Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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My hair started coming out right about the time of my 2nd AC cycle. I had it shaved off so it wouldn't be as traumatic. I am 9 weeks PFC and am very happy to say my hair is coming in nicely. My eyebrows are back in action and my eyelashes are on their way, they just need to get some more length. My hairline is not as thick as the rest of my scalp, but I'm just so happy that I've got something! I'm even considering going hat/scarf-less in the next few weeks. I'm aiming for Thanksgiving. The hair is very soft and dark. It started coming in white, but that has pretty much disappeared. When does it start to curl, if it will? Also, thank you Firni for posting about the Toppik, I think it's great!!0
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MelBell: My hair also started growing in perfectly straight (and gray), then it was about 6 months post-chemo that it started getting really soft & super-curly. (I dye it back to my brunette that I had before chemo, and I also perm it back to curls, as I started losing them *gasp*!) ~juli
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I'm 22 weeks out and just started using Rosemary mint Suave shampoo this morning and will post any results in a couple of weeks. See my Aviator for beginning hair length.
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23 weeks PFC for me. Hair is back, no curls, but lots of wings. More grey then I had before, but still to early to color. No haircuts yet, but DH did trim my lower neck hairline a few weeks ago. It has already filled back in. I don't use anything fancy to wash it, just shampoo and conditoner for extremely dry hair. It has avocado, shea and olive oil in it - Garnier Fructis brand. Seems to be working just fine.
Eye lashes all back, and almost all the eyebrows.
I stopped wearing hats to work a few weeks ago, and seem to get daily comments on how much hair I seem to have. Granted it will take time to get back to the shoulder length that I had, but it is growing. Yea!
4 more Herceptins to go, so maybe it will grow faster once I am off of that too.
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I am 3 weeks post chemo and I am slowly seeing some regrowth! It is on the sides though and just fuzz on top... is that how it usually grows back. I get excited everyday I look in the mirror and I see more hair!!
AnnetteS: Mine also started falling out day 14 of FEC and by day 16 I had to shave it off because it was coming out in clumps. It was a pretty scary experience and I recomend shaving it before it comes out in clumps. I overcame it and am now fine having no hair because I know it will grow back!
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I am 3 weeks post chemo and I am slowly seeing some regrowth! It is on the sides though and just fuzz on top... is that how it usually grows back. I get excited everyday I look in the mirror and I see more hair!!
AnnetteS: Mine also started falling out day 14 of FEC and by day 16 I had to shave it off because it was coming out in clumps. It was a pretty scary experience and I recomend shaving it before it comes out in clumps. I overcame it and am now fine having no hair because I know it will grow back!0 -
I am 3 weeks post chemo and I am slowly seeing some regrowth! It is on the sides though and just fuzz on top... is that how it usually grows back. I get excited everyday I look in the mirror and I see more hair!!
AnnetteS: Mine also started falling out day 14 of FEC and by day 16 I had to shave it off because it was coming out in clumps. It was a pretty scary experience and I recomend shaving it before it comes out in clumps. I overcame it and am now fine having no hair because I know it will grow back!0 -
For me, the top started first, I saw the 5 o clock shadow and knew it was on it's way back. I also took 10,000 mcg of biotin for about 2 months, and believe that helped as well. Since I was on a every 3 wk cycle with chemo, I didn't see much growth until about 5 weeks after the last one.
I took found myself looking in the mirror daily, 10 times a day, as if that would make it grow faster!
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I have thin skin wig that I attach with tape just on sides and at neck. There is no hairline where tape goes but I am wandering if I can continue to use it now that I am waiting for hair to grow. I also have standard wig but this one is more secure, especially when I am around my son.
I had it today after two weeks of not wearing it and I think I am missing some. Probably just imagination.
Anybody has experience with thin skin wigs? Thank You.
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I am new to this forum - just finished the first round of CMF. I have had very conflicting reports on hair loss and/or thinning on this regimen. Would love to hear from those on CMF about their hair...Thanks!
