Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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((((Maureen)))): I know just how you feel. Hope you have a better day and to heck with what other people think already. We are having the fight of our lives! Hugs.
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Claire82-I know...I loved my long hair too! I think that I will have to keep my hair shorter now...just because I am 46 and by the time it grows down to my waist I will be too old! I am just going to try for shoulder length hair. My hubby, who loved my hair, told me that he thought it was time to cut some of it off anyway...not sure if he is saying that to make me feel better or if he means it. Losing my hair was the hardest part of my journey...it may be shallow but I am telling the truth!
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Poodleluvbug, we are not shallow. Hair is something that can change your appearance drastically. I am now 15 weeks out and all of my friends saw me wigless. Only two of them told me to wait a little bit longer because although it has good coverage it is still very short. So short that no women would go to hairdresser and ask for that style. Rest of them told me to go wigless and do not care what people would think. None of them is ready to cut their hair so short and do not care what people would think.
So, I would stick with my wig for at least 4-6 weeks more to get growth that look like short hairstyle.
I was always girly girl and most of my clothes looks better on me when I have longer hair. Short hair is asking for more sporty look, bigger earrings, crazy glasses. At least for me.
Brenda, that friend was for 18 months on Tamoxifen, then she was switched to AI and then hair changes begun. She is ER pos and she would stay on them.
I am on zoladex inj, my hair is still very short.
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Poodle - It was the hardest part for me too. It is not shallow. The only person who has seen me without hair is my mom, and around her I always wear a scarf. I never felt sick until I lost my hair - then I felt old and sick because that is how I looked. Thank God for my gorgeous wig - I would not have been able to leave the house for the last few months without it. It gave me the confidence to act like my old self when I did not really feel like I could. You never realize how important things like hair or eyebrows are until you lose them.
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Nothing shallow about a woman losing her hair! For many of us it is just another reflection of who we are and to suddenly be forced to be something we are not, it is never easy and no, most women wouldn't choose this as a "look".
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I have a couple specific questions I was hoping someone could respond to and help out..
first, I have been reading about Biotin and the dosage some of you are taking. I bought a bottle at health store and have been taking one tablet a day as directed. It says 5 mg on the bottle. some of you are taking 1000mcg or more. What is the difference between mg and mcg? and the whole 5 to 1000 mg I don't understand.
The other question is about hair products to use when hair is just coming in and sticks straight up. I remember reading a while back (but can't find the post) about products purchased at Sally's that some of you have used to calm or help with new, fuzzy hair. Thanks for any help you can provide. Any other known secrets to help hair grow is appreciated. Am on herceptin and tamoxifen and have heard this slows growth. Unfortunately, will be on herceptin for a while yet so not liking the idea of slow hair growth for another several months.
Thanks for any advice.
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adnerb, that's my problem, i think your hair looks great. i finished chemo in August, had oophrectomy in September, started Arimidex in October, hair has been slow growing but I finally have full coverage, lots of wave's, super short, but there is a small section in the front center nearest to my forehead you can see my scalp, the hair is thin or not as dense in that area, sure hope it fills in. i'm not experiencing any hair loss. i have had 5 surgeries this year and i truly believe the anesthesia greatly affects our hair.
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westiemom: I hope it's just the surgeries! That means it's not permanent, right? Look at Liz Taylor (unless she's wearing a wig). She's had many, many surgeries!!!
BTW, I have a Scottie named Angus. He is my baby boy.
Brenda
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Adnerb, scotties are wonderful! i just luv my westie girl nikki!! From what i've read hair takes a hit on arimidex and that it can take up to a year to recover.doesn't sound like this is a permanent thing. gosh, now i'm curious if liz taylor wears a wig, she is still just as beautiful as ever.
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LLL: 5 mg = 5000 mcg. Sallys has a whole line of hair straightening shampoos, conditioners, sprays, etc. Just go to a Sally's and ask for the Ion straightening products--they should be all in the same place! The 183 Topical Solution by Xenna should help promote hair growth the same way as Nioxin porducts promote hair growth--by killing the excess of male hormones on our head due to the lack of female hormones in our bodies. It also works by thickening the hair, but give it time to work as it takes time and hair grows in a cycle not necessarily on our time schedule, lol. I spray it on my head whenever I feel my scalp tingling. It helps you keep the hair you have. Good luck!
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MBJ: Do you think there is a difference between Nioxin and183 Topical Solution by Xenna? Are you using both?
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BTW - I just went to Sally's website. I don't have one near me. There is free shipping for orders over $50 and there is also a promotion right now where if you buy a full size Ion appliance, you get the Ion mini flat iron free. Does anyone use/like the Ion flat irons? I don't have enough to use a flat iron on yet, but I can see the hair on the top of my head starting to curl. My avatar photo was taken 3 weeks ago and my hair is still super short, but moving along.
