Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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are you ladies posting pictures from your phones? Why won't this allow me to post my pictures?
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hi everyone, I'm day 14 post AC. Today a few strands of head hair are out. Thinning pubes a few days ago. Ive been reading that AC hair loss tends to be quite quick when it starts. As of yesterday I'm on house arrest as my neuts are '0' . I know I can't shave with neuts down due to infection risk, though my hairdresser could just go really short with scissors. I'm actually hoping it will be over the next few days as I'm off work. If I'm back Monday I could start the week with my new ' do' . My hair loss is my archilles tendon. My youngest has his school grad formal on Wednesday and I'd rather not be wearing a 'mohair cardigan' as a a friend experienced when she went out to a musical one evening and started her first major shed.
So, what pattern of hair loss occurred with any of you on AC? I need to decide if I get a really short cut over the w/e. I hate what our chemos does to ourhair.
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Hello DespiteEver... I took the pictures with my phone but uploaded them to my computer. From there I downloaded them to this site.
Hello Binniebin... I had my hair buzzed - not shaved... to about a 1/4 inch all over my head. It began to fall out on Day 21 after my first infusion.
On another point - Check with your oncologist re: some of the drugs you are on.... I would never, ever suggest treatment decisions etc. but it appears that many women (myself included) can have hair re-growth issues following the end of chemo, some including permanent balding with Taxotere (docetaxel)... there could be other options.... I only write this since I wish I'd had this information before I began the docetaxel. A discussion to have with your oncologist.
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Good morning! So I’ve started working on my head, nowwondering if anybody has suggestions about eyebrows? Mine are extremely sparse and i have bought 3 different pencils & powders and nothing looks very natural. I’m dark brown when i have hair (tho peach fuzz on scalp is very white🙃.)
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Hi Flynn. When did you finish chemo? I am 10 weeks PFC today, and I'd say my eyebrows only really started coming in about 2-3 weeks ago. I've been taking biotin to try to speed them along, and they are starting to look more normal now.
My hair started growing in very white as well. Dark hair started coming in about five weeks after I finished chemo. Right now it looks like I have more gray hair than I did before, but that might be because I haven't had the white ends trimmed off yet. It's ridiculous, but I just don't want to trim it yet...my head is so fuzzy and soft right now! LOL
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Flynn ... whatever was left on my Latisse brush I used on my brows. I know that isn't what the instructions say but I did it anyway.
Coach Vicky
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I finished chemo a week ago. I realize I will likely have more hair loss. I buzzed my hair and am surprised I still have quite a bit left and it has grown. I read many of you tried Biotin, does it really work? I got lash boost from Rodan and Fields and am going to try that on lashes and brows, anyone had luck with it? I have been using Monat products on my hair for quite some time, maybe that has helped. Who knows! I'm anxious to get some hair and stop wearing the wig. How long before you can color your hair and did you switch to a more organic coloring product
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Hi ladies, I have what I hope isn't a stupid question. I pretty much started losing all my hair about 17 days after my first TC chemo treatment so I buzzed then shaved all my hair off because my scalp was just hurting. Now I have hair growth all over my head. Does it fall out again with each treatment? I had my 2nd infusion last monday so was just wondering if this is all going to fall out again next week. Thanks for any insights.
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Hi Lovepugs, I’m actually still in treatment. I’m on Taxol and I do have fuzz growing so I’m trying to coax it along faster. It’s still hot in FL and I’m so over wigs/scarfs but my kids aren’t into bald mom out in public. I lost my brows on Taxol. Just hoping to get them jump started.
Thanks Coach Vicky. Good idea!
Scaligirl, I didn’t do TC but after I buzzed my hair, when I had clumps of bald spots, the rest fell out and I had a smooth head until a couple weeks ago. I’m still clearly bald but so anxious to have crew cut, at least!
OCDAmy, no advice but I’m with you on looking forward to wigless days!
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Flynn: Have you tried IT Cosmetics "Brow Power Universal Eye Brow Pencil"? It was included in my kit from the American Cancer Society's "Looking Good, Feeling Better" class. It only comes in one color, but it works on all hair colors. I have black hair and it works for me. A woman in class had light brown hair and it looked great on her too.
I'm 8 months PFC and my eyebrows are only about 80% back. I use Clinique 'Brow Shaper' (cake), then fill in the really sparse areas with the IT brow pencil. (I have fairly thick brows so it takes too long to do them entirely with pencil.)
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Thanks Bellasmom!! I see that pencil is at Ulta, I'm going to look for it. I've signed up twice for Look better feel better but both times it got cancelled, so I haven't tried lately. Somehow when I try my current powder with a pencil, it looks clumpy & unnatural. I'm probably not using the right product.
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#8 Taxol was uneventful today. But hair is slowly coming back. Here is a pic of how it looks. Very fine and soft! Lots of gray!
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Susie, your hair is on it's way! So exciting to see it's return!
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Yay for hair! Susie, I bet yours will start growing fast now!
I just took some pics of my fuzzy head, and looked back at the ones I've taken this year. Here are a few:
This was May 3, 2017 - before chemo. This was the day I got my chemo-cut. My hair was past the middle of my back when I left the house that morning. I didn't love the cut, but I knew I'd only have it a few weeks.
August 15, 2017. This was 9 days before my last chemo session. I was still bald, but sometime that week I noticed a little bit of fuzz coming back. My eyebrows and eyelashes were almost completely gone. (The cranky fuzzball in the picture is Mouse)
October 13, 2017. My head was completely covered in white fuzz. There were a few spots where I could see the color coming back a little bit. I had no visible eyebrows at this point, but I did have a five o'clock shadow where they were trying to come back.
November 3. My hair is growing pretty fast, and has a lot more color than a few weeks ago. I have a feeling it would look a lot darker if I'd go get those white ends cut off, but I haven't yet. I took a picture of the back of my head, too, but it doesn't want to upload. No big deal, it looks like the back of an old man's head, anyway! 
My eyelashes and most of my brows are back. I'm still not sure my hair is going to get back to pre-chemo color, but there is definitely progress. I was hoping to be able to go to Thanksgiving dinner without a wig/headcover, but I don't think that's going to happen. Maybe Christmas.
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Agree with BellasMom. The IT universal eyebrow pencil worked when I had no brows. The instructor said start at outer point of brow and work to inner eyebrow measure. Still use this product today to fill in the sparse brows that came back after chemo.
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lovepugs - the regrowth looks great! it actually looks pretty thick. I bet it will be a cute pixie by Christmas. Congratulations!
On Sunday I am going to get semipermanent makeup applied to my eyebrows while I still have them. That way when they go I'll have backup underneath. I'll let you know how it goes! Wish me luck.
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I am 5 weeks post final Taxol. I have hair sprouting. I can feel it more than see it but I do see it. Not even close to how long Susie's hair is in her pic. The hair coming in is definitely light but definitely not fast! I am curious to find out if my strawberry blonde color will return. Time will tell, I guess. I take Biotin every day. Feel like my nails benefit more from that than my hair.
Underarm, legs, pubes...not much happening there.
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T-sue.....it's very exciting to see it return! I cannot wait to throw away my wigs! Well I'll probably donate them but I want them gone!!!
Lovepugs...wow Your hair is growing fast! I'm so glad you took pictures to show us the growth rate. I was hoping to have enough hair by Xmas not to wear my wig but it looks like mine is slower growing than yours. Do you take biotin? I do not but considering starting. My eyelashes are finally coming in too. I can wear mascara again but they are really short. Eyebrows still gone! I Have not shaved my armpits since June and I love that hair gone!! Probably shaved my legs 2 times just because i forgot I didn't need to! Lol.
PeachyJeanne....I just finished #8 of Taxol and it's coming back. I'm surprised you are done and just getting to this point. I'm sure you are eagerly waiting for it to come back as am I. It will return! I hope it comes back the color you want. Mine was dark brown but I'm seeing more gray in the regrowth. Good thing that is in style these days! You and I have been on this journey together, almost same diagnosis dates and chemo dates, now we will be recovering together! I always say when my hair comes back I will never have a bad hair day again!
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Susie 2017, it took me exactly 2 years after chemo to grow a bob that is maybe an inch longer than the bob you have in your profile pic. Keep in mind that I'm not one of those women who had great hair to begin with. Funny you mentioned your grays, because a lot of my grays never fell out.. With my most recent Dx I was going to try to use cold caps, but then my Doc changed my chemo to one that doesn't cause hair loss.
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Jcatalina... I think I may be like you re: my slower hair re-growth. I think the big difference is that we were on docetaxel/ taxotere and it is much harder on hair than those on Taxol... time and time again in this thread it is confirmed that while not 100% of the people on Taxol, but most - seem to have really good, fast, thick and full coverage with Taxol.... A great many of the people who are posting that they have trouble with hair regrowth had been on Docetaxel. I only wish I knew this before I started chemo... I have no idea if it would have changed my treatment decisions but it is definitely a conversation I would have had with my oncologist.
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Susie- your hair is doing really well! I just did #9 of Taxol and my hair is much more sparse.
Lovepugs- nice pics. I bet you will be able to go without anything on your head by Christmas. I wore a knitted pumpkin hat on Halloween and I’m planning to get a Santa cap for Christmas. Trying to injection some humor into my situation!
Agatha- I’m super curious about your semi perm eyebrows. Waking up with eyebrows would be so nice. My sons are so disconcerted if they see me w/o eyebrows.
Peachy- my hair is also at the feel it more than you see it stage
For the people using Biotin, did you wait until after chemo finished or was it ok during? I always check supplements out with my MO, so maybe I’ll ask her at my appt Wed.
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I'm not too worried yet about my hair. If my original hair growth is any indication it may take awhile! I had very light peach fuzz for well over my first year of life. I look at my 1 year portrait and I look the same today at 48. They say we regress as we get older, but this is a bit much. Ha ha...
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Susie_2017, you have way more hair than I did while I was still doing chemo. I did 4 dose dense AC and 4 dose dense taxol. The picture with my cat was between taxol #3 and 4, so I think it would be closest to where you are right now. I do take biotin. I have no idea if it is helping or not, but I take it anyway. I had some nail issues on chemo (lifting, ridges, Beau's lines, etc.), so I'm taking the biotin in hopes it will help my nails grow out faster. I'm having lots of skin issues during radiation, so I figure it may help with that, too.
Flynn, I started the biotin after chemo was over. I think my MO would have been fine with it though. He put me on a B6/B12 supplement to help with my neuropathy. I love the pumpkin & santa hat idea. I realized last weekend that I had the perfect amount of hair to dress up as GI Jane for Halloween if I wanted to! I almost did it - I figured my radiation team would get a kick out of it.
PeachyJeanne, I bet your hair starts growing faster. I felt like mine wasn't doing anything for quite a while, then it would suddenly progress. One of the radiation therapists commented on it this past Monday. She hadn't seen me in a week, and couldn't believe how much it had grown in that time. I feel like it grows in spurts!
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My hair started coming out super fast after day 14-16 so I had it buzzed 1/4 inch and wore a cap to bed so that any strands that fell out after would be caought in the cap rather than on the sheets...
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Mine are incredibly sparse too....and I am around 7 weeks post last chemo :0(. eyebrows and eyelashes very sparse.
I went to Sephora and had a free mini makeover (they offer one 'target area' for free mini makeover for around 15 mins - no booking needed) and I chose my brows. They did a great job (if a little heavy handed) and showed me how to create my brow and had me practice on one side. I ended up with Anastasia of beverley hills eyebrow colour pot and a brush. But! I also will sometimes use covergirls eyebrow pencil where one side is pencil and the other is wax and that works well too. As for eyelashes - I have like 2 left. I use sephora's liquid eyeline l on my top eyelid and it frames my eyes so the lack of eyelashes is actually not apparent at all unless you are 3 inches away from me and looking :-). at least that's what I tell myself .!
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Hi, everyone. A couple of people were curious about the semi-permanent eyebrow treatment I am doing. I just went yesterday for the first session.
The woman who did it calls it "nana color technology". Even though my oncologist cleared me to do it within 3 days of infusion/Neulata, I was happy to see that it's gentler and less invasive than most microblading techniques. There's just one very tiny needle instead of a row of needles and there are no cuts or slices.
I still have my brows which was important so that she could outline my natural, existing shape. My next appointment with her will be when most of my brows are gone and she can fill in only where my brows are supposed to be.
The third appointment is after that pigment settles and wears a bit. Then she'll go in to do more detail and color shading to make them look more natural. I'm also going to have some liner put on my lash line to prepare for lash loss.
The pigment should last up to 3 years. We are going to go light since I expect to have my real brows grow back over her brows long before that! :-)
Do any of you pick one little thing to sort of obsess over because it's easier than always looking at the big cancer picture? That's me and the fear of waking up without eyebrows and lashes. Even if my brain knows it's not that important and that it's part of the process, I can't stop dreading that eventuality. This at least makes me feel like I'm doing something to fight the fear.
In another front, today I came to work with a headscarf instead of my wig for the first time. Much more comfortable. I think I'm going to be switching it up. The wig gets to be itchy and hot by the end of the day. How many comfortable hours do you guys get from your wig in a day?
I hope everyone has a good week!
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ladies,
i had my last taxol on may 30 and five months later i barely have one inch of hair, if even that! it's rather dense but it's growing ever so slowly. anyone have the same problem? i have not started the hormonals yet, so i can't blame it on that. herceptin?
i also don't have one single underarm hair. very strange.
stephanie
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Stephanie - I have maybe an inch and a half on the top of my head, and I had my last chemo on March 15th. (I've had the back and sides trimmed 3 times now, but we haven't touched the top.) I'm pretty sure it's the Herceptin slowing things down. I'm happy with what I've got, though. It's nice and thick everywhere but the temples, and the nearby hair is starting to get long enough to cover those thin spots. I feel like it's reached a point where it probably looks like an intentional hairstyle.
I don't have much underarm hair either, which is pretty awesome! I used to have to shave my pits daily, and now it's maybe once every two weeks! Tiny little silver lining. :-)
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My barber left my hair a little longer at last week's cut.
I had to use a HAIR DRYER!!!
I think I have gotten really spoiled this last year with just a shampoo and finger styling. I am going back this week to get a shorter cut. Never did I think when all this started that I would love really short hair.
NextStorm, I seldom have any arm pit hair. There are silver linings.
Coach Vicky
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Hi girls, well its Nov now so Im sure everyones hair must be coming in.. I finished in April with chemo, surgery May and radiation just finished beginning of Oct, now on arimidex... after 6 months my hair is now 2 1/2 inches, and salt and pepper.. I had brown hair.
It seemed like it took forever and is still slow going ..
Lashes and eyebrows fell out after chemo but are back now... I really hate the salt and pepper look, everyone says oh I look great, but well I guess compared to when I was bald and chemo ravaged I do.. but its tough ...its like I aged 10 years in 11 months!
But its HAIR!! So Ill take it!!
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