Hair Hair Hair - Another question
Comments
-
Cathytoo,
I only loss less than 40% of my hair.
When that percent came back it was fuzzy like baby hair.
I kept a real short buzz.
The second time it came in, I got soft (really soft) curls.
Short buzzed that as well.
I finally have what I would consider "normal" hair. However, it is very wavy (which I never had before) and black with silver strands. I do like it but it took me a long time to accept that I like it and not be angry that chemo gave me this look.
Best wishes. I hope this is helpful.
Coach Vicky
0 -
Here is a bit of an update re: hair regrowth...
Today is just over 2 months PFC (9 weeks PFC)
I had 4 FEC chemo treatments and 4 docetaxel (which I learned only after end of chemo, can cause permanent baldness).
Hair: To see me today you would still simply see me as a 'skin head', clearly for instance being able to see the veins beneath the skin.
It would be hard to see hair on my head standing 4 inches away. I look like an 80 year old man.
However, end of 7 weeks PFC a small bit of white/transparent baby hair showed up around my ears. Now - end of week 9 PFC - it has sprouted over much of my head (except for right at the top/front).
This is hopeful but it is still merely like a 'film' of minuscule white hairs. According to some cancer forums & posts, this is what sprouts a month or two before 'real hair' comes in. (Hair around ears had been minuscule but have lengthened.)
I still am very anxious and depressed and worried that I may suffer permanent baldness but at least there is "something happening" on the head.
Teeny-tiny hair in some places along eyebrow path. No eye lashes yet.
Can anyone relate to my experience and provide hope that I will get 'real hair' once again???
.
0 -
CanadianGirl - I personally know that it is easier said than done, but you need to relax. Anxiety may affect your hair growth. I was very anxious about not getting my hair back. My dermatologist, who specializes in alopecia, advised me to use Rogaine for men (5%) or for women (2%) if I preferred, once a day. I bought it and plan to start using it to speed up the hair growth. I am 14 weeks PFC. I used Penguin cold caps, but still lost most of my hair. I have a lot of grey, so it's more difficult to see new hair growth. I noticed that hair has taken longer to sprout in some areas and other areas are fuller. I believe you are just going through the normal regrowth process. Good luck
0 -
Thank you Cali58.... hard to be patient but you make a good point... I need to relax regardless. You give me hope that I am 'in the range' at least of normal return of hair. Will update here every month or so.
BEST to all you beautiful women.
0 -
CanadianGirl - I was also worried because I had Taxotere that my hair wasn't going to grow. I decided not to expect anything the first month after treatments because all that stuff was still in my system and things needed time to get back to normal. (no documentation on this - just in my head) My hair did start growing. I think I am a little behind on some I see pictures on here. It is growing and it grew thicker before it started getting longer. I am getting Herceptin treatments, I don't know if that slows it down.
I think you will see it changing a little each week now. Take pictures it is easier to see the change than looking in the mirror every day.
0 -
Thank you for your reply Mistyeyes. I will consider taking some photos. Re: Herceptin... I just had my double mastectomy and will be meeting with my oncologist in a week or two. I believe I'll probably be put on some drug (Tamoxifin?) or similar for 5 years - which I think may slow down my hair growth too. What ordeals we go through, yes?
However, very grateful for the medical treatment and chance for a continued lovely life!
0 -
CanadianGirl
If you have not started in fusion, please consider gelcaps to save your hair. There are other forums on BCO that will share experiences with this.
Coach Vicky
0 -
Cali58, did your dermatologist have any view on the question of whether Rogaine-like treatments produce only temporary results unless you take it permanently?
Someone upthread had mentioned they thought this might be for more natural hair loss cases than with chemo, but don't know what the stats are if there are some. I looked at one of those types of products, it seemed to discourage use for all-over hair loss or thinning. More recommending for pattern loss like men get with aging.
0 -
Misslil - My dermatologist told me that Rogaine would speed up hair growth. In my case should be permanent because I wasn't bald prior to chemo. I had a good amount of hair. My doctor has alopecia areata, which is caused by her immune system. I researched her and found out that she is really good for treating hair loss. I saw her at UCLA. She also advised me to use Hairmax band 3 times a week, which also encourages hair growth. I have been using Hairmax for several weeks. Both stimulate hair follicles
0 -
Rogaine/Minoxidil elongates the growth phase so you won't shed as often. It can also round out the hair follicle so that it's more accepting of new hair. Also by keeping the follicle round instead of cylindrical it helps keep the chemo curl down a bit. When using it after chemo it basically works as a boost to help the hair grow in a bit faster which is indeed temporary, however, when you stop your hair will not fall out because in our case we're not correcting a problem of hair growth like pattern baldness or a an over abundance of DHT which is what it's most commonly used for. In those cases you do have to continue use to have results. Hope this helps, there are so many products out there and it can be overwhelming.
