Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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Dawnann, I know it hurts. I know you can’t imagine it will be the same as it was, but be patient. You will have long hair again. I’m at about half an inch right now. I got my plastic surgeon to write a script for woman’s Rogaine and Latisse and I apply every night. My brows and lashes are long for now but I hear they will come off again before it’s over.Hang in there.
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Retzie, Well, we don't have any choice do we? While we complain about all the lovely side effects, we have to remember that were still here to complain.
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Today is my 4th month anniversary PFC. At 6 weeks past, I was terrified it wasn’t coming back. My friends tell me it looks like a fashion choice and not a chemo doo, and I should consider keeping it short. I think they are being kind. I’ve used a mix of Nioxin, Alra and Biotin shampoos and Nioxin conditioner mixed with a custom EO serum. I’ve also taken Biotin supplements and collagen powder in my daily coffee. My hair is crazy on top. It’s growing in so many different directions.
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Orangedaisy...you look absolutely lovely. You just shine! I doubt that your friends are just being kind. They are telling you the truth, because you are definitely rocking that doo
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Has anyone tried this product? A family member who is a hairdresser sent it to me
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Orangedaisy, I agree with biscuits, you look great!! When did you start the Nioxin/Alva/Biotin regiment?
Dawnann, don't be discouraged-positive thoughts!! I'm 2 months PFC with zero signs of hair growth. I would love what you're sporting!
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Thank you Biscuits and L8BLMR! I used the Alra through chemo treatment and put jojoba oil on my dry head. 3 weeks after my last chemo treatment I added the Biotin and Nioxin shampoos and Nioxinconditioner. Four weeks after treatment I made my EO serum and started taking Biotin and Collagen.
ITSstillme, I used Surface Awaken before chemo. It was my regular shampoo and conditioner. Pricey, but I like it
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thanks orangedaisy. Is there a reason why you are not using it now. I’m on Letrozole so I’m unsure if it’s safe to use.
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itsstillme No specific reason I'm not using it now. I'm liking my Nioxin, Alra, Biotin and I've got plenty. It takes a long time to use up shampoo when you have chemo hair.
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orange your hair looks awesome and it does look like a “real" hairdo. I was so happy when my hair got to that point.
. As for it being crazy on top....get ready because it could start to go curly. Mine was a little bit longer than yours is now when I started to notice it was coming in curly. My before cancer hair was very long, had natural auburn hilights and was very straight. This is what I have now....lol. Crazy curly and much darker than my other hair and I have no clue if this is permanent or if my old hair will come back. I will be 1 year PFC on May 30th. I have no idea how to work with curly hair and even though I’m thankful to have hair it’s a bit frustrating at times lol. Most people have their whole lives to learn how to tame their hair, this is all new to me. . (And thank goodness for Snapchat filters because they make me look almost nice lol) My hair is longer than it looks one year out but it’s hard to tell because of the curl
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Hi ladies, silly hair question and maybe I didn't go back far enough in the thread but do you see any reason why I can't use nioxin during chemo treatment as well as after? Also, you ladies that posted pictures look beautiful!! You look great!
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Mquara, i love your hair. I’ll be OK with curls. I’ve had wavy hair my whole life. I recommend letting it do it’s thing. Experiment with gels or creams to control it. Let it air dry. Use a pick to comb it.
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orangedaisy...your hair Is rocking! It's growing back evenly which is wonderful! None of
US had the hair we use to have
Dawnann
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ItsStillMe
This was recommended by the salon where I purchased my wig. I use the shampoo, conditioner and serum. She told me its one of the safest to use on chemo hair. She is herself a BC survivor. I finished Taxol 9 months ago, still getting Herceptin every 3 weeks til June. I have gotten my hair trimmed several times and have it colored twice. I feel that it helped me, it seemed to grow faster and helped it thicken up. The top is still not as thick as sides and back, but it was thinner on top to start. It is kinda spendy, but I didn't cut, color my hair for over 9 months, saved a bunch on hair products. And I think I'm worth it!
