Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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VLH--I lost my brows after I finished chemo. They grew back fairly quickly but I noticed about a month or so ago they were thinning. I had to use a brow pencil to fill them in for awhile but they are now thickening again. Cancer, the gift that keeps on giving. I'm getting really tired of this. I thought we were done with this!
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My brows thinned and I have a slight gap on one that struggles to come back.
I finally have girl brows and not my Daddy's hairy ones!
Coach Vick
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I'm relieved that no one said they lost all their brows and lashes the second time! I can deal with temporary thinning, but stink at starting from scratch with make up.
SEQ, I hear you the gift that keeps on giving. I've had one complication/ delay after another so 15 months after diagnosis, I'm finally hoping to tackle radiation in September. In addition to lymphedema, I have neuropathy in my dominant hand and both feet so should probably do PT & OT after Rads. Yuck! I'm worn out, but need my balance for one part-time job and manual dexterity for the other.
Back to hair...5 months PFC, my scalp is still fully on display. The oncologist even commented on it last visit. Getting enough length for a comb-over again will likely take months at the current rate every growth. I wish I'd liked my wig. Despite buying it from a women's health specialty shop , it looked like a creature perched on my head & gave me a headache after only an hour. The "feels like" temperature is still 100° here so any kind of head covering is miserable. Cotton baseball caps are okay for casual wear, but I had a meeting last week and my hair looked butt ugly. Having said that, my sincere condolences to those with permanent hair loss. My heart goes out to you dealing with this on an ongoing basis.
Lyn
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Lyn--I am so sorry you are having problems. I had no idea. I kind of fell behind in reading everyone's posts and I'm sorry I missed that. You've been through the wringer with everything, no doubt. We were going through chemo at the same time last fall/winter. It's crazy what a long process this is. It seems like it is never ending and will be that way forever. I'm not thrilled with my hair either. Everyone I talk to (and I still try to avoid as many people as possible) keep telling me I should keep it this way. Are you kidding me?! I can barely stand to look in the mirror. I realized tonight that it has been 7 months yesterday that I finished chemo. I was positive I'd have at least 3 or 4 inches of hair by now. No such luck. The only thing I am happy about is that I am starting to get some curls/wave. My mom said she wishes she had my hair. She can have it!! I have to start back to physical therapy on Wednesday. I now apparently have radiation induced fibrosis. Great! One more thing to deal with. I was doing great until mid June. I started having some pain in the lymph node removal area and down the underside of my arm. It's to the point where it hurts to raise my arm above my head. They said it is caused by fibrous tissue formed during healing from radiation which I finished at the end of March. So again, the gift that keeps on giving. Just what we don't need.
Hang in there Lyn. The end is in sight.
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BOO, seq! The fibrosis diagnosis stinks.
How long do you expect to be in therapy?I know your appearance continues to bother you. I hope the regrowth pace picks up to help you feel happier and more confident.
Lyn
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5 Months PFC today! I'm so grateful for the hair I have today. I swore I'd never complain again about having thick, curly hair - and I won't. It's the same thickness and texture I used to have but a lot less brown. Lol
O
I
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Looks great, Lohoff! I have more grey now, too, although definitely not as dramatic a difference as you experienced.
Has anyone tried any of those products that disguises a shiny scalp where the hair is thin? I'm always hot, especially my face and head, so I envision grey goo running down my face and neck. :-(
Lyn
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VLH- I'm dealing with the same shiny scalp issue that needs some filling in. I spoke with the girl that works at my local Sally Beauty supply store last week. I was asking about products like Toppick and Viviscal. She said they also make their own brand of that type of product. She said when I was ready to try that type of thing out- I could purchase a variety of them, try them all at homeand return any that I didn't like.
I was getting ready to leave on a beach vacation where I'd be wearing a hat all week so I told her I'd be back to take her up on that offer at the end of the month.
Just wanted to share that in case anyone wanted to check with their local shop and see if they could get them to offer that.
I'll let you know how I make out and which one I like best.
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lohoff= your hair is beautiful! and the color is so pretty on you. I am about 5 months and don't have the amazing growth you have, but its coming along.
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Lohoff--you look great!! Love your hair. It has grown so much in 5 months! I especially love the curls! I am 7 months pfc and my hair is about the length of yours. It grows slow. It now is getting some curl to it which I am very happy about. Keep posting those photos!!
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Thank you VLH, mistyeyes, HapB & seq24!
HapB: I used clinical strength head and shoulders during and after chemo, as well as Nioxin system 6 kit. I also started taking biotin after my last chemo. I am still using all of the above. Sometimes I use a Moroccan castor oil leave in conditioner but I just started using that a few weeks ago. It makes the curls really tight.
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Unless it's closed, there's a Sally Beauty Supply near me. Good to know that they may allow returns. Thanks, Lohoff.
Lyn
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Hi everyone,
We're working on two hair loss management videos and we want to include your photos!
Deadline for submission: September 8
These videos will help women facing chemo-related hair loss to emotionally and physically prepare, and to understand their options. The videos will be viewable in the Hair, Skin, and Nails section of the site by October 2017.
We're looking for any of the following:
·Photos of cutting your hair shorter
·Photos of the time period when hair was falling out
·Photos of having your head shaved
·Photos of yourself wearing synthetic or human hair wigs, hats, turbans, scarves, going "au naturel," or any other options you chose
·Photos of you using cold caps or scalp cooling systems
We welcome all photos, including those that have a sense of humor (such as the mom whose young children shaved her hair into a Mohawk)!
When submitting, please also include the following:
·Your name (we will use your first name and last initial if that is comfortable for you)
·Your city and state / city and country if non-U.S.
·The year(s) the photos were taken
·Diagnosis details if comfortable sharing (stage and type of breast cancer, HR and HER2 status) Note: This isn't required – voluntary only.
