Come join others currently navigating treatment in our weekly Zoom Meetup! Register here: Tuesdays, 1pm ET.
Join our Webinar: REAL Talk: Healthy Body and Mind After Breast Cancer Treatment - Jan 23, 2025 at 4pm ET Register here.

Hair Hair Hair - Another question

1566567569571572864

Comments

  • KristinFro
    KristinFro Member Posts: 96
    edited September 2012

    This is me at a party this past weekend. I'm 15 weeks PFC and have been going topless since the beginning of August. Yes, it's really, really short, but I don't care. It's hair! I've been told by a few people that it looks trendy, lol. It's definitely not a style I'd choose, but I wear it proudly. My hair was very curly before (I posted a pic of me a couple years ago, too), but it's coming in pretty straight right now. I actually hope the curls come back, although I may be retracting that statement as I try to grow it out!

      

  • peachy-pie
    peachy-pie Member Posts: 20
    edited September 2012

    I am 11 months out from my last chemo.    My hair is very coarse, very curly and very gray!   I have it colored and it's grown about 4 inches since last October.    Slow going,  but i've been getting lot's of compliments on it lately.  Smile

  • MissC
    MissC Member Posts: 9
    edited September 2012

    KristinFro - you look stunning.......very stylish! I only hope that when my comes back it looks half as gorgeous! I am 2 cycles in and head is shaven / fallen out - looks bonkers. I went for a run today without a hat and got some funny looks but dont gives a rats ass :) Fair play to you - work it lady.......

  • onvacation
    onvacation Member Posts: 521
    edited September 2012

    Great pic Kristin!

  • Momof2inME
    Momof2inME Member Posts: 249
    edited September 2012

    Kristin,

    You look beautiful!!! Stunning! My hair was curly like yours and mine is coming in stick straight as well. I have no idea what to do with straight hair. Especially every morning when it is sticking "straight up" and going every which way. Smile

    I know I feel like I want to shrivel up everytime someone tells me they love my "haircut". I am learning to smile and say thank you.

  • jpmomof3
    jpmomof3 Member Posts: 198
    edited September 2012

    Kristin you are gorgeous! MissC. Love your attitude toward it... I went baldy on walks too, just too damn hot to wear a cap at that time. Screw the oglers!



    Wish me luck, I decided to get it trimmed. I want the ends trimmed, the first 1/2 inch or so that grew was that white fuzzy crap. I was so glad to see it when it started but it is time for it to go. I am going to shorten the sides and back to go with the top, it just looks weird having the hair longer on the sides than the top.



    After that I am leaving it alone. If it lets me I want it longer than I have ever had it. Right now though it is finer and softer than it was and doesn't seem as thick though it think there are as many strands, they are just finer...



    The hair goo has been helping in the meantime though. I should be back to that stage in a month or so I hope.



    I will change my avatar in a minute to my current look and then post my post haircut photo...

  • jpmomof3
    jpmomof3 Member Posts: 198
    edited September 2012

    ahh, light sucks on that photo- will try another.  12 weeks pfc now...

  • KristinFro
    KristinFro Member Posts: 96
    edited September 2012

    Thank you, laidies!! It was a fun night!

    MissC, GO YOU! And I'm in total agreement. Who gives a rats ass. I didn't go out of the house so much without anything on my head when I was completely bald, but as soon as I had the tiniest bit of hair, I did. Around my friends, family and neighbors, though, I'd be bald all the time. I hated the scarves and hated the wig even more.  I couldn't wait to ditch them.

    Momof2, Yes, I wonder if the straight will continue. I've had a couple bed-head mornings, too. I just look in the mirror and get a chuckle out of it. Course, that's only because it will lay down pretty well after I wash it right now. If it didn't, then I doubt I'd think it was too funny, LOL. 

  • KCB
    KCB Member Posts: 20
    edited September 2012

    Kristin you look awesome! I have the same issue; used to have curly hair, and now at 10 weeks PFC it's hard to tell what it is. I'd really like my old hair back, though short would be fine with me... I wouldn't feel like myself if my hair were different... Kind of symbolic actually...

