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Hair Hair Hair - Another question

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  • MJS1266
    MJS1266 Member Posts: 159
    edited March 2015

    BookLady1, I got straight up Biotin, no other supplements 5000 mcg dissolve in mouth. I heard somewhere that the ones that dissolve in your mouth work better.

  • MomtoIrishQuads
    MomtoIrishQuads Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2015

    I'm 8 months after chemo and my hair is back but it looks like I have had a bad perm. I know that I should be grateful to have hair but I'm not that happy with the way it looks. At what point should I get it cut? Can I get back to my straight hair? Any products that I can use to prevent it from looking like so "puffy"? (sorry if this has already been posted but I can't find anything).

  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 155
    edited March 2015

    MomtoIrishQuads, you have what is commonly called chemo curls. My understanding is that post chemo your hair may grow in a sifferent texture or color, but eventually you old texture and color will return. I am two months post treatment and I have some peach fuzz now. Can't tell if it will be curly or not yet, but itnis a bit darker

  • bpgas
    bpgas Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2015

    I have been told to take Biotin and all others at no more than 100% of DV. For Biotin that is 300mcg.


  • Mommato3
    Mommato3 Member Posts: 468
    edited March 2015

    Has anyone had scalp tenderness when they run their fingers through their hair? It feels almost like it did when I started losing my hair. Is this from growth or am I going to lose my hair again? (None of the hair comes out when I pull on it).

  • Mommato3
    Mommato3 Member Posts: 468
    edited March 2015

    Thank you so much bosumblues. I can handle losing my eyebrows and lashes a few times but not my hair!

    I also have the chemo curls. It's difficult to style them so I have been using a mousse to try and keep it from being real fluffy (baby chick) looking. Not sure it's working. ;

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited March 2015

    MomtoIrishQuads it can take 12-18 months for your normal texture to start growing back but it does.

    Mommato I still get scalp tenderness at times. Trust me I have a full head of hair!

  • Mommato3
    Mommato3 Member Posts: 468
    edited March 2015

    image

    Bosumblues, what kind of moisturizer? For hair? The sides are the worse. They just want to flip up or feather back right above my ears. The mousse makes it want to fluff up even higher on top. The color is wrong too. I'm normally really blonde. My MO thinks it's because it hasn't been exposed to the sun yet. It is much lighter in the summer and darkens a little in the winter. I think I might prefer the darker color though.


  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited March 2015

    BosumBlues I said start to improve. It also depends on how fast your hair grows. My hair grows very fast. I started to notice a change in a year but I do keep my hair short now. If you have slower growing hair it might take a bit longer. Also I never went poodle but I did notice the difference and texture and it didn't have any shine. My hair typically has lots of shine. That all came back.

  • BookLady1
    BookLady1 Member Posts: 196
    edited March 2015


    Thanks for the quick response, MJS - I'm ordering Biotin today! Lind


  • Tobycc
    Tobycc Member Posts: 578
    edited March 2015

    Biotin helps me, hair and nails. Went to target and got the minoxydyl (sp) today also. Momma, my hair looks similar, but SNOW White.

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 626
    edited March 2015

    One of my friends had her hair start to relax after 3 years. 5 years later it's straight again. :)

    Another still has Brillo pad hair 3 years out. Has to keep it short or it sticks out all over. She finds extra strength conditioner helps control it. Previously she had soft waves. No ch she back yet :(

    I only lost mine 2 weeks ago so am anxious to see what happens in the Summer ??? Mine is weird as it fell out on the sides and back but not so much on the top. If I hadn't shaved it I'd have a authentic Mohawk

  • vr423
    vr423 Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2015

    Anyone who had FEC chemo, at what point did you lose your hair?

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 626
    edited March 2015

    Just getting CT. 14 days it began, lots of shedding at 16 which is when we shaved it off. The "free" Brazilan was actually harder than the head. LOL

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,359
    edited March 2015

    Lisa - great article. Thanks for posting.

  • MomtoIrishQuads
    MomtoIrishQuads Member Posts: 61
    edited March 2015

    Lago and others,

    Thanks so much. I seriously feel like a Golden Doodle - the curls are unnerving. Wish I could embrace the curls - but I used to have straight hair (with a slight flip on the end) and it's just so strange. And if I condition it, it just gets very fluffy (kind of like an afro). I heard somewhere to wait until it grows out 3 inches and then cut it?