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I never liked short hair on me but right now I will be happy to have any hair. Then I will get impatient for it to grow long I am sure.
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I know what you mean, Carrol. I've never had short hair in my life until now. I was super impatient for it to cover my scalp so I could go "topless" and I started early, at about 10 weeks post the final day I had chemo. I couldn't stand the way people looked at me. I only wore my wig 3 times and people stared equally as much so I used scarves and hats since they were more comfortable and I wasn't fooling anyone in the wig. I am 12 weeks pfc now, and on Saturday I had a woman compliment me on my hair and said she wished she could pull it off. I will be happy for longer hair, but I'm not as impatient as I was. I only look in the mirror a handful of times daily instead of the constant hair checks I was doing before.
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So after an hour of fixing my new hair getting ready to go back to work today without the wig, got the puppy ready for his first full day of doggie daycare..coffee in hand...doggie daycare bag full of toys..my healthy snacks and lunch in hand...get out to the car...nothing. DEAD!
UUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tow truck here now and I feel like such a baby cause I can't stop crying. I think he thinks Im crazy but I just cant afford a big repair bill. I feel so defeated.0 -
Ann97, you look GREAT!
Sorry about your car, DiDel.
I think the hair on my head is now more dense than the hair on my arms, but I have a LONG way to go before I can go "topless". I had long, straight (dyed) red hair before & got a wig as close to that as I could. I must be fooling a lot of people because I get compliments on my hair at work all the time, LOL.
I love this thread. It validates how I felt/feel about having to lose my hair, which has been the hardest part of the journey for me so far.
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HI everyone:
Very blessed to have a thick curly head of hair 1 year out, but lost my eyebrows at about 4 months PFC and they have never come back!! Should I be worried? I'm on Tamoxifan but otherwise everything else is pretty normal.(not malnourished)
I use eyebrow pencils/powder and am seriously looking at permaent makeup (tattoo), or should I wait longer and see if they show up? Anybody else having the same issue?
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DiDel, sorry your morning didn't start off well. I just luv hearing what a wonderful puppy mother you are...doggie daycare, how cute is that
. Call your auto insurance company to see if you have tow coverage. I hope you're doing better, hang in there. 0 -
Carol2 lol! I hold the magnifying glass close to my scalp on a daily basis. I remember when I started getting new sprouts, I would check the mirror morning and night, but once the sprouts came, I could see a difference each week, my poor husband knew what I was going to ask "is my hair growing"? and you're right, once we get full coverage we are wishing it was longer
. I know exactly how you feel. Curious if you are on tamoxifen or arimidex. 0 -
DiDel: so sorry to hear about your car problems this morning. Isn't today a holiday? Hope you have a better day and I am sure it will all work out. The littlest things set me off now, too. Hugs.
Ann: Sally's has great sales! I have never used their flat irons--last week when I was there they still had that type of sale going on with the other brands, too. I would look for an iron that puts out at least 450 degrees (professional heat) because my new chemo hair was not straightened with my Revlon iron. Although, now that I use the Ion spray maybe any iron would work. The one that was recommended to me by one of their sales staff who does hair professionaly,is by Jilbere de paris the Palladium 2. I love it!
Ann, I am using both products on my hair. The ingredients are different, but they do the same thing-kill the hormones that kill your hair. They are used differently though--the topical solution you can use throughout the day and the Nioxin products are for washing, conditioning and styling only.
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So it has been 20 days since my last Taxol. Since my taxol was given every 14 days, so as soon as I passed the 14th day, I have begun to desperately look at my head every day for any possibility of growth. I have a magnifying glass and a mirror next to me on my bed and I am looking several times a day. I see tiny white hairs through magnification. I hope I don't grow all grey hairs, but it sounds like it might be that fuzz you girls are talking about. I have been thinking - my son's wedding is on June 18 (maybe the only big thing I am ever going to celebrate in my life). It will be about 5 months post chemo - I am wondering if I would have at least two inches by then.
I have been looking at micro-bead hair extensions. I don't care how much it will cost me, if they can add hair to at least 2 inches, I will get that done until my own hair grows. I have not had short hair since I was in high school. Oh, I miss my hair so much. Not sure if the fear of recurrence weighs higher than not having hair......yes, I am desperate for my hair.
I used to take biotin before BC, but am scared to take anything now, due to bad experience. I have women's rogain from Walmart at home, but am also scared to use that. I will ask my Med.Onc. about biotin.