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My curls were immediate. It never came in straight at all. 8 months out and still ringlets. Very soft, though. But still real short. Want to get a 3/4 cap fall for some length. Don't really need a wig anymore.
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How long - how long? When does it start growing with veracity? I'm 2-3 months post chemo, only 1/2 inch or so on the hair. I'm getting impatient. Haven't had hair since middle of Feb. Anyone have any words of encouragement?
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HI Ladies - I'm wondering if any of you still continued to wear a wig while your hair was in the growing in phase. I am 2-3 weeks out from my last chemo, and I have some hair that never fell out. I notice that my wig does not stay on as well on my head now - if I use wig tape, will I be pulling out all the hairs that are growing in? Thanks!
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incognito
I had to stop wearing the wig once my hair started coming in because it just wouldn't tape as securely as it did before, I heard though that you can buy one of those caps to wear underneath, I just couldn't be bothered with it.
I also notice that my hair at the front where the wig was taped is a lot thinner than the rest, so perhaps it does prevent the hair from growing...but not sure I could just be thinner there.
I have almost an inch now, got my hair colored and have ditched the wig...if I could figure out how to post a pic I would...lol
Mo:)
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Yesterday was nine weeks since my last chemo, and I just ditched the wig. I have about 1 inch all around, it is coming in evenly and pretty thick. I just got tired of wearing it, and I honestly think that I look better. At least it looks like me, and not me pretending to be blonde. I think that it is more about your personal comfort level, if you feel ok to be out without your wig, rock it! It is incredible how good women look with really short hair.
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Thanks ladies - that's good to know. When I purchased my wig (in July) the lady at the salon said I could potentially be wearing it for up to a year - but I'm happy to ditch the wig when I get an inch of growth!
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Ok ladies I am on day 9 since my first TCx4. I have been doing as little as possilble to my hair. So far no signs of it coming out I don't think. I have always had very thin fine hair. It's is heavily hilighted but its been about 12 weeks i think since i have been to the salon. I figured why bother if its going to all fall out in a few days. anyone think there is any chance it wont fall out? I have lots of wigs ready either way.
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ECT, I felt the same as you - then it started really coming in.
Incognito, I ditched the wig on weekend outings after about 2-3 months post chemo, but continued wearing it to work just so I wouldn't have to explain myself to people. I didn't really have to wear it, though.
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Incognito I am 2 weeks tomorrow after my last Tx. I also have some hair that never fall off but I am not sure if I have any new growth. I have thin skin wit and I am also concerned if I could wear it now. It works as a vacuum ant is not really breathable. I tried to find more inf online but no luck.
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Carrol2 -
I had TC x 4 too. My hair was perfect until day 14/15, then it started coming out rapidly, and within a week I was bald. Different chunks fell out at different times, I would always know as 24 hours beforehand, that part of my head would be really sore and the scalp felt really tight. Realistically, you will have hair loss, but prob nothing til around day 14, 15. Best of luck! On the plus side, it grows back quickly!
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Mine came out in clumps a few hours, literally, after my 2nd treatment of A/C. That evening. I shaved it the next day. Anyways, it did grow back after chemo, very soft and full. Just very curly which I am not used to.
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Thanks for sharing i was told 14 days i am really dreading it but trying to have a positive attitude got my wigs ready to go and hats and scarfs. just not sure if i will shave it and where i would even get that done. I am thinnking let nature take its course.
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I donated my hair to Locks of Love. It made it easier knowing that someone would benefit from it rather than finding it all over the house. Then my beautician gave me a free haircut.It looked good until it came out in chunks. Once I had the rest shaved off and got over the shock of the baldness, I was okay with it.
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Carrol2
I remember being exactly where you are...It was day 14 and I still had my hair and no signs of it coming out, could even tug on it and it was fine, I was CONVINCED I was the exception and that it wouldn't come out...then about day 16 I was driving with the windows open and put my hand through my hair and hair started flying away...It was so hard..so I went and got it cut really really short and thank god I did because a couple days later it was all out.
