Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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YOU GO GIRLS!!!! Topless at last!!! Yea!!!!!
Lori
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Well I wanted to share I am the slow one on getting hair back went by my hair dressers and he said it might help if I cut the fuzz off and I went hom and chopped I think it is going to help the healthy hair I hope will come in so here I am trying again out of chemo 7.5 months and one more hercepten and hercepten isnt suppose to stunt the growth of hair but snipping will help I can feel it ...
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Dear Cinrae123 and Kimbly:
I don't have any experience with thinning hair but I just wanted to post something to say that that must be tough. (Sorry to state the obvious.) If it were me, and having my scalp show through was going to be my "new normal," I would have a tough time adapting.I had a neighbor in NYC with very thin hair but then she got hair weaves and looked absolutely FANTASTIC. It was a very natural look and she was very happy with them. I don't know anything about them, how long they last, how expensive they are, etc. but maybe it is something to consider?
Of course, that is not to say that you should rush out and cover your exposed scalp. There is something to be said for self-acceptance, after all. But if "rocking the exposed scalp" is not your thing, well, who is to judge?!
Maybe -- and as with this entire post, feel free to ignore this!! -- it is important to do something before what is happening on your head turns you into someone you don't want to be, e.g., insecure and self-conscious. "Do something" might mean deciding that it just doesn't matter anymore or looking into hair weaves or taking up horseback riding or something else that helps give you back the vibrance that maybe you feel you've lost.
Anyway, this whole post can be boiled down to: "I'm sorry you're going through this and I wish I had something useful to offer, I really do." You take care.
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And one other observation: Bear in mind that when we look at ourselves, we often are inclined to focus on what we see as our defects, our big bottoms, our lazy eyelids, our flabby arms, our thinning hair. BUT!!!! THAT IS NOT HOW MOST OF THE WORLD SEES US! The world is more likely to see an integrated person, a whole person with a warm and interesting face not just a assemblage of defects.
Ever since I resigned myself to a) watch as little television as possible, b) boycott women's magazines (the whole premise of the ads is to make us feel insecure so they can sell us something), and c) spend as little time as possible in front of a mirror I have felt LOADS better about myself. I'm not kidding!! Try it! Even for a week or two!
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Rock,
I like your lifestyle choice..you are right about TV, women's magazines, and mirrors....all aimed at making us feel poorly about ourselves. I, in fact, stood in front of my bathroom mirror just this morning and studied my short, thin chemo hair, jiggled my upper arm and noticed that it looks like an old ladies arm, and stared at my barely there eyebrows....ICK!
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Hi ladies. My last Taxol was 3 weeks ago and I'm having some pretty good hair growth. At first my head was covered with peach fuzz and then it started to look like I had a 5 o'clock shadow. Now you can see darker hair growing. It's most thick in the back and sides and I can see it without a magnifying mirrior. I started the Nioxin system 3 products - shampoo, scalp conditioner and follicle booster about 2 weeks ago and I take a daily Mega GLA supplement w/borage seed oil. I read in another thread somewhere on these boards that borage seed oil helps. I did more research online about it and it has been known to help with hair growth.
Karen - you look great!!
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Yes, you are so right. We get pressured into looking like the "model" woman. Yuck. I never will ever look like a magazine model...stupid of me to have tried all those years. Now I read that some people undergoing chemo tx called taxotere are experiencing permanment hair loss. Cripe!
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For those of you growing your hair back already, how long does is take your eyelashes to grow back in?
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Mine started to grow back within a couple of weeks of finishing chemo but they have all fallen out and regrown again since then. I think the bottom lashes have thinned again in the last few days but I am still taking herceptin and started tamoxifen 3 months ago both of which can cause thinning hair. I read somewhere to not be discouraged if lashes come and go for up to a year post chemo so I try to not let it get to me. POSITIVE note...5 months post chemo and have 3+ inches of hair!!!!!
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WOW Mom of 2! Are you doing anything special to get your hair to grow so fast? I'm 6 months post chemo and only have 2inches at most 2 and 1/4 inches!
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My eyebrows and eyelashs grew back very quickly also. I never lost them a second time and I am almost 5 months out of chemo. I have about 2 inches of hair on my head - looking downright shaggy!
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Rock, How did you know what I look like?
......"Bear in mind that when we look at ourselves, we often are inclined to focus on what we see as our defects, our big bottoms, our lazy eyelids, our flabby arms, our thinning hair.".......
I've added the following to the above traits.
A great big sincere smile, lazy to non existent criticism of others, flabby hugs and shiny bald head I refuse to cover. Life is good.
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The Hair Fairy has cometh.....but just like the Tooth Fairy, she never leaves enough. In fact, I suspect there maybe a fairy conspiracy to give you just enough to make you content for the time being but not enough to make you totally happy and satisfied.
It seems to be growing with a vengeance on the sides and the back of my head but only a few clusters on top. (My friend Stephanie calls this configuration, the cul-de-sac.) It's not long enough to pull with two fingers but you can see it if you get close enough. If this continues for an extended period of time I might have to resurrect the ever so popular comb over.
From my journal entry today. Last chemo 5 weeks ago.
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How fast on the eyelashes, like hair, I'm 6 months out and can go without a wig now, or back in a week fast
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I like that masquerading comment... LOL I was constantly getting compliments with my hair that short. I probably didnt need to explain but I usually did. Now my hair is longer and crazy, I have gone about 8 weeks now without a trim but am getting one on Monday. I asked my onc about the thinning hair and she said most women say their hair grows in thicker. not me... ugh oh w ell.. i had really thick hair before so no big deal if it is a bit thinner. I also heard that it takes 18 months or so for it to really fill in. I am at the 11 month mark right now.
