inch and a half or possibly a little more. I too have the cowlick thing going on. It drives me nuts. Can someone please explain what your are referring to with the natural blow out? Does it last for a long time? What exactly is it? I haven't heard of it before. Thanks!
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Rocket: From what my stylist explained, it's similar to the Japanese straightening system: a product is put on your hair, flat ironed with the product in and I think blown out after rinsing and should last until new growth comes in. Anyone else have more info?
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I'd never hear of the Brazilian Blowout process either. It seems it's a trademarked name. It's expensive, one person said she paid $400 plus tip to have it done.
Consider safety issues too -- on the official website they say: "There have been no clinical tests performed on the safety of performing the Brazilian Blowout on pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding. As a result, we do advise against pregnant or breastfeeding women receiving the Brazilian Blowout treatment." On one of the blogs devoted to the process, a few users mentioned that they had eye irritation both during their salon visits and a couple of days afterward. There is also uncertainty among some users whether the product contains formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde. Even low levels of exposure to formaldehye can cause runny nose, sore throat, headache, itching, rash and irritated eyes. It is also a known carcinogen. Glutaraldehyde has similar effects. The company who market the products does not admit to them contained either formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde but apparently they do not make the ingredient list public so who's to say for sure what the active ingredient is.
See the Allure article from Oct 2007 — Scared Straight.
What I've read in a few minutes online persuades me that even if I could afford it, I would not want to risk using this process.
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Thanks for the input. I am not sure what kind of straightener my stylist was going to use but she said it was non toxic and a fairly new process, so I will have to ask her!
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WOW! What interesting information on here. I've never heard of the Brazillian Blow Out either and at first read thought it was something for the "nether regions". Thanks Mary for letting us know about the Allure article.
Rocket I'm in Canada and I bought my Rapid Lash from Shoppers Drug Mart and also from London Drugs. A couple of weeks ago I was in Costco and they had it too - with an under eye cream from the same company.
I have seen it online here http://www.getlashesandbrows.com/
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The treatment I'm getting is suitable for pregnant women and children and is formaldehyde free. With the BB the hair is not left straight but frizz free but it cuts down on drying time and if you use a hair dryer leaves you with straight hair. With the Japanese system your hair is permanetly straight. It should last between 3-6 months. Will write an update when I get it done. I emailed a few salons and they told me even though my hair is quite short it should work fine.
I am hoping I can get something similar to the first hair style as I want to grow my hair long again I think this would look ok growing out (I hope).
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A funny wig story for you -
I still have a bit of chemo brain so when we leave the house my 2 year old granddaughter goes down a checklist for me...
Nana? Phone? Nana? money?
Then one day, we were on our way to the beach and I didn't feel like wearing the wig (my hair is about 1 inch long). She did a double take on our way out the door and said, "Ohhh Nana, hat." She ran to my bathroom and came out carrying my wig.
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Hair is now 1 1/2", but just barely. I measure on Saturday and have had 1/8" growth in the last 2 weeks!! Herceptin definitely stunts the rate of growth. Yesterday I decided to work in my gardens and it was sooooo hot & humid I decided to leave my wig inside (have an inexpensive long one that I knot up with a clip and actually looks like the real thing ...but of course, is hot & once it gets hot, it is itchy - yuk!!!). So I'm working like crazy in the gardens and I'm hot, hot, hot and the hotter I get the more my 1 1/2" curls. What a site! Wonder what it would look like curled up like that when longer! ..picture it, just extending out from the head all curled like that! You have to laugh - what else you gonna do? Herceptin ends at end of year so can't wait to start getting some real growth.
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Claire: that is a really cute and funny story. Since I died my hair blonde I have gotten a few double takes but when I went in for my exchange, my PS said that he thought my new look was "cool" and that I should keep it that way LOL! It's now long enough and with the new product Straight Look, I can get a really great spikey look now. Very Rock'N'Roll!! But my back still curls up in a poodle do still, sigh!
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Very cute story Claire. Like MBJ I'm still having the poodle do, but not just in the back. It's all over my head! I went to church this morning and I kept getting the, "It looks SO cute!" comment. I'm turning 50 tomorrow and the last thing I want is to look CUTE! So I kept telling everyone that they had to think of different adjectives to describe my crazy hair. They then began to use descriptive terms like, chic, sophisticated, hip, etc. Those were all acceptable to my vanity and we all had a good laugh. I must admit though, after giving up my wig, there were a few times that I was tempted to put it back on. At least now you can't see my scalp through my thick, curly hair anymore. I have a friend who had chemo 9 years ago, and her hair has never been the same. It's baby fine and she keeps it short to make it look thicker. At least I don't have that problem.
Thanks Ladies for the information on the hair blow out. I have decided to live with the curls for now. I'm going to see what happens when it gets longer. It's still too short to decide just yet. I wish so much that the bangs would grow quicker. I've always had bangs and now it's tight curls that make my hair look shorter. Like LilyLou, my hair curls even tighter when I get hot or when it's really humid which is par for the course in NC.
