Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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I have the itchy scalp too, but also am just 2 weeks pfc so I definitely thought it was too early for that. So... MBJ... let me see if I understand right. I'm 44 and if chemo hasn't thrown me into menopause, the ooph WILL. My doc believes I shouldn't experience any hair issues from the ooph, but again that will affect my hormones. So do you think it might affect the hair growth too? Doc says the hair is age related, and that I'm not in that age bracket yet... and I asked her specifically because the ooph will take those hormones away. Now I can say I know women in general don't have a great hair loss right when they go into menopause, but it gets much worse in older women, which would corrulate with my doc. It's confusing. I've seen some younger women get the ooph and not have hair issues. Maybe it's just hit and miss?
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Angelisa: I know women who have had hormonal issues in their 20's who lose their hair! I wish it was age related because then I wouldn't be dealing with this. However, I think it is hit and miss--I also have adrenal/thyroid issues, so it could be only that and have nothing to do with estrogen loss. I am so not an expert and only can speak from my own experience and from what I have read on these boards. It just seems that alot of women who are having to take the hormone stopping drugs also seem to have hair loss, though if they didn't have hair loss, I guess they wouldn't be coming here. I am not taking any hormone stopping drugs but I rely on using my products so that I do have a full head of hair. Just my experience, but at least you know that there are some products that can help if you experience prolonged hair loss or sudden hair loss.
BTW: I have heard from a couple of dr's that you can take men's rogain briefly to help with hair loss from surgery or temporary hair loss, and then you can stop taking it after a couple months.
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I had always thought that any hair Rogaine helped to grow would fall out if you stopped using it. That's good to know that it may not be true! Well, I sure hope I don't experience hair loss. I have to have an ooph because of the stupid BRCA thing. And I'm certain I've been kicked into chemopause anyway as I haven't had a cycle since the end of October. My hair is definitely growing. I'm taking weekly pics and hope to post them once I have enough to show progress. I have a bunch of white frizzy fuzz, if that's what you call it. It appears completely unmanageable!! At least right now. I'm taking Biotin daily and quite a few other vitamins/supplements. I'm not using anything on my head in terms of Rogaine or Nioxin or anything. I want to see how the growth comes in before doing anything else. I plan on doing henna as soon as there's enough coverage. I'd say 90% of what is growing is extremely white or what you might consider as colorless. I've read that this white stuff may lead into actual hair that has color, and I'm hoping for that. I know I still had some color before chemo, but honestly I'm unsure how much of my hair was white because I've been dying or doing henna for many years.
My fiance' is having hair loss issues too, and he's quite a bit younger than me, so I do have some Minoxidil laying around.
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I havent been on for awhile but i had to share the news I had my six month ultrasound and mammo and i am cancer free for two wonderful years
Sharon
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Yay!!
Congrats Sharon!! 0 -
I have a hair question... After I shaved my hair, and had a shedding process... the shedding stopped and I continue to have a patchy 5 o'clock shadow... and it feels like stubble all over my head... Will I go thru the shedding process for every treatment or will it start to grow after the initial shedding?? Or is it different for everyone?
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BDavis, after my first treatment, around 14 days after, my hair began falling out within a week it was all out. I chose not to shave my head. While undergoing treatment I didn't experience any new growth or 5 o"clock shadow. Around 6 weeks after my last treatment I started seeing new growth. I've read where others experienced hair growth during treatment. Based on what I've read it seems to be different for everyone. Part of that might be based on the chemo I'm thinking....
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I had the same patchy stubble on my head, but it fell of during the end of my AC treatment.
I am now on my 6th TH treatment and I can see some new fuzz (if I look closely) but it's white so it's hard to see...
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I currently have almost full coverage stubble at one week post tx#2.. so maybe I will see what happens at two weeks post tx which is when my hair started falling out the first time... and my 5 o'clock shadow is dirty blond and my other stubble is very pale... blonder or lighter than my blond color.
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bdavis- I buzzed my hair on day 15 after 1st tx- I never completely lost all my stubble. I shed a little more after tx 3. It started growing back right after last tx (I had 4 TC). I am 7 weeks out and have a good cover- I can still see my scalp, but it won't be long! My hair is coming in very dark with alot of gray mixed in and mostly white on top! I can't wait until i can color it. Looks like it's going to be the 'salt and pepper" look for me for awhile-until i can color it!