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Lovelyface: I have been using the Men's rogaine since being without any female hormones I feel I needed the stronger one. Biotin just helps you promote healthy hair--it doesn't make it grow. See the post I made earlier today for some other things you can do. The 183 Topical Solution is all natural. My hair came in white fuzz and grey and I shaved the first inch off--it wasn't really hair--after about 4 months my natural hair color started coming back and I no longer looked like George Clooney, lol. I was told you need 4" for hair extensions, but I would go to a place that specializes in the no glue method and get their advice to see if it can be done as I heard this only here on these boards from one hairstylist. Hugs.
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Lovelyface, I am using Biotin and Rogaine, as well. My onc knows,he even gave me prescription for Rogaine.
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Aw, Di, that sucks. I know how you feel. I have noticed in the last month that the littlest things set me off. I think I am just so worn out and overwhelmed from everything over the last 6 months that things that never used to be a big deal now feel like the world is against me. Hang in there. Have a drink.
On a positive note on the hair front, today was the first day since I lost my hair that I actually could see that everything will probably be fine and I will not always look like a complete freak. I still have a way to go for full coverage, but for the first time this morning I looked in the mirror after putting on my make up and getting dressed for work, but before putting on the wig, and felt like I looked pretty. Still clearly bald, but pretty. There is enough of my hair coming in now that I can see a hairline and my natural hair color is there to help my face out . . .lol. I now believe I may actually have full coverage within a month. It seemed so impossible just a week ago.
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Thanks everybody! Im feeling better after many tears were shed...the poor tow truck driver..I don't think he knew what to make of me as we drove to the auto shop. Thank GOD my mechanic takes care of me, he squeezed me in and took care of my car it was the altenator and battery and of course I needed two new tires so $865 later...my car is fixed. Still beats having to buy a new car which I totally couldn't afford right now. I just literally spent all day in the auto shop but not much else I could do. My poor puppy did NOT have a fun day as he was in the crate most of the day.
Ohhhh deep breath...tomorrow WILL be a better day.
So at least now I have a test run to see how long its gonna take me to get out the door tomorrow and now i already know what I will wear. Let's just hope the ice storm stays away.
Thanks as always! You ladies are seriously the best!!
Di
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Ann97: I am so glad to here someone else who felt the same way as me. I had a wig and just couldn't bring myself to wear it. I too felt like I was trying to "fool" people. I just felt like, I was bald and it was what it was. So, I wore the scarves and hats until I had full coverage, and went topless at the New Year, about 3 months after finishing chemo. I am sure people stare, but I don't really notice. Personally I am more concerned with this beard I am growing, LOL!
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girls, today was my first day out in public with my shaved head...it was the hardest day yet! Friday night i noticed that hairs were plucking to easy...usually there's some resistance and i told myself that its coming so around day 25 with taxol and avastin my hair actually started falling out! longer than i expected...for me the anticipation of it falling out was worse than actually shaving it, but that seems to hold true for most things dealing with BC (so far)!
Well today was definitely the hardest....I couldnt decide what I wnated to wear, Hat? wig?, or scarf? I kept telling myself i should wear a wig so I don't freak my students out at school (my Students with autism don't usually like change), so in the end i decided on a wig...different color and different style, but i like it alot! for the first little while i didnt even leave my room, but after a while i got brave and went out into the school and everyone was wonderful..they built my confidence and made me feel beautiful...today i left at 11:30 and i quickly took that wig off driving down the road...it was itchy and annoying...I even wore a wig cap under it and it made it worse...hope know one was watching, if so, i would love to have seen that expression!!!LOL
Once i got home, i tried a pink scarf and love it...i felt so much better and more confident...so for now ive decided to try hats and scarves...I do have the wigs so that gives me more of a selection..ann97 i agree, i felt the same as you...just didn't feel right...but wear the bandana out i felt more me and natural...one of these days i hope to be brave enough to go without anything!
Thanks for listening to me ramble, just needed to get it all out of my head...I hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow!!
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moe0279 you look just darling in your photo, you have an awesome spirit about you, those darn wigs do itch! on the weekends i either wear a scarf or a baseball cap, much more comfortable.
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I didn't feel comfortable with the wig either. I wore it once and never put it back on. I wore scarves and hats. Half way through treatment I ditched them too. I did my shopping bald. I felt like a rebel. Right before it grew back I wanted to get a henna design but couldn't find anywhere to go.
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I never wore my wig. It was nice and all (and $1100!!) but I felt the same way -- like I was trying to "fool" people and it just didn't feel right. I only wore hats and scarves, and got lots of compliments on them. I had 2 huge bins full of them so I could match them to my outfits...and it was actually kind of fun to do. Took me longer to get ready in the morning though - trying to match my scarf to my outfit, and then find the right earrings to go with it!
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