·Your email address and a phone number where we can reach you
How to submit your photos:
·If the photos were taken on your phone or digital camera, please send them in their most raw form: no Photoshop, no Instagram filters, etc.
·If you're scanning physical photos, please use a setting of at least 300 dpi and then save the photo as either a TIFF or a PNG file.
·All photos can be sent to Claire Nixon, Editorial Director at cnixon@breastcancer.org. She will respond to you promptly with more information!
Thank you and looking forward to your photo submissions!
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lohoff--interesting about the castor oil. I used Jamaican black castor oil when my hair first started growing back but quit using it because it was so messy. I wonder if it would do the same thing as the Moroccan castor oil. I might try it tomorrow. I got a sample of marula oil and that stuff was great and smelled wonderful. It made my hair so soft. I can't find the same brand I had the sample of unless I order it from the company and it is SO expensive.
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seq24: This is what I use occasionally. I did notice that it yellowed my white baseball cap while I was exercising in the pool. It did come out in the wash. Not sure if it would also "yellow" white hair. I don't use it daily to notice that. I only use a tiny bit. It does leave my hair soft.
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lohoff, - where do you buy that conditioner? worth a try!! Thanks!
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Lohoff, thanks, that looks interesting. Seq and I both just tried the straight Jamaican Castor oil. It was think and kind of smelly. I didn't use it nightly but a couple of times a week. Does this mixture smell nice? I usually love anything with Shea butter in it. I did get the Nioxin hair mask that someone recommended and do like it a lot.
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I've gotten SheaMoisture products at Target and Walgreens. Sometimes they are in the African American hair care section. At Target, they are always out of things. You can also order through Amazon.
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anotherNYCG, DaraB: I bought it in the African American hair section at Walgreen's. It has a pleasant scent. I use the tiniest amount because it can leave your hair greasy if you use too much. I put it on my scalp and then massage it in. After my hair dries, I just run my hands through it
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Thank you!
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Have been reading some of the posts on here and looking at pics. You all look so gorgeous with your pixie cuts and those that went with the natural gray have inspired me to try the same when mine grows back. I've just had one chemo 8 days ago so no hair loss yet. Just wondered if there are products I should use now? Do you shampoo a bald head? What about products to prevent eyebrow loss?
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OCDAmy, I washed my hair/head every day with just baby shampoo. That is what I am still using. I don't use any other product other than some gel sometimes to spike it up. My hair started growing in around my 6th taxol treatment. I'm 12 weeks out and while it is all grey it is growing in well. I'm 51 I did used to color my hair but was very blonde as a child. I'm sure I had some grey under my highlights pre chemo but not an entire headful. I'm going to embrace the he grey for now. Someone way back in this thread posted a pic of Jamie lee Curtis with her short grey hair and she looked beautiful. I look nothing like her but hopefully in a few months I can try to mimic her hair.
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Careful with the baby shampoo, it's very drying actually. It's great for cradle cap for babies but not so much for hair. It will actually strip wax off of a floor. It has a numbing agent in it so it doesn't burn your eyes which makes it seem like it would be gentle.
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Dara--that oil was definitely smelly. My husband told me once I smelled like my hair had burned. Yuck! I have a LOT of the oil left. Not sure what to do with it. My hair is about 2.5 inches long now and is getting some curl to it finally. Everyone keeps telling me to keep it short. I'm not so convinced about that. I fell behind this week in taking my usual Friday hair photos. Will try to do it tomorrow and post the latest.
Lego--your hair looks great. When mine first started coming back it was very grey. I was in a panic because I had very little before. As it has grown most of my normal color is coming back and I now have about the same amount of grey as before. I have had it colored 3 times since finishing chemo in January and even the outgrowth is mostly back to my normal color.0 -
lohoff--thanks for sharing. I might have to check into that. Walgreens is a block from our house. Might walk over there tomorrow. Thanks!!
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Hi! Question about hair loss for you all. I am on AC right now, Am on day 5 of round #2. I started shedding right before round 2 and shaved my head in a buzz cut. I am wondering how long it takes for the rest of the hair to fall out? I still have a lot of hair, even though it's super short. Just curious.
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redesides--It may take awhile longer for the rest of your hair to fall out or it may stay where it is. I did not lose all of my hair during chemo and I also had AC/Taxol. I was just looking at some pictures tonight and saw some from the end of chemo. I still had some, but not much, old hair left and by about the middle of taxol new hair was growing back. Best wishes to you.
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32 weeks PFC and I'm loving these curls! Now if the top would just grow and look like the back. Everyone tells me to leave it this short but I'm not so sure just yet. Exactly a year ago I was overwhelmed with the thought of starting chemo on Sept 9. Losing my hair was my biggest fear. I always looked at everyone's hair growth pictures on here and was green with envy. I never thought I would ever get to the point of posting pictures of my own hair growth. For those of you who are where I was a year ago, I hope this gives you some encouragement that your hair will come back, slowly but surely. Definitely never fast enough though.
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KB--being positive about my hair depends on the day. I still avoid everyone I know just so they don't have to see me like this and so I don't have to answer any questions about why I look like this. I have no bangs and the top is very thin and short compared to the back. Today is not a good hair day for sure. I found a sample of a hair product in the bathroom drawer this morning. Put some on--bad idea. Might be washing my hair a second time today. LOL
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IS YOUR HAIR FUZZY? it's been over a year since my last chemo treatment. Before bc I wore my hair short with long bangs. Well, my bangs don't seem to be growing in like before and they have a bit of curl. Mainly they are fuzzy. I've tried lots of products including Argan Oil, but the texture never changes and the bangs aren't growing. Can anyone relate to this or offer advice?
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