0 -
TWILLS - Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like it is something very good for us, post chemo patients.
0 -
Hello, haven't been on here lately. Your hair looks really nice Seq... saw that photo. I am 5 1/2 months post chemo. My hair is a really short Pixie. Of course, Pixie cuts are normally short. .lol I go out freely now. No more hiding at home til my hair grows properly. It is so nice to get back to just living life. I went for my first Salon colouring about 3 weeks ago. It was supposedly almost a platinum blonde. That is what it looked like when I left the salon. Now, 3 weeks later it has turned a silver grey. Never has it done that before. Will the next colouring coming up help to keep it blonde? Anyone have this problem. My hairstylist, who is wonderful, said it was hard to get it to the colour she really wanted, and next time it should take better. Congrats to all the brave women on here too.... hair does come back. I stopped using the Nioxin and Rogaine just before the salon visit, as well. I use Aveda colour conserve products and my hair is soft and nice, except for the grey.
0 -
If anyone lost their eyelashes and/or eyebrows a second time after chemo, about when did that happen? How many weeks PFC? TIA
0 -
I lost mine at beginning of AC, and they started growing back immediately. They were all in nicely, and I went through one month between AC and Taxol for surgery. Lost eyelashes and eyebrows a second time about six weeks into Taxol. I'm seven weeks post Taxol and they're holding on and growing. My head hair held on and grew throughout Taxol, after losing it early during AC.
0 -
thanks bareclaws, I'm almost 3 months out from ACT and my lashes and brows are back but bracing to possibly loose some again. Obviously hoping not to.
0 -
I never felt much change in my brows and lashes all through the main TCHP chemo, but a few months later noticed they had really thinned out. Haven't filled back in much yet.
0 -
My lashes are back but are more straight now.
My brows really thinned and look very feminine now. Saving twenty bucks on waxing!!
Coach Vicky
0 -
greetings all. I had dose dense AC and am getting ready for #3 of 4 dose dense Taxol this Thursday. I lost my hair after the second dose of AC. Just recently lost a good section of eyelashes in the middle of the lid on both eyes. They are light so not very obvious. I don't put any eye makeup on anymore as that will just emphasize the gap.
I don't know that the hair on my head is growing much. I can feel fuzz when I rub but don't notice any real growth. What is there looks extremely light/white. I am a strawberry blonde and as a baby, it took a long time to get a head of hair. Had peach fuzz well after my first year. Hoping almost 50 years later it will move a little quicker!
When should I start a hair growth regime like romaine or nioxin? Ulta has a sale on Nioxin and Keranique so wondering if I should pick it up even if I need to wait until taxol is done on Sept 28
0 -
I just left the gym... i looked in the mirror to see what my hair was like. Holy...its whitish grey...thick and fluffy... it doesn't look real. lol It looks like fur you see on the snow hats I use to wear as a kid in the cold weather..I wet it a bit and brushed it...
I used a straightener on it today...to give it some height at the back... I am going to have to dye it down to a dirty blonde with a few streaks...til it gets more normal. So I don't look like the white fur girl. Ppl were looking at me when I was leaving. Its so embarrassing.
I've read on here that hair goes back to normal textured hair at some point. Does anyone on here know first hand. Everyone is diff. Some don't is what Ive read? How long does it take...if it does?
0 -
Peachy--your hair sounds just like mine when it was coming back. I barely had any grey before and it was coming back as white fuzz all over my head. Yikes! I was in panic mode for awhile. The new growth soon changed to my regular color and when I got it trimmed a little, the fuzz was gone. If you scroll back a page or so you'll see a photo of what my hair looks like now. I'm loving my new found curls! I started using Nioxin about the time I started Taxol. My hair started growing back about halfway through Taxol. Im not sure if it has helped the growth or not but I continue to use it. I have found that it is much cheaper on Amazon than anywhere else. About $30 total for liter size of shampoo and conditioner. Best wishes to you.
