Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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I am 9 months PFC on Wednesday which is also my birthday! It was 8 weeks after my last round of TC that I saw any growth at all. I was really getting worried. I lost my lashes and brows for the first time about 4 weeks PFC, and they continue to thin out about every 6 weeks. I've had my hair trimmed 3 times to avoid the mullet and my hair from being wider than it is tall. For those of you who have curly hair post chemo, how many people that you've known for years have asked you if you had curly hair before chemo? Is it appropriate to respond "Is your memory that bad or did you never look at me before?"
Before chemo I had wavy hair, so I knew not to fight it. I wash it with Nioxin for the first shampoo and various salon shampoos for the 2nd shampoo, towel dry, smooth it with a mixture of Deva Curl, Redken Arerate, and Argon Oil, and let it air dry. It has more gray than it did before chemo, but I love not being a slave to the hair dye! I took Biotin starting 4 weeks after chemo ended. After I finished one bottle, I switched to powdered collagen in my coffee each morning.
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🤣. So true Orangedaisy, like I had straight long hair! And people ask me nonstop, well did you have curly hair? Yeah when I was 5 but we didn’t know each other then, did we???
Happy Birthday and congrats on your 9pfc! We share the same birth date! Very cool on the grey locks which look super flattering on you!!
To a new year of health and happiness!!
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I love all of the photos!
Ingerp, congratulations on end of treatment:) That is a beautiful milestone. Your hair is coming in very well, hope you enjoyed the freedom of no hats/scarves on your trip!
CBK, I love your colour and curls..gorgeous! Orangedaisy, congratulations on 9 months PfC and also happy birthday, you look lovely:) Flynn, thank you for the encouragement and for the photos, you look beautiful and the curls are great. I have had a good week, feeling much better now post surg and able to do a lot more. My grey patchy fuzzies are turning into a proper little hairline:) slowly but it’s happening.Good growing vibes to you, Rachelcarter.
I always feel encouraged stopping by this thread, love that people who are months and years out take the time to post.
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I too love the old timers checking in and posting those inspiring hair pics. Wink I’m officially three days from dumping the head covering. I leave on my business trip on Sunday but will head out to a Herceptin infusion Friday morning with nothing on top. And we’re going out with some friends Friday night plus I’ll do my regular Sat morning at the gym with no bandanna for the first time. Kind of a trial by fire but I’m <mostly> really ready.
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Go, Ingerp! You will rock it:)
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ingerp, good luck on leaving the head coverings behind!
CBK, excellent tip on the Aveda conditioner, they have a brown one that I’m going to check out.
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everyone's hair looks great!
Here is a picture of me a year after Radiation
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I posted this on another thread, but since you ladies are so nice to me, this was me yesterday, official no more hats day, 10 weeks PFC.
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Inger, you look so stylish! And Shellie, you are beautiful! (Go Luther!)
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InGerp- I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! You look super mod!! That look is as gutsy as you!
Flynn- I love Aveda Madder Root conditioner! It allows my color to stay vibrant and my hair stays well hydrated. I can go a few weeks longer without coloring too! It can color your towels also but nothing Oxi-Clean won’t fix! I hope brown color works for you!
Shelbela- Beautiful color that flatters your flawless skin! Congrats on your year, much health and happiness go forward to you!!
Beautiful ladies!
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I had my first Taxol/Herceptin treatment Friday and it didn't go as smooth as I was hoping. We opened and closed the cancer center since I had a pretty bad reaction but staff knew exactly what to do. I was better in minutes but I was terrified My MO came to talk to me and I decided to try again but at a much slower rate . They gave me additional Benadryl and Steroids and I did fine when they started again. I am praying that it doesn't happen again. I wish I knew the likelihood of it happening again. I had finally decided to shave my hair next week prior to my next treatment on Friday I felt confident with this decision but now I'm not sure. I would just be lucky enough that my body can't tolerate the Taxol and I would have shaved my hair for nothing. I just want to do it before it starts coming out on its own. I don't want to wake up and feel as if I can't leave the house. I'm not sure what to do Any thoughts?
I hope everyone had a good week and that you have an excellent weekend!!!!! They are calling for a little snow. It’s way to early for tha
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Hi there Sisterstrong!!
I had Taxol but not with Herceptin, maybe others will chime in after me! I’m sorry to hear you had reaction to first infusion with Taxol, but it’s not an uncommon experience; I didn’t have one but a person next to me did once during my treatment.
You know if you don’t tolerate Taxol there are other chemo drugs that they would probably switch you to. Although it’s very possible they are just going to revise your pre-meds and you will be just fine!!
I lost all my hair on AC but had a wig picked out and ready to go. I didn’t have a plan to “shave-down”! I cut it really short when it started to go but then just a few days later I went to wig store to shave down.
Do you have a plan about what you want to do when you lose your hair? Like do you have a wig or scarves or head caps ready? That can be helpful to ease the pain and fear. And do you have a plan of where the shave down will occur? In other words if you start losing hair very quickly can you just easily have it shaved down without waiting for some far off appt?
I don’t know how you lose hair on your chemo regime. So I don’t know how dramatic it is and how fast it comes out. I’m sure some on this board can advise you better on that than me. I grew hair on Taxol but lost my lashes and brows!!
It will be ok. One thing I never expected is when my hair grew back it was thicker and healthier than I ever imagined. My brother remarked “what did they put fertilizer in that chemo?” 😅
Hugs!! Keep reaching out!!
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CBK - that's a great remark of your brother's 😁😁 I'm hanging out in this topic since I'm now on Taxol and can't wait for the hair to come back.
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Maybe wait till after this next infusion and see if they switch you? I think I shaved too soon and could have gone a few more weeks with hair.
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JaBoo-
Wow we are like a year apart almost from start of AC/Taxol regime! My MO told me I would sprout hair on Taxol and I did! I’m not sure if Herceptin affects that or not!
I took lots of photos through my growth process and kept them so let me know if you have any questions anticipating your beautiful new hair that WILL arrive !
👍
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CBK, thank you for your kind words! Yes, I see you started AC in the middle of July too. Actually, I do have a hair question - what was your "hair status" during Christmas?? (I had last AC on Aug. 31st, I was on dose dense shedule. Now I'm on weekly Taxol, supposedly till the 1st