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Finally! After 6 1/2 weeks, PFC, the crown of my head has "duckling down/chia fuzz/lint dryer fluff" whatever stuff! My DH is thrilled that I won't be making him get out his flashlight and magnifying glass anymore. The old, left-over shaved hairs are still coming out in my lint roller, but I don't care--I guess they're getting kicked out and replaced. Hope to be joining you ladies with your great hair success pictures!
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I have the same thing as what most are saying here. I had 4 TC. I never shaved it. All but some strands at the hairline came out on day 18 after first tx. I kept that hair so it would be visible under hats. About 4 weeks after last tx i had some hair growing in. The long pieces that never came out kind of broke off as the new hair came in. I have been taking pictures as i go so i can see the progress. I am now at 72 days or 2 months and 10 days PFC. I see the hair growing all over less at the very top of the crown. But it looks like it is all going to come in. So far hard to tell if it will curl looks very straight right now.
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Joanne58: I am also 6 1/2 weeks PFC (TC X 4) and have the same "ducklingdown/chia fuzz/lint dryer fluff that you are describing. Although it is ugly, I am very encouraged that something is finally happening up there. It already looks like it will come in curly and unruley, hopefully it will get some sort or color one of these days. Will dark hairs replace these clear white ones, or will they eventually become thicker and get some color as they grow?0
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Hey girls.... I started using Nioxin shampoo its for people who have thin hair and it helps the hair folicle stay healthy and allow hair to grow, really I think its working really well.... my hair is really thick, and thank god no curls!! The shampoo makes your hair squeeky clean really it actually squeeks when you rinse...lol
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Blindsided--so glad you've got something growing, too! My fluff is kinda colorless. I was blonde with grey starting to come in a few years ago, so I'm thinking the hair will be major salt and pepper. I clipped hair color coupons last night for the first time, thinking I may be coloring my hair in April (trying to be positive about the amount of hair I'll have by then
Maybe I'll try the Nioxin shampoo, too, like mahometmom62 and others have suggested. 0 -
MHP70: Icouldn't agree with you more. I find being bald is so easy. There's definitely no bad hair days. And no one seems to mind when I go hatless. I had mousy brown hair and I was still searching for the perfect care-free style. Maybe as it grows back in I'll find a stye that I like. But being bald is a reminder of my cancer. So Im looking forward to hair again.
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I'm almost 3 weeks pfc, not nearly as far along as the rest of you. I know I'm super anxious to have enough hair to ditch these hats. They're beginning to get hot and itchy as the weather warms here. I have the same colorless stuff coming in, but it seems so thin that I wonder the same thing... does it thicken as it continues to come in or as time passes I suppose more follicles begin filling in? Because in a certain light, I can see it all and it's white, but to look straight on, I gotta admit I still look bald. So I suppose it's normal growth to begin with right? I swear I look in the mirror all the time just to verify it is actually coming back! Can't wait to henna it so I can see color again!
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cc4npg: I must look in the mirror about 50 times a day, up real close and preferably with some back lighting...I don'[t know what I expect to see different each time but I can't help it! Its been so cold here all winter that I often wear a hat AND a wig when I go out, but I just can't wait to be able to go topless. My huge naked melon head is very unattractive, commando is not an option for me. I wish these little hairs would just grow already!
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At 7 weeks PFC I have quite a bit of dark, but alot of gray/white too. It is still more gray/white on top so it looks patchy. Unfortunately, I have a 3 inch scar on the right side of my head that has never had hair on it- so i wonder how long it will be before it is covered. I look pretty weird!! I am so ready to get rid of the hats- just not there yet. It was 74 degrees here today and I felt like I was melting in my wig!!