  • KristinFro
    KristinFro Member Posts: 96
    edited September 2012

    Thank you jpmom and KCB! I hope you like the haircut, jp! Can't wait for the updated pic.

  • tina_jason
    tina_jason Member Posts: 18
    edited September 2012

    kristinFro- You look beautiful!  I have gotten the word "trendy" to describe my hair already too.  It is starting to grow on me (no pun intended) and I don't mind it.  What I mind is that I have a bald spot that I've had since birth and it is obvious when my hair is short.  I have spent a lifetime trying to cover it up and now I can't because there just isn't enough hair!  I love your attitude and its one I've adopted.  I've gotten a lot of dumb comments like "You're brave for wearing it that short" (from another BC survivor).  Mostly I'm just sick of wigs, hats and scarves.  Another one of my favs was "You can pull it off but I don't think I could"  Like I was given a chance.  BC has changed me forever and certain things just don't matter. 

    I saw someone tonight that I haven't seen for a year.  She didn't know I have BC and her comment was "I didn't recognize you with your short hair!"  I didn't correct her or tell her it wasn't my choice.  I just smiled!

    Someone asked about coloring.  I have colored mine twice.  The first time didn't last too long.  My stylist told me it was probably because it was "virgin hair".  The second time did well and I am planning to get it done again in a few weeks.  Mine came in white at first and then got a darker gray as it filled in more.  I just wasn't ready to be gray!

  • EmmaC
    EmmaC Member Posts: 125
    edited September 2012

    Kristen you are beautiful, very sassy!

  • MamaV
    MamaV Member Posts: 373
    edited September 2012

    Kristin - looking great doll!  BTW, we are sooo close - I live in Oswego! 

  • KristinFro
    KristinFro Member Posts: 96
    edited September 2012

    Tina, I agree, like we were given a choice! Even so, I try to make the best of it. Losing my hair was devastating, really. I mourned for 2 weeks when it started to fall out before I finally buzzed it. I was getting to the point where I looked sick, and I didn't like that. It was when I was in the hospital for my mx that it really started to come back in. My kids came in to visit me and said, "wow, look at all that hair!" Course, it was just stubbles then, but noticeable stubbles! It was cute, and I loved how excited they were about it growing back in, too. You said it so well, that certain things just don't matter anymore, but it's stuff like that that's just precious to me. Hugs!

    Thank you, Emma! 

    MamaV, Thanks! And Oswego! Where did you go for treatment? 

  • WaveWhisperer
    WaveWhisperer Member Posts: 557
    edited September 2012

    Help! I'm almost 8 months PFC and my once straight, shoulder-length blonde (well, triple-processed, with base, highlights and lowlights) hair has come in completely gray and curly. I look in the mirror and see my mother. I feel invisible. Nobody recognizes me.

    So I finally decided to color it. I was worried about peroxide or ammonia, so first I tried a dark blonde shade of the Roux Fanci-Full rinse-out color. Nothing. Not a hair changed. I went back and bought a Clairol professional Soy 4-Plex semi-permament color -- dark blonde/light brown -- mixed it and left it on the maximum 45 minutes (which it said for coverage of gray). Again, almost no effect whatsoever. Maybe some of my near-white hair is a muddier gray, but that's only on one side of my head, where the hair is the softest.

     I think it's time to go back to a professional. Do you think it's safe? What will it take to turn my steel gray-to-almost-white head of 2-inch curls into a straight, shoulder-length head of blonde hair?? (A wig, I know!!!) I was just kidding about the last part, but what will it take to turn me blonde again, and is it safe?

     (Plus I went so long without needing a hairdresser that when I finally went to the salon for a neck trim, my stylist was no longer there and they wouldn't tell me where he went. So now I have to look for someone new.)

    Had I had any idea how long and sad this hair process would be, I would have gone through the hassle of Cold Caps in a minute. I feel like I'm no longer a cancer "patient," but I feel like I look like one. 