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The thinning hair is a concern but not that huge of a deal. I think it will fill in. I also have not had my hair this short in forever and all the natural layers well never had that I don't think. I mean I have to remember that this is hair starting from nothing. Others don't notice but I do... Oh and colouring helps give your hair some fullness as well. I would love to put in hair extensions or a weave but big bucks that I just dont have.
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I still have a bit of the cul de sac which you describe Renee...it's been 2 1/2 months since my last chemo. My scalp is almost covered. I'm hoping to have the Annie Lennox do here in a few months....gotta look like a ROCK STAR!!!
Stacy
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My last chemo was 10/31 and I stopped wearing the wig about 3 weeks ago. My hair is coming in pretty much the same color (brown) and texture (straight). I always had longer hair and used volumizing mousse before using a hair drier to get some body in my straight, limp hair. So, with hair this short, that doesn't need to be dried - I am not sure what kind of hair product to use to try and give it some shape and keep the ends from being - not really frizzy more like lamb's wool (would that be wooly?).
Any product recomendations for short hair?
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Renee-your comb over idea is hilarious! Lets hope it doesn't get to that point, lol!
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Yesterday was a BIG day for me...I got my first trim!!!! I was nervous because I was afraid if my stylist cut it the "Shirley Temple" effect would be worse. I love it!!! Mullet is gone
HAPPY EASTER
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mom_of_2, isn't that the truth! I had my 2nd trim about a week ago.
Well, it was much more than a trim--I had my hairdresser cut off all the curly-curls. We were both a bit surprised at the amount of hair lying on the floor. (For a moment, I was thinking about how long it had taken me to grow that hair!)
I like it so much better now. That thick, super-curly mullet in back is gone--she did a nice job of tapering it to my neckline. My hair is still unbelievably wavy, with lots of body. (This is from someone who has had stick-straight hair all her life.) But I am thinking I might keep it this short, rather than go back to my traditional chin-length bob. It depends on what happens to the remaining curl, as it grows out. It has been more than a year since I started chemo, and nearly 45 weeks since I finished.
We'll see, though. That's what I am enjoying about all this--we have an opportunity to experiment a bit, as the hair grows out. One thing my hairdresser asked me before she started cutting was, "What do you want to do with your hair, eventually? Long or short? Straight or curly?".
otter
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I am still gazing into the mirror for the white hair that was growing in-between taxotere txs......I just got the nerve together to wear wigs to work next week. I have been wearing hats the whole time. Sort of naive for me to believe my hair would simply start growing back the very last day of chemo tx.
Eegads, the mullet cut look? I always love to pull my dh's pics out from those days and poke fun at him; I guess it'll be his turn now if I do get the mullet hair look. Sigh.
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jrgolomb "Sort of naive for me to believe my hair would simply start growing back the very last day of chemo tx"
ain't that the truth.
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Hey Otter....I can't believe I'm coming up to a year since the LAST chemo session. You must be right around the same eh? Have you had any hair fall out from Arimidex? I didn't with Aromasin but just started noticing it in my comb from Femara. It came in so much thicker after chemo so maybe it's just getting back to the normalcy it had. I have virtually no curl left...and loving it. As far as short or long? I've got the a-symmetrical look. Best of both worlds.
Artsee
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Femara makes your hair fall out!?!?!?!?!
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It's been almost a year for me too -- and I haven't even had a trim! I decided that I don't want a neat short haircut, I want it LONG so what's the point of cutting it? If it stays this curly, then the longer it gets, the more the weight will pull it down into long, pretty curls (I hope!), rather than up and out into this 1970s Afro look that I'm sporting right now. As long as I put product in and "tame" in with combs and clips, it looks cute all day -- but when I take the hardware out at night it's like I stuck my finger into an electric socket. It is at least as thick as pre-chemo if not thicker, and the same color as before.
Artsee and Otter, good to see you here!
Happy regrowth to all!
Lauren
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Yeah, Jane, that's the bad news. Many of us will testify that our hair is thinner on aromatase inhibitors. My onco confirmed that it could happen with Arimidex. I suppose it's the low-estrogen thing.
I am 98% sure that I can see more of my scalp if I part my hair or the wind blows it sideways, than I could pre-chemo. That's one reason why I'm considering keeping it shorter than it was before.
otter
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Wow,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I'm so jealous of you gals that your hair came in thicker than before chemo. My hair is wayyyyyyy thinner than it used to be. Went to my onc for a follow up this last week and she said to go to a dermatologist and maybe she can help in that dept. I have an appt this Tues. Cause this thinning, on the top especially, is for the birds. It sucksssssssssssss.
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Cindy- let us knows about the dermatologist. My hair is coming in so thin, I'm really concerned. Will I need a wig forever??
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My mom is in her early 80's and her hair is really, really thin. It has been that way for at least 15 years, IIRC. I think it's a combination of the effects of very low estrogen, and maybe hereditary baldness/hair thinning.
Based on her timeline, I should have had at least 10 more years before the thinning started. I figure after the double-whammy of Taxotere/Cytoxan and Arimidex, I'm lucky I have hair. It is thinner (sorry, Artsee), but it's not that noticeable with a short cut.
This would be causing me a lot more anguish if I was a lot younger. Also, the post-chemo waviness is helping to provide body, which my hair never had pre-chemo. If or when that waviness disappears, I might feel differently about things.
otter
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