Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Comments
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SallyJack, I had 12 Taxol and did have hair growth by the end but just fuzzy since my hair is white no one else noticed but I would rub it and the girls in the infusion room they all rubbed it. It does come back I have had 2 cuts and I'm getting a good style going now. I finished the Taxol March od 2012.0 -
Hello, lago, thanks for your quick answer!
UNfortunaltely the wigs are bought already and they taught me to fit them for my head. Besides, I was like a wig-junkie: I bought five of them different hair-styles, different colours... I had so much fun testing and discovering new looks.
However, your hair grew back even if you didn't shave it, I understand. Did it grow slower or faster, was it even on the head between the areas that thinned out very much and those which thinned out less?
I also am afraid to shave it because my scalp itches so much and is very sensitive whenever I touch it and even when I prop my head on the pillow!
Sounds familiar?0 -
Yeah your scalp gets very sensitive when the hair is falling out. Not shaving/buzzing won't affect hair growth from what I know. Basically the hair that remains is dead anyway. When the new hair grows it will push the old hairs out if you have any left. I really didn't watch my hair grow from the start but the sides and back came in first. It felt like forever for the bangs to grow long… but everyone is a little different.
BTW my lashes and brows thinned but never fell out on chemo. After chemo when they fell out because like I mentioned the new hairs were pushing the old hairs out. I was never completely without though but the lashes were short for a while.0 -
Salty Jack, I had four infusions of cytoxan/taxotere, and five & a half months later, I am feeling fine. I was very pro-active in trying to prevent permanent side effects, but didn't do anything my MO didn't approve of. I iced my hands and feet as much as I could stand to during each taxotere infusion. I took L-Glutamine in powdered form, was well as Alpha-Lipioc Acid and Vitamins B12 & B6 to try to prevent neuropathy. My MO would have liked to have done 6 treatments, but I questioned whether that was necessary with my DX and he backed off on that. I would have done the extra two if I had been convinced they would have reduced my chance of recurrence, but I thought it was more important to start radiation without any further delay.
As you can see my hair has grown back pretty quickly.0 -
kjsimpson: can't remember who posted it on here somewhere but she ate LIFE cereal. I haven't eaten *any* cereal in years and now I can't get enough of it. I can eat it morning noon and night right now. LIFE cereal is the bomb. I know I know..too many carbs. I don't even care anymore. The other thing I eat quite a bit of is rotisserie chicken from the grocery store...usually make a little side green salad to go with it.
Oh and today? ..I had this well meaning JERK tell me at the track this morning that I needed to walk faster to get any 'benefit'. And yes....I whipped off my hat to show him my bald head and yelled at him 'I have cancer, I CAN'T walk any faster'. WTF??? My girlfriend just stood there looking at him with her mouth open. I put my hand up and wished him a good day and we promptly walked the other direction.0 -
Annie, your hair is lovely - if mine ends up anywhere like yours, I'll be thrilled! I'm going to check with my MO about the supplements and vitamins you mentioned - anybody have any other suggestions? Do you all really think the icing helps? I'm always cold and end up sitting in the infusion chair covered with a prayer shawl my aunt knitted, heavy socks and jacket - I can't imagine sticking my hands and feet in ice for over two hours (although I did chew on ice while the A/C went in). Thanks, too, Flat13good for the encouragement - I really appreciate all the information and suggestions. I'll be glad to have tx 1 behind me next Friday.
SaltyJack/Bev0 -
SaltyJack not everyone gets the nail lifting issues with Taxotere. It isn't as common as you thing… but not only did I get it I got it pretty bad according to my dermatologist. Every finger & toenail lifted. It wasn't pretty, bit painful and the worst part is my nails never recovered. I mean to most people they might think they look OK but I had beautiful nails. Now some are still lifted, they are all brittle and thick. Some of the nail beds on my toenails were ruined so the nail doesn't grow flat and is a breeding ground for nail fungus. From what I have read though in order for the icing to work you really need to keep your fingers & toes really cold. I'm not sure if I could do that. I tried with my fingers with frozen peas but I don't think it was cold enough.
Also ask your onc about acetyl-L-carnitine for nueropathy.
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SaltyJack, I wasn't so much concerned about my nails lifting as the possibility of permanent neuropathy in my hands and feet. My treatment center kept big gel mitts and slippers in their freezer available to use on request. I did wear thin fingerless gloves and thin socks inside the frozen gel mitts and slippers to make them slightly more bearable. I only used them during the Taxotere infusions and would keep them on as long I could stand them, take them off for short breaks, and put them back on. I didn't suffer any neuropathy, but don't know if I would have otherwise. Didn't have any nail discoloration or lifting either.0 -
I had lifting of my nails but none came off - it was not fun and they still have a odd texture to them. They hurt more sore than awful pain. That was the way it was. chemo ended March 2012.0 -
UGH... I spoke too soon about no lifting... today I had my nails done and my nail guy said.. Dana, your nails are lifting off.... UGH only 2 of them, but crap!0 -
I love seeing all the pics of hair regrowth. Thanks for sharing.0 -
I haven't been on here in a long time but thought I would check in.
I lost my hair after the first chemo (Oct 2009) and it took some time but it did grow back in.
It came back thick and shiny and when I was tired of the grey look I coloured it.
I didn't lose any hair with Tamoxifen (actually the opposite since my hair never looked better) but since switching to Anastrozole (Arimidex) it is starting to fall out and thin (no balding like chemo though).