  • WaveWhisperer
    WaveWhisperer Member Posts: 557
    edited September 2012

    Help! I'm almost 8 months PFC and my once straight, shoulder-length blonde (well, triple-processed, with base, highlights and lowlights) hair has come in completely gray and curly. I look in the mirror and see my mother. I feel invisible. Nobody recognizes me.

    So I finally decided to color it. I was worried about peroxide or ammonia, so first I tried a dark blonde shade of the Roux Fanci-Full rinse-out color. Nothing. Not a hair changed. I went back and bought a Clairol professional Soy 4-Plex semi-permament color -- dark blonde/light brown -- mixed it and left it on the maximum 45 minutes (which it said for coverage of gray). Again, almost no effect whatsoever. Maybe some of my near-white hair is a muddier gray, but that's only on one side of my head, where the hair is the softest.

     I think it's time to go back to a professional. Do you think it's safe? What will it take to turn my steel gray-to-almost-white head of 2-inch curls into a straight, shoulder-length head of blonde hair?? (A wig, I know!!!) I was just kidding about the last part, but what will it take to turn me blonde again, and is it safe?

     (Plus I went so long without needing a hairdresser that when I finally went to the salon for a neck trim, my stylist was no longer there and they wouldn't tell me where he went. So now I have to look for someone new.)

    Had I had any idea how long and sad this hair process would be, I would have gone through the hassle of Cold Caps in a minute. I feel like I'm no longer a cancer "patient," but I feel like I look like one. 

  • WaveWhisperer
    WaveWhisperer Member Posts: 557
    edited September 2012

    Help! I'm almost 8 months PFC and my once straight, shoulder-length blonde (well, triple-processed, with base, highlights and lowlights) hair has come in completely gray and curly. I look in the mirror and see my mother. I feel invisible. Nobody recognizes me.

    So I finally decided to color it. I was worried about peroxide or ammonia, so first I tried a dark blonde shade of the Roux Fanci-Full rinse-out color. Nothing. Not a hair changed. I went back and bought a Clairol professional Soy 4-Plex semi-permament color -- dark blonde/light brown -- mixed it and left it on the maximum 45 minutes (which it said for coverage of gray). Again, almost no effect whatsoever. Maybe some of my near-white hair is a muddier gray, but that's only on one side of my head, where the hair is the softest.

     I think it's time to go back to a professional. Do you think it's safe? What will it take to turn my steel gray-to-almost-white head of 2-inch curls into a straight, shoulder-length head of blonde hair?? (A wig, I know!!!) I was just kidding about the last part, but what will it take to turn me blonde again, and is it safe?

     (Plus I went so long without needing a hairdresser that when I finally went to the salon for a neck trim, my stylist was no longer there and they wouldn't tell me where he went. So now I have to look for someone new.)

    Had I had any idea how long and sad this hair process would be, I would have gone through the hassle of Cold Caps in a minute. I feel like I'm no longer a cancer "patient," but I feel like I look like one. 

  • WaveWhisperer
    WaveWhisperer Member Posts: 557
    edited September 2012

    Help! I'm almost 8 months PFC and my once straight, shoulder-length blonde (well, triple-processed, with base, highlights and lowlights) hair has come in completely gray and curly. I look in the mirror and see my mother. I feel invisible. Nobody recognizes me.

    So I finally decided to color it. I was worried about peroxide or ammonia, so first I tried a dark blonde shade of the Roux Fanci-Full rinse-out color. Nothing. Not a hair changed. I went back and bought a Clairol professional Soy 4-Plex semi-permament color -- dark blonde/light brown -- mixed it and left it on the maximum 45 minutes (which it said for coverage of gray). Again, almost no effect whatsoever. Maybe some of my near-white hair is a muddier gray, but that's only on one side of my head, where the hair is the softest.

     I think it's time to go back to a professional. Do you think it's safe? What will it take to turn my steel gray-to-almost-white head of 2-inch curls into a straight, shoulder-length head of blonde hair?? (A wig, I know!!!) I was just kidding about the last part, but what will it take to turn me blonde again, and is it safe?