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Tifj i was so hot coming home from the gym but i still kept that warm hat on. But in the house even all alone i still had bandana on. I don't think I have had short hair since i was a baby. I don't think I will like it so i will probably be wearing hats for a long time. I have two that are kind of a lighter for the warmer weather but once it's really hot not sure what i will do. I figure i will have a super short pixie by June. Perhaps I will be so happy not to be able to see scalp I will get brave and embrace it.0
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Carrol- you will get brave and embrace it
promise!!0 -
cc4npg--tell me about henna, please. Is it better and safer that dye? I'm a novice at anything other than highlighting, which is probably bad for new hair. Does anyone have an opinion about avoiding dye?
I'm a mirror obsessor these days, too.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall.....show me hair this Spring (not Fall!)"
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Henna... it's natural... it's a plant... it leaves a red cast as a rule. You can use indigo to help mask the red, or change it. You can use other things to mix it with to change the color too, like coffee. You can add some spices too. Imagine for a moment MUD in a pudding or yorgurt kind of consistency. Now imagine putting that in your hair. That's pretty much what henna is. You put it in, you leave it in... depending on what how dark you want it, or how difficult your hair may be to color. Some people leave it on overnight. I use the Light Mountain brand, called Color the Grey. It's a two step process. The first step I use distilled water to mix, and it turns my grey hair (or used to when I had hair) bright orange. The second step I mix with very strong, day old coffee, and leave it in longer. When done, it's a nice brownish/red. NEVER use anything metal with henna unless you want a possible green color. Henna takes a few hours to oxidize after it's put on. The color changes during this period of time. It is messy... it smells funny, sorta like dirt... it's difficult to get out completely. I use baking soda to help get it out. You're not supposed to use shampoo or conditioner right after using henna... just rinse it out well and let it dry (oxidize). It thickens your hair because it coats eat follicle. It is actually a good conditioner, but it does dry out the hair... quite a bit actually when you use it to color. (They have henna that is strictly used as a conditioner and you don't use it as often) It's a lot better for you than the chemicals in permanent hair color. Henna is a permanent color. It's supposed to fade over time, but mine never did. However I did color every 4 weeks or so too, so maybe it does over time. One more thing.. if you have chemical dye on your hair, you need to wait 5-6 weeks before doing henna or you might get an unwanted color. Same thing if you switch from henna to chemical dye. Also, after coloring with henna, since it is harder to get out, you may want to put an older shirt on as it dries. Henna will color your hands or anything it touches.
To me, the pros outweigh the cons. Even with the mess and time, I'd rather put something less harmful on my hair. And when done correctly, the result is absolutely gorgeous.
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I am still undergoing chemo. I have a fabulous wig and I wear a cap underneath it so it is not itchy. When I was losing my hair I bought silk pillowcases and funnily enough, my hair stopped falling out! Mind you, I only have about 20% of my hair left but I have a nice little hair covering that keeps me warm. I have read that the silk pillowcases help with the hair regrowth because it doesn't tug on your hair
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Ladies
You should be able to find hair salons that use organic or natural hair dyes of all colours as well as do at home colours. Try googling for the salons and check for the do at home colours in organic stores.
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My last chemo was on Oct 26. I have a short (unattractive) pixie looking cut now. I too have never had hair this short. My mom has said that I was born with hair longer than this.
But I am just glad to have my head covered in hair. I went topless early. Probably 2-3 weeks before I took my avatar photo. I got stares then, but I was getting stares with hats and scarfs so I didn't care.
Yesterday I was shopping and was asked for my driver's license. The man ringing me up exclamed loudly how I had cut off all of my hair (photo on my license showed me with hair past my shoulders) and asked if I did it in preparation for the hot summer. I just smiled and shook my head yes.
I'm less mirror obsessed now.
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gosh i have never colored my own hair. It is looking very grey not sure what I will do when the time comes to go topless. It took me forever to find a good salon when i moved here to KC from NYC. I hope they will know what to do for me.
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I will say Henna is usually more than a one person job, but then, I had hair below my waist too. I would easily be able to do short hair by myself. I won't ever go back to chemical dye.
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So, like Aveda products? They are natural. I haven't colored yet but want to BADLY. I am still in chemo tho two more weeks and then I want color on this pixie and some fake fingers and toes. I miss my Tammy Taylor nails
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I'm suppose to get my hair colored Monday, amonia free organic based color. I can't wait!
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