    I know I should be grateful that I have hair - but I'm not crazy about the poodle look. :-)

  • Mairs
    Mairs Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2015

    Momtoirish, I had the same problem with "puffy" hair. It looked very similar to a poodle...no joke. I started using John Frieda leave-in conditioner (sprayed liberally on wet-not damp-hair) followed by John Frieda frizz-immunity primer. Then I dry it using a large round brush-that is really way too large for the length of hair I have, but it works. It has seriously turned my hair into something really nice! No more puff!

  • Lorbgoo
    Lorbgoo Member Posts: 111
    edited March 2015

    I havethe Afro look if I don't straighten my hair. They even have mini hair straighteners. Works for me. I am almost 10 months past chemo and my hair is a little over 4 inches.

  • CassieCat
    CassieCat Member Posts: 863
    edited March 2015

    I've been joking that I have pit bull hair around the sides and back but poodle on top. It's still too short to really know what it's going to do. Still grateful to have hair, and seemingly thick hair again at that.

  • anothernycgirl
    anothernycgirl Member Posts: 821
    edited March 2015

    I used a hair dryer today!! First time since May! Smile

    Not that my hair is so long, just that I didnt want to go out in winter weather with wet head. Winking

    Straight on top, curls on bottom in back, - just happy to have it, no matter what!

  • tobyholic
    tobyholic Member Posts: 53
    edited March 2015

    vr423........my hair started to fallout about 14 to 15 days after my first chemo treatment.....what a mess on my pillow. I had to go to work that morning, but that evening, i had my hubby shave my head and from that point on, i used a sticky lint roller to "comb" my head.....LOL LOL LOL it works wonders😉 I must have been in denial when the nurse told me i would be bald when i came back for my second treatment, but she was right. I already had my wig and had recently got my hair cut to match the wig. I dont think anyone noticed when i started to wear the wig........good luck to you!

  • Janetanned
    Janetanned Member Posts: 118
    edited March 2015


    Deb - you will find that if anyone notices anything, they will just think you got a haircut or new style.  I was a little embarrassed by the attention I got with my wig.  My natural hair must have looked awful before I shaved it!  I wasn't prepared for the compliments at first and I felt like I was lying if I just accepted the compliment.  I think I traumatized the poor bagel lady who I saw maybe once a month.  She said she loved my new style and I started rambling on about going through chemo and really being bald.  She didn't know what to say.  I'm sure she is more careful about complimenting people now. 

    You are having the same chemo cocktail I had at the same time of year (3yrs ago). I was going without the wig or hat by midsummer and went back to work as a teacher in September with a really stylish pixie cut.  None of the students and very few parents ever new anything was going on with me.

  • Beachbum1023
    Beachbum1023 Member Posts: 364
    edited March 2015

    Mom to quads - have you tried a flat iron? I have a good one for my wig and it works great!

  • Beachbum1023
    Beachbum1023 Member Posts: 364
    edited March 2015

    Mom to quads - have you tried a flat iron? I have a good one for my wig and it works great!

  • Chloesmom
    Chloesmom Member Posts: 626
    edited March 2015

    Can you use spray on a wig? How to control fly away bangs?

  • Beatmon
    Beatmon Member Posts: 617
    edited March 2015

    I was told when I bought my wig to only use special wig products. I asked my very good friend who is a stylist, she said she knew for a fact good product shampoo would not hurt the wig. I have been using that, my usual hair spray and a styling product called Frenzy without any problems. The brand I have are Raquel Welch. I have to admit, I love the smell of my usual products. Makes me feel better inside for some reason.

    Someone mentioned flat iron......only can use on natural hair wigs.


  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 155
    edited March 2015

    Chloesmom, I have a synthetic wig and the salon said that I can use my normal hair products on it. The exception is shampoo. I believe that you have to use shampoo and conditioner for colored hair. They gave me a small bottle of shampoo and conditioner

  • Tobycc
    Tobycc Member Posts: 578
    edited March 2015

    Did they give you special shampoo for synthetic wig?

    Started womens rogaine last week: hair to shoulders! BAhahaha: no, maybe 1/2 inch

    K

  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 155
    edited March 2015

    the shampoo that they gave me is not specifically for wigs. It is shampoo that is color safe. In other words, for use with colored hair.