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DebAl...I see no reason not to use your Nioxin through treatment. I used it and it felt great on my bald head...all tingly. When my hair started growing back, it kept it so very soft.
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Leesa - your hair is fab!! I swore I wasn’t ever going to cut my hair, but at 5 months after chemo it was a curly mullet mess in the back and a short mess on top so I got it cut yesterday. Yes, it pained me to cut any length, but I was at the point where I never left the house without a baseball hat it was so crazy.
I basically just got the curls in back cut off and the sides trimmed - it looks 100% better
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From top left ~ 1 year ago, pre-Chemo; early Nov, about 6wks PFC
Bottom left ~ January, about 12wks PFC; March, about 7 months PFC
I just took all four of these. Today is 9months and one day PF
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Looks this thread has hit a bit of a lull! Lovepugs, If you see this, I love your pics. How do you feel about curly hair? I’m having trouble getting used to mine but happy that it is growing in, at least.
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Thanks for posting the pics. We’ve been talking hair and regrowth timelines over on the Weekly Taxol thread.
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Thanks Flynn! I was afraid I had killed the thread! LOL
I don't know that my hair is exactly curly...I'd say it's more wavy than anything. Those pics were right after a shower, and the humidity does make it curl a bit more. It was a little wavy pre-chemo, so I'm not sure it's all that different from before. I never had hair this short (except for a couple of weeks when I got my chemo-cut). I do think I'm going to keep it short, though. It is so much easier than long hair. I do wish I had my old color back. I have a lot more gray now than before chemo.
Ingerp, my hair felt like it was taking forever to grow back, but once it really got started, it grew pretty fast. I've actually had two haircuts since January/February. My eyelashes and eyebrows were slower to grow back. They're all back, but are lighter than they were pre-chemo. I feel like it looks like I have half-brows, if that makes any sense.
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lovepug, my hair looks similar to yours. I also never had such short hair so I’m not sure how it will grow in. I had very straight ( frustratingly straight) hair before so I feel like I don’t look like myself at all. I did get a trim last week to help my growing in process:
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Lovepugs I think your hair is fabulous. Nice wave and looks even better than pre-chemo!!
My hair is a total mess...thick curls that I can't do a thing with. Repelling color.....This is 6 months post chemo, I didn't not have a thread on my head after 2 weeks of AC. Wonder if I will be able to ever go wigless again.
Any of you had problems with hair repelling color??
What are half brows lovepugs? My eyebrows and eyelashes just came back in... I had my first eyebrow wax yesterday, and bawled my eyes out at the Benefit Brow Bar. It was one of those I can't believe I made it to this moment cries!!
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lovepugs—I started using something called Lilash last fall (pre-dx) and my sister noticed my lashes looked longer. The same company makes a “Librow” product that I started using several months ago. I haven’t lost my lashes/brows yet but am hoping these help with the re-growth. I got both on eBay. I’ve decided I need to do the short buzz today—this 1” buzz is looking pretty silly
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CBK your hair looks wonderful. Love the curls, thickness and color.
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CBK, I think your hair looks great, but I understand what you mean - it just isn't *your* hair. I lost every hair on my head (and the rest of my body), too. I think you could go wig-less now without it being a big deal. I hated wearing my wigs, so I started going without around Thanksgiving. My hair was crazy short and looked awful, but I was just over the whole thing. It's all about what is comfortable for you, but I think yours is long enough that it looks like a short haircut, not necessarily post-chemo hair.
By half brows I mean that some of the hairs have grown in such a light color that they are invisible. To me it looks like my brows only go about halfway across my eyes. Lashes are fine, but I think my brows look strange. I wonder if I went and got them waxed if they would look any better?
Ingerp, I got mine buzzed to about a quarter inch (probably less) once it really started coming out fast. It was such a relief at that point - I could not cope with the messiness of my hair falling out. Plus it was just heartbreaking to lose handfuls of it in the shower. The buzz cut honestly was a relief because it just got it over with. I didn't lose my brows & lashes until I was about 3/4 of the way through chemo. They held on through 4 dose-dense AC infusions, and the first 2 dose-dense taxols. They fell out sometime around taxol #3 - I don't remember exactly when. I do remember being very upset. I thought I was going to make it through without losing them, but no. That might have been harder for me than losing my hair, because without brows and lashes, I really didn't look like myself at all.