0 -
I have to smile reading these posts because I was upset that my hair came in darker than pre chemo. I started getting white headed as a teenager and now that I am *cough cough* older my hair (which was very dark as a child) was often called silver. It was also very long and I was very proud of it. Strangers sometimes stopped me on the streets or in stores to compliment my hair it saddened me to lose my hair. I, too, was on taxotere and it was almost 3 months PFC before you could really see hair growth. Now the back hangs over my collar, but the top is very sparse. That's OK, I have hair back and may have to get some of this wild stuff tamed down. :-) I have seen some beautiful pictures of some beautiful strong women on here. Thank you all for sharing.
~Heidi
0 -
Hapb--for me, I don't think the white fuzz fell out. I remember when I went to my hair dresser for my first trim she said that the tips of most of my hair were white and the root was coming in my regular color. She trimmed off the fuzzy stuff and although very very short my hair was mostly back to my normal color. I have the same amount of grey now, in the same places, as I did before. I'll be seeing her on Thursday again. I'm always interested to hear about the changes she has noticed since the last time I was there. The lighting is bad in this photo but this was my hair on Friday--33 weeks pfc
0 -
Hapb--thank you for your kind words. I have struggled with the hair loss more than anything else throughout my whole diagnosis and treatment. This has been very hard for me. The top and front are only half as long as the back and sides and the top is quite thin. I have no bangs. I still have a meltdown frequently when looking in the mirror or when I am trying to dress up and look nice then I have hair that I can do nothing with. I know that sounds vane and whiny but this has been a tough one to handle. I am not sure what chemo you had but I remember reading somewhere that people who had AC chemo first then Taxol (or some other drug) afterwards usually start growing their hair back midway or so during the second regimen. And those who receive the same regimen throughout treatment take longer to see hair regrowth. Not sure if there's any truth to that but in my case, I did have AC first then sure enough, midway through Taxol the white fuzz was growing. Hang in there--your hair is coming.
0 -
seq24
That is absolutely beautiful hair!
I can't wait for mine to come back.
0 -
Saadia--How far out from chemo are you? Your hair is coming!! I never believed my hair dresser that hair grows at 1/4-1/2 inch a month. Now I know she's right. That's way too slow for me.
0 -
seq24
Just finished 9/12 weekly taxol cycles. Lost 30% of my hair. It's thinned out all over but there are distinct bald areas on the top. So far I have managed to do a slight comb over to cover those spots. I did buy a wig but it's not comfortable at all. Makes me really itchy and hot so can't really bear it. Plus I seem to have developed follicolitus (spelling?) which is adding to the itchiness. I am going to have to start tamox three weeks after I finish taxol plus the three weekly sessions of herceptin and I hear both may cause hair to thin
0 -
Hi! Just wondering if anyone can tell me if you always lose all your hair on AC? I got a buzz cut and my hair did major shedding after #2, but none has come out since infusion 3 almost two weeks ago. I just assumed I'd be bald by now
0 -
HapB, I may try to sell my worn-one-hour-hated-it wig on eBay. I realized that the wig expert didn't put the tag in my box, presumably so I couldn't find the exact wig at a cheaper price online if I wanted another color. I recall the name and color for an ad description.
Another alternative would be donating it. My wig might look fine on someone with darker coloring and who isn't as fine-boned. At 6 months, my hair is mostly through the sticking straight up phase or I might be tempted to risk the restocking fee to try a different wig from TLC Direct.
Lyn
0 -
My insurance paid a modest amount toward one wig in my lifetime, not enough to look at even the cheapest human hair wig. I hated catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror when I had no brows or lashes, but, oddly enough, losing my hair wasn't as traumatic. The growing out process has been more awkward than buzzing my head in the first place. My fingernails are growing like crazy, but my hair is far behind most on here who've shared photos at a similar time post-chemo. Still, I'm grateful that it is coming back.
Lyn
0 -
My insurance did not cover any of the cost for a wig. I wear the wig to work, but everywhere else I wear scarves or hats or a combination of the two. My head is covered with hair but no length to it. I am so tired of the wig. It is the same color of hair that I had and everyone said it looks natural. I am thinking about going without it, but I feel like I have not got enough hair yet. I also have a large forehead and think I need a little more hair in the front before I go without it. My husband says I should go without it. My daughter and granddaughters think I should stop wearing the wig. My son (who works at Walmart) said my hair is a lot better than what some have in Walmart. lol Today I tied a scarf around like a headband and my sister said I should do that for work and ditch the wig. When I took of the scarf, she said that looked ok too. I am still a little nervous to go to work without the wig.
Sorry, I was rambling on.
0