Here are some photos:
Starting to grow back Feb 2010
Dec 2010 Full head of hair (several trims)
August 2013
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mariek wow you look sassy!
stellina i never shaved my head I just couldn't do it, I never even cut it. It all came back same as it was before chemo.
everyone thought I should post this because for some of us the hair growth came back fine and people without gorwth issues probably don't post as often. I had 4 tx of TC. My hair fell out at 18 days. I had full coverage in 4 months like GI Jane and a cute short look by 6 months. It's now 3 years and it's longer than I think I have ever let it grow. The texture is the same as it was before except I am not hilighting it to death so maybe a little healthier. But basically I am right back to what I had before. I enver had any weird fuzz or white hair it came back jsut like a baby's hair grows it seems. My lashes and brows did not fall out jsut thinned a little bit. I barely noticed until they came back. My nails had some ridges and a little peeling underneath nothing anyone would notice. I kept clear polish with calcium on them through the whole process. I used Mary Kay lash and brow serum to keep them looking thicker. I started taking biotin immediately after my last treatment and using nioxin shampoo.
I hope this is encouraging news for anyone getting scared.0 -
Marie
Wow! Beautiful photo!!0 -
Marie you look younger and so beautiful!
I have the same exact hair style, since I never cut my hair, it is about 4 inches past my shoulders. I am 2.5 years past my last chemo.
I am taking Tamoxifen right now but will be switching soon to an AI. I do not know which one yet. I am a little worried about the hair situation. Are you still loosing hair or does it slow down at some point?0 -
Thanks for all the kind comments about my photos and hair!
Islandmom - Your hair looks fantastic. Mine is curly/wavy in the back too. Since letting my hair grow back I don't cut it as often as I once did. I go about every 4 months for a "trim" and a colour. In between salon visits I use a root touch up product. So my hairdo is a bit of joke because it always looks like it's a "grown out" look rather than a style.
I'm only on my second month of AI. The first month was pretty easy and I didn't really notice any side effects until the end of the month. The second month - I'm about 3 weeks into it - I've noticed more and more hair around my bathroom and shower drain.
As of today my hair is still falling out but not like with chemo. Not in clumps and no bald patches. Just a few more loose strands when I brush it or wash it.
I'm hoping that it is just thinning and will settle down once my body gets used to the AI. From what I understand all of the AIs and even Tamoxifen have hair loss as a side effect.0 -
MarieK - I had no hair loss on Arimidex however I had a great deal of loss on Tamoxifen. I would guess that I lost at least 40-50 percent of my hair on the top of my head. I so wanted to quit taking that pill but was too afraid to not take it. By the time about 8 more months went by new hair was growing in.......but ever so slowly. To this day my hair is still recovering and still growing in slowly but at least the extreme hair loss has not recurred.0 -
Arimidex hasn't hampered my hair regrowth at all.0 -
no problem wit hair loss and tamoxifen for me0 -
Carol2 you live right down the road I'm in south KC, nice to know you are close by I'm a newbie..........MaryP0 -
Did any of you see this about drug interaction w/hair? Don't know how much weight to give to this but maybe we could talk to our docs. Sounds like stuff we all take.
Certain medications (like statins, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety agents, anti-hypertensive medications) or hormones (like thyroid replacement drugs) can cause hair loss. “These can disrupt or interfere with the normal cycle of hair growth, causing hair to go into a resting phase and fall out prematurely,”0 -
Peachy-pie and Marie - love the pictures! I so appreciate when anyone shares their pictures -I think it encourages all of us..
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Lets try before during and after MaryP
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Hi! My last chemo was 9/10. My hair is growing back but am wondering what there is out there that might speed things up a bit. I tried to go back on this thread some but with over 600 pages it was overwhelming. I saw something about Biotin?? What is that? Does it work? What else is out there that you have found that works? Is it safe? All natural? Where do you buy it from?... Any info would be helpful.
THANKS!!0 -
-Ok here it is i bought it at the Organic store here is what it looks like, i just started taking it so not sure if it works yet lol here you can see i have lots of hair but growing very slow due to been so curly which i like but i want my long hair back, this is how it is now and my last chemo was in feb, hoping this Biotin helps.
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flat13good - wow - but it is coming in so nice -soft and lightly curled!
Enerva - love all the curls ..
Mine is coming back lightly curled.. but they go whatever way they want.. I might get it trimmed to see if some shape can be put in..0 -
Iamnancy that what i did i had two hair cut till it got some shape lol cuz it was a mess lol i hope the curls stay, some people told me they will go away after the first 2 years
i actually always wanted to have curls cuz my hair was just wavy. The only bad thing is that the curls seam to grow much slow and i dont seam to reach a pony tail ever lol Anyway i will take more pictures in the spring to compare. 0 -
I have had 2 cuts now and my curls did go away OH WELL I loved them I am too thin on top my hair came back like a bald old man so I'm waiting and hoping it will thicken up I have never had thin hair before but I have 1 dread started just cuz I can. Not sure if others will follow.0 -
II just wanted to respond to the supplement question. I'm taking hair, skin, and nails vitamins. My nails have never looked better and even on the Tamoxifen, my hair is coming in fast and thick. You can get the vitamins at any pharmacy.0 -
My last chemo was June 17th.
this was August 12th.
next was Sept 27...
Nov 7th...
It is coming in quick. I take a multi vitamin, B6, B12 and biotin (along with all my other stuff). My eyelashes fell out again last week or so. I expect them to come back quickly as well...0
