Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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young that is a lot of hair for 7 weeks. It's looks like it's at the point where is will really start to take off.
Grammy hi from the sept 15 group. I dyed my hair at 4 months and had my stylist trim up my straggly ends. Now at 5 months pfc my hair is starting to curl up a lot.
Mdw that's a nice Viking blonde color. Looks good.
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I came here to see what is "normal" for post chemo hair growth as I am super discouraged by my lack. My last treatment was Christmas Eve 2015, 20 weeks ago, 140 days ago.... I have about 1/2" on both sides of my head and right backside of my head. Top and left back are mostly bald with a few whispy, thin hairs. I use nioxin, take biotin and itWorks hair formula and lots of other oils and sups. My onco finally admitted I should have more hair by now and told me to see my gp because maybe they can prescribe something (I do NOT want another rx!) or check other possible causes, i.e. thyroid. Also, I've lost the majority of my eyebrows and a big patch oh my eyelashes in the last 2 weeks (18weeks after chemo!).
Anyone else experience this? I had 6 rounds of taxotere and carboplaten. I'm only 42, but at this point I need hair or shave what I have and embrace my bald.
. (Picture is May 50 -
I know what you mean about people not recognizing you. We went to a school function last week and the admin lady didn't say hi and I realized it was because she didn't recognize me. My pre cancer hair was long and straight(ened) and blonde and now my hair is short, curly and kind of a reddish medium brown so I get it. Just a little shocking at first. Tonight will be the test. We have 2 events to go to and it will be interesting to see. It is kind of my debut, so to speak.
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imjakes, I am so sorry about your lack of hair growth:( I would go to your GP to rule out other causes but I fear it is caused by your taxotere treatments. I would also check out the taxotere lawsuit or contact an attorney to represent you. I hope you find out it is hormonal, I had 2 taxotere treatments and my hair is a lot thinner-can see my scalp and a bald spot on crown. I am thankful for the hair I have but some days it is hard:( I miss my thick hair-profile pic is before BC. (((Hugs))
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belleeast, thank you so much! Maybe I will change my profile picture to before bc also...
. That way people can see the comparison. I had very thick hair before also...Best to you!!
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imjakes - I finished chemo Dec 18 so we have a similar timeframe. I got taxol instead of taxotere. I am getting hair growth but I am experiencing a new loss of eyelashes and brows, too. I read somewhere that this is normal because the lashes all came in at the same time and are on the same "schedule" so to speak. They have a natural shed period and many will drop on the same timeframe. After a while the dropped lashes will spread out so that we won't notice when we lose one or two at a time. This makes sense to me also I can see the new ones coming in again.
I wish I had magic words for your hair. It sounds like you are doing all the right things. The only thing you didn't mention that I do is to run a soft brush or gentle comb over your scalp periodically. When i do it, it makes my scalp tingle bit. I think it draws blood to the scalp. This may or may not be the case but why not, huh?
PS. You aredarling with or without hair.
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Ok I need you girls that know what I'm going through to talk me down. Or just knowing y'all read it makes me feel heard. I realize compared to others it's not a big deal...But I just turned 26 and dammit I want to look like MYSELF again! My hair is still so thin up top - when did you guys see that resolve? On top of gaining so much weight on chemo and losing my brows/lashes almost completely now I'm just so done. I used to be happy with how I was because at the end of the day it was me and I'm a strong advocate for loving yourself. I just don't recognize this person anymore. The vain stuff I used to identify with is gone and it is such a rude awakening. I'm rambing...
8.5 weeks PFC. So much thinner at the top
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YOUNG BRCA Ramble away. Your hair looks good for 8.5 weeks. At that point mine had white baby fuzz. I am 10 months PFC and I have a super short verigated gray pixie. I have had it trimmed twice so it looks like a haircut. I tried having it colored...it was deep chocolate brown with a few grays pre-chemo...it doesn't take the color. So I am embracing the gray. This page is great...lots of good vibes. You are much younger than I am. .my kids are 39, 37, 37, 37, 35, 32 and 14 (his, mine, ours ). I would suggest a support group in your area...maybe 1 with younger women like you. It might help you realize the new normal you is beautiful.
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YoungBRCAgal Oh vent away - we are all expected to embrace this metamorphosis when we just want to be healthy and look relatively normal! I think your hair is growing pretty fast, I bet in another month you'll be rocking a cute pixie look. And now that it's almost summer, I bet it will grow even faster. How are your brows and lashes?
I don't know if you've read anything here, but there _has_ been issues with Taxotere causing permanent hair loss, from what I see there have been class action law suits. The risk wasn't updated until Dec. 2015: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformati...
Now I don't share this to scare you, it is likely too soon to tell and you have a lot of hair already (IMO anyway.) But maybe others on this thread can chime in if this is something they have gone through.
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youngBRCAgal, I think you you have a lot of hair for 8.5 weeks out! I am 11 weeks out and just have white fuzz, but am quite a bit older than you! It won't be long now!
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YoungBrca, - I agree, - I think you have a lot of hair for 8 1/2 weeks! My onc told me not to expect any growth for the first 4 weeks!
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YoungBrca, your hair is looking great for 8.5 weeks. I noticed that things really started to fill in around 12-13 weeks. You are almost there!
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YoungBRCA gal, hang in there! I just scrolled back to my post of my 8,10, and 12 week photos. You have more than I did at 8 weeks, and in the next four weeks you'll probably see a lot of progress. (My post was on January 29 if you want to go back that far to see.) I think I expected every hair on my head to start growing simultaneously like a guy's face when he doesn't shave. They were more gradual, so now I have hairs that are anywhere between 1 1/2 inches and 2 1/2 inches long.