     (Plus I went so long without needing a hairdresser that when I finally went to the salon for a neck trim, my stylist was no longer there and they wouldn't tell me where he went. So now I have to look for someone new.)

    Had I had any idea how long and sad this hair process would be, I would have gone through the hassle of Cold Caps in a minute. I feel like I'm no longer a cancer "patient," but I feel like I look like one. 

  • WaveWhisperer
    WaveWhisperer Member Posts: 557
    edited September 2012

    Sorry, my computer never showed that the reply was submitted, so I kept hitting the button!

  • liefie
    liefie Member Posts: 761
    edited September 2012

    WaveWhisperer, having been a brunette all my life, I cannot give you advice on going blonde, but I'm sure someone here will have expert advice for you. I do have sympathy though on the way different haircolour you have now. My hair came back snow white. Okay, I did color it the last twenty years or so, but never could have dreamed that my hair is this color now. Everybody tells me I look great, my son tells me I look 'current', and my husband wants me to color it again. No way. I'm done with that. Blondes have more fun! He will just have to get used to it and suck it up. Sorry.

    Jpmomof3, you look great. Will look out for the other picture. With the soft, curly snow white hair I look exactly like Mary's lamb: Mary had a little lamb, little lamb little lamb, its fleece was white as snow . . . LOL.

  • WaveWhisperer
    WaveWhisperer Member Posts: 557
    edited September 2012

    Liefie, glad you're enjoying your snowy, lamb-like locks. Several people have told me to keep it this way -- gray -- but I just don't think I can.

  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 3,926
    edited September 2012

    Wave, I've been dying my hair at home with permanent color since I was 4 months pfc. I'm sure if you saw a professional you'd have no problems. Lots of ladies on here have done with good results. I didn't have much luck with the semi permanent colors either. Can't help with the curl though. I have to keep mine short to control it (only curling on one side).

  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 3,926
    edited September 2012

    Wave, I've been dying my hair at home with permanent color since I was 4 months pfc. I'm sure if you saw a professional you'd have no problems. Lots of ladies on here have done with good results. I didn't have much luck with the semi permanent colors either. Can't help with the curl though. I have to keep mine short to control it (only curling on one side).

  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 3,926
    edited September 2012

    This board is acting completely crazy.

  • auntienance
    auntienance Member Posts: 3,926
    edited September 2012

    This board is acting completely crazy.

  • eileenohio
    eileenohio Member Posts: 268
    edited September 2012

    Hello Ladies,   Has anyone used Shen Min Hair Regrowth products ?  My neighbor just told me about it. She uses it and has beautiful long thick black hair.   I would appreciate any info you gals might have about this product.  Thanks Eileen

  • eileenohio
    eileenohio Member Posts: 268
    edited September 2012

    Hello Ladies,   Has anyone used Shen Min Hair Regrowth products ?  My neighbor just told me about it. She uses it and has beautiful long thick black hair.   I would appreciate any info you gals might have about this product.  Thanks Eileen

  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 154
    edited September 2012

    I tried something new today that seems promising. After drying it a bit regularly, I put products in it and then placed duck-bill clips strategically throughout to keep it in the place/style I wanted. I then pointed the dryer at it and dried it further. After it cooled, I removed the clips and sprayed it lightly. Worked pretty well. There may be hope for my hair!

  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 154
    edited September 2012

    I tried something new today that seems promising. After drying it a bit regularly, I put products in it and then placed duck-bill clips strategically throughout to keep it in the place/style I wanted. I then pointed the dryer at it and dried it further. After it cooled, I removed the clips and sprayed it lightly. Worked pretty well. There may be hope for my hair!

  • liefie
    liefie Member Posts: 761
    edited September 2012

    WaveWhisperer, you do what you have to to get rid of the cancer patient look. You have endured enough already (I know - our diagnoses are almost identical), and once your hair is taken care of, you will feel more like your old self again. Good luck with the process, and I hope you find a kick-ass hairdresser!