It's so hard, but it DOES come back, It was really hard for me, even though I had a wig and scarves and the whole shebang, it still broke my heart....but I'm happy to report that I have almost an inch now and it's growing in even and nice just as it was before.
You'll be okay, but remember it's okay to be pissed once it does finally come out.
I'll be thinking of you
Mo
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Carrol2 - I had my hair buzzed between my 1st and 2nd AC treatment. I had shoulder length, thick hair and didn't want to deal it falling out. I, too had my wigs, hats and scarves ready to go. You may have to experiment with what kind of headcoverings you like and you feel comfortable in. I did not look good in square, bandana style scarves. I bought some longer, rectangular jersey scarves at Old Navy that I tied turban style. I wore my wig M-F and the Old Navy scarves on the weekends.
I finished chemo 6/5/10 and just went wigless to work starting 10/8/10. I have about 1 inch all over and it's very soft, growing in many different directions with many cowlicks. For the last few weeks, I was going out with just a scarf tied around my hair (not my whole head) on weekends but wearing my wig M-F.I guess I needed some transition. I knew I was getting close to ditching the wig when my bangs started to peek out from under it. Gina
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Letting nature take it's course for me was very hard. I decided that donating it, all 15 inches, might do someone else some good and actually make me feel empowered so that is what I did. I roped it off into about 8 pony tails, then cut those....sent it off to Wigs For Kids, then shaved it. Yes, I cried and cried, but the anticipation was actually worse that the finished part. Then I could just throw on my wigs and go. Now, 18 months later, I have about 6 inches! It is full, thick and I still color the gray but looking back, I can so remember how hard it was to wake up finding it on my pillow and watching it slide down the shower drain. It was harder for me at the time than losing a breast! Now that it has grown back (and the breast has NOT - ha ha) I struggle with that part every day and hope one day it won't be so hard. I made a video about this part of the journey which you can see here . I hope it helps you feel a little better and know that we are all here for you during this hard time!0
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Losing the hair was not difficult for me. I loved the wigs.( I had a lot of fun with them). And I lost it after my second tx of AC. It started coming out so fast I just decided to have my hairdresser cut it. I went in late - her last appt for the day. A friend went along and took pics. I took my wig and she trimed it a bit around my face. All in all it was fun. But I did tend to tire of the wigs and now I long to go out w/o one. My hair isn't quite long enough yet (half inch). It's more about the fact that I don't want to draw attention to myself than I really care to go hairless ;-) I don't wear anything at home and I love it.
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ladym13 I'm glad I read your post. I've been falsely thinking that my hair won't fall out. My second treatment (AC) is Monday 10/18. I did purchase an unbelievable wig a few weeks ago and was hoping that I wouldn't have to use it even though I spent $$$$$. My husband keeps telling me to think about what I'm saying because he doesn't want me to be crushed.
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I don't know which is worse losing the breasts or the hair. I had a BMX with delayed reconstruction. So I am very flat compared to being a DD. I am planning recon after chemo but I will probably be a large C small D. Before I think my breasts were too big and at 45 not what they used to be but still quite nice. Now I try to look at the silver lining that the new ones will be like a 20 year old. In the mean time I am trying to enjoy the ballerina figure I have now. There are many types of clothing I could not wear before that I can now. But what i see when I look down is a little scary and I do mourn losing what I once thought was my best feature. I am looking forward to reconstruction but dreading having to have surgery again.
My hair had never been a favorite part of me. It's very thin. But i always thought I looked terrible in short hair. Better get over that one. I am a little nervous that I do not have a plan in place for what to do about the hair falling out but I don't think I can bare to cut it short no less shave it until i have to.
so the plan is no plan right now. I think. or maybe i will make an appointment with my hairdresser to shave me and style my wigs for day 14 . . . sigh!
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Sounds like a great plan Carol. Go for it.
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