I've been going to a series of educational sessions for breast cancer patients at my hospital. Most of us in the group are saying "I want to look like myself again." We'll get there!
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My hair is very similar at 8 1/2 weeks and I feel really good about it. I'm filling in all over and so am not worried about the spots that are thinner, they'll keep filling in from what I can see. Also I've always been told normal hair growth is about 1/2" a month--and you're only about two months out. I know we're all impatient but it is what it is, unfortunately.
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Fighter: thank you - I just had a bit of a struggle with myself yesterday. My brows and lashes are almost all gone. Lashes are hanging by a thread for sure. Which is weird since I had them all until just a few weeks ago. I have heard about the permanent loss which is why I'm nervous about the thinning at the top. I feel like if it stays like hat even if it's long will look strange.
Vicki: thanks that gives me a timeline to hope for at least!
Peachy: that helps thank you! I can handle it if I still feel like there's hope it will fill in. I was SO thick haired before BC so I just panicked it wouldn't get better.
Paxton: you're probably right. I had not had issues with being upset about my hair up until the last couple weeks. Things have just been hitting me the past couple weeks. The permanence of BC... Where as before I just had a temporary attitude, if that makes sense.
Thanks so much ladies! This site and thread has really been a lifeline for me -even just reading and knowing I'm not alone.
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YoungBRCAgal:
I know I'm just saying what other have said, but try not to worry about the uneven growth. I was so frustrated for awhile because the back and sides were filling in well, but the top and front hairline were slow to grow, and very sparse. I complained that I looked like a dude with a receding hairline. ;-) But that started to really change for me in the past couple of weeks. My last chemo was 1/25, but I did shave the white fuzz in early March. Now, about 9-10 weeks after shaving, I'm finally comfortable going hatless! My hair is of course super short but looks almost intentional. There are still areas filling in around the temples, but they *are* filling in. So don't despair--with that much regrowth by 8.5 weeks, I think you're going to see a big difference soon.
Also, losing your brows and lashes after chemo ends seems to be super common. I too kept my brows & lashes all the way through chemo and then lost them shortly after chemo ended. They're growing back in, though! Still a little stubby, but definitely making a comeback.
It's very normal for the enormity of this stuff to really hit after chemo, surgeries, etc., are done. I think when we're going through those treatments, we put most of our energy into just surviving them. After that part is over, we're trying to pick up the pieces and understand what our "new normal" will be. I'm still working my way through all that and have a feeling it's gonna be a long process. I wish you all the best. You are so young to have had to go through this!
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I am only 5 weeks out but I have nothing happening anywhere. I had taxotere so I am really worried my hair won't grow back.I am taking biotin, B-complex and I just picked up some Nioxin scalp treatment.
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Lolliipop, I hope it's just slow-growing. Are you just not seeing or feeling any hair on your head? Did it fall out completely during chemo?
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Paxton, I am not seein or feeling anything yet. I lost about 90% of my hair two weeks after my first treatment. I know it is still early so I am trying not to get discouraged. 😩0
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Lollipop.. I also lost about 90% of my hair two weeks after treatment. The rest fell out later. I finished chemo on Feb 5th, 2014 and was not able to go without my wig until Mid August 2014. It came back very slowly. By July I had a covering but not enough to feel comfortable going without wig. Hoping this makes you feel a little better!!
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Lollipop, I finished chemo in July and it was January before I went topless and frankly, I could have waited more time to lose the wig! My hair grew slowly and filled in slowly. I am 3 years out and I am still seeing new growth around the forehead. 8 weeks is really too soon to be concerned about thin patches and slow growth. It is hard, though. We all want to get out of cancerland as soon as possible.
MsP
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I just had treatment #5 of 6 (carboplatin & taxotere). My hair never fully fell out & it's started to grow again. It's very thin, but soft. My question is should I just leave it alone or should I "trim" it up? My husband says it looks less purposeful right now. It's tough to think of cutting it when it's growing. but will that help it? Healthier?
Thanks
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Sorry to say I think you have reason to be concerned about your hair growth imjakes. Will attach a pic of my hair. My last chemo (TC) was January 12th. I rub/massage my head a lot and occasionally rub Virgin Organic Coconut Oil into it. I haven't used any other products. Just wash my head with soap when I shower. Donna.
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azrescue, I had hair that grew during TC but it wasn't real hair, I didn't think. It was pure white and my new hair is growing in brown (and gray, no surprise). It was hard but I shaved it off and just nervously watched my head until my hairline grew in.
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I had mine shaped so it looks like a haircut.
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So, my hair is now at the 'pixie cut' stage and it is also quite curly...I get a lot of compliments, but I still don't like it, because it is a reminder! Yes, needing to get used to the new normal is difficult: we put all of our energy into just getting through chemo, but afterwards....well, it sucks. and the worry about taxotere makes it worse. No words of wisdom from the other side here, just hugs for all struggling with this!
I have yet to do any trimming or cutting, just can't bring myself to remove any hair whether it is real growth or not.....
Octogirl
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I had hair that grew during chemo and the hair that didn't fall out the white chemo stuff after the first shave. I shaved it off again last week at PFC week 7 and it is already growing back quicker then it was. Coming in dark brown.
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Five weeks PFC. Does everyone shave off the chemo fluff? Just wondering. I have a little mixed in with mostly legit stubble. Also happy to see my brows and lashes come back...not all the way but close!
Smurfette I am using coconut oil too. And one of those Chinese head massagers lol
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Smurfette, did your hair come back brown or do you dye it? Mine came back 100% gray, kind of pretty gray, but I plan to have it professionally colored soon.
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