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Rocket: I can so relate! I have had bangs for years, and to not be able to hide my "flaws" with my hair is just soul crushing when you want to look your best. I have tried to wear a wig over my hair, but it's just too hot. I do find that now that my hair is closer to three inches, if I put enough straightening cream in it doesn't curl as much on the top and the sides.
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MBJ, I'm hoping the straightening cream will work for me. I can't wait to get to three inches!
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Claire: Love that story.
Sigh ... I've had the curly/kinky hair and have fought it my whole life. It was finally straightening out and behaving a little better the older I got. Now I guess I'll start all over again after chemo! I just pray my hair comes back. I'm doing taxotere and I've read a few horror stories about it. Trying not to dwell on the miniscule chance of being permanently bald.
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Rocket: I hope that it works for you too. I would be fine with curly but you have to grow twice as much to get to the same length as someone with straight hair and I want my bangs back!
LadyinBama: I hope your hair comes back too. I did do the biotin, rogaine, vitamins all through chemo except for the 72 hour period during each chemo where I didn't use anything. It seems to have helped alot. I am also taking the men's version until it gets longer then I will switch to the women's and then gradually wean myself off of it if I can.
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There are several, newer versions of the Brazilian straightening that are not harmful and do not have the chemicals, however, once done, you have to use special shampoo that can be expensive. I would really like to try this, as my hair is actually a cute length once straightened.
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Nancy: I've heard of it but don't know if it works! That would be great if it did. I went to get a color and some hair shaping and I'm feeling really blue! I don't even have long enough hair for bangs. The only part that needed a trim was the back which was twice as long as the front. Pixie just doesn't cut it for me. It would be great if I had huge eyes and "pixie" cute features. Sigh!
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Nancy: I have no idea. My hair stylist told me everyones hair grows faster and longer in the back naturaly, chemo or no chemo. She has been cutting my hair for over 5 years and she says that my hair is parting in weird places all over my head, too.
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I cut my shoulder length hair today - very short. I start chemo Tuesday. I love the short cut, but my DH doesn't like it at all. hmmm I was thinking of never going back to longish hair again.
I read on one of the forums about some stuff you can buy that they swear helps you keep your brows and lashes during chemo. Only thing is, it costs $50 per tube. Does anybody know of anything that works, or helps, that is cheaper?
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I lost my eyebrows and lashes 2 months after my last chemo - and they grew back within 2 weeks
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Nancy: I was told by my Onc, no antioxidants for three days during chemo, then you can resume taking them. Just read the label if you aren't sure. Some Oncs say five days to be sure. What you do want to do is take them between your chemo sessions in order to keep up your strength and to help counter the negative effects.
LadyinBama: The only thing I have heard for hair is cold caps which need to be ordered way in advance of taking chemo, and I don't know if this works, but no mascara during chemo is supposed to help with eyelashes but I never tried it. Also, ice for the fingernails.
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My onc said a multi-vitamin was fine as the dosage is pretty low, and 600-1000 VitD okay. Did not advise any other supplements during chemo though.
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Nancy: I'm doing FEC x 3, then Taxol (or Taxotere if the taxol starts causing neuropathy) x 3. Good to hear about the lashes and brows sticking around. That part bothers me more than losing my hair. I've always had long lashes and it breaks my heart to think about losing them.
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I lost my my eyebrows after I finished chemo. I lost some, but not all of my eyelashes around the same time. Psychologically, it was easier on me to lose them then as the hair on my scalp was beginning to sprout. But it is harder to hide the fact that you have no eyebrows/eyelashes than being bald. I highly recommend the Look Good Feel Better program if you haven't already availed of that. My local hospital had a separate night for eyebrows - they called it "Spa Night and Eyebrow Clinic." I went to this before I even started chemo. They gave each of us a brow kit, which worked wonderfully for me when the time came.
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My lashes and brows hung around until after chemo. Then they all fell out. Lashes came back and fell out again. They are back but still short. My brows never really came back. Just about 10 stray hairs on both sides. I draw them on and will give then another 6 months. Then I'll have them tattooed on. A darker liner along the lash line and a lighter color just above the lash line will give you the appearance of having lashes from a distance.
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My lashes and brows just thinned a bit through chemo and then the fell ot 8 weeks after I was done. The grew back within couple of weeks. That was in early April and then they fell out again in July (not all of them but a noticeable amount). I think it takes a while before they get totally cycled.
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I found few brow or eyelash hairs on my cheek yesterday and I thought, here we go again. I am part of a Latisse study, so I am hoping I won't lose as much.
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I too lost all my brows and lashes after chemo was completed. They began growing back right away however and came back thicker. Then they fell out again - not completely, but noticeably thinner. I have been left with thinner eyebrows and lashes since chemo, but have ordered Rapidlash from Amazon and am awaiting delivery. I can't wait to try it and am hopeful that my lashes and brows will grow in thicker. On a positive note, my hair has come back thicker - although with crazy curl. But it's wonderful to have hair!
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Rocket: My hair has come in quite thick and bushy is the only term I can use for it. Hard to style but I am loving my Marc Anthony Instant Straightener--I just rub it on all over my hair then comb and style the rest with my fingers and it stays in place and most of it doesn't bend when I use it.
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