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Hey Luvpugs-
My hair looks better from behind. Do you remember when your hair started growing in, mine started growing in the back at first? So my front has not caught up and is curlier. I have a big mullet head. Omg the curls are thick and outta control. I hope it calms down. I don’t want to cut it. Losing my hair was super traumatic for me some people deal with it with more grace than others. I lost every hair too on my body except 🥁 one wild grey eyebrow hair. One.
I’ve been playing around with every eye brow product under the sun. I never cared so much about my eyebrows until they left me. Mine also when they grew back in are lighter in areas that make them look nonexistent. Love my new products from benefit. This works great if you have growing in brows that need plumping. It’s called the Brow dream team Set. Start with 24 hr brow setter gel. Then start filling in with precisely brow pencil and add a little more color with thicker pencil included in kit. Only $24.00. No I don’t work for Benefit. Ha! Getting them waxed just helped define the shape better and with products they look super realistic and PLUMP. These products really cover the light hairs.
Klvans- thanks for your words but this lid really wild. Wish I could could just understand why it’s repelling color so much. I suppose it’s all chemistry.
Ingerp- not everyone loses lashes and brows on taxol. I hope you are one of the lucky. Mine fell out toward mid taxol infusions to the end. My head hair Started to grow back on taxol
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CBK--I have heard many stories of women whose hair started to grow back on T. I hadn't heard about *not* losing brows/lashes, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. :-) I'm officially in hat mode when I go out. Hubs said otherwise I'd scare people (and he's very concerned about me burning my scalp). Feels very weird to me--I don't think I'd ever worn a baseball hat before my trip to the grocery store yesterday. I also have to figure out what to do for slightly dressier outings--but I guess I'll figure that out too. I have several scarves waiting but have to play with tying them. Learning all kinds of things through this process!!
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Ingerp-I liked my pre-tied headscarfs from Turban Plus. I got super cold during chemo and wore bamboo head turbans from headcovers unlimited.
I never left the house without a wig once. Still don’t. I mean I’ve had two surgeries since I lost all my hair and went to them and back with a wig. Crazy huh?
I bought a really cheap headband with hair wig. Love that thing. Wear it way more than my human hair wig. And I love throwing hats and scarves over it.
My MO’s nurse told me that not everyone loses eyebrows and eyelashes. But she did state the fairer skinned people were more likely to lose them. Don’t know the research on that, so take it for what it’s worth. My lashes and brows grew back quickly though after taxol was over. Hang in there and don’t get burnt!
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Thanks, CBK. My husband said he cried after he did the shorter buzz on me yesterday (not in front of me). He feels like I just keep losing parts of myself. I'm just curious how goofy I end up looking before starting to return to normal. I know there are youtube videos about how to put on makeup when you don't have the brows/lashes, but I'm gonna wait to look them up until I need them. (I am definitely on the fair end of the spectrum. ;-) )
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OK you are getting me weepy Ingerp. It’s extremely emotional time but you have to do this and you are going to come out the other side, stronger than ever.
It feels like forever when you are going through it but it’s all going to be like a passing bad dream in a few months.
Did you go to any of the American Cancer Society Look Good Feel Better programs? I think the biggest thing I learned was lining my eyelashes opens up the eyes when I had no lashes. But I took home some really nice products to work with. All complementary!
Your husband and you were very brave to do that together. I went to the wig shop made them turn the chair to face the opposite way of the mirror and had owner of shop hold my hand while an employee shaved me bald. Then I made them put my wig back on my head and I didn’t look in the mirror for days. I still cry thinking about it. Your husband sounds like an amazing man! Big virtual 🤗.
You are just being taken apart a little and you will be back together. And better than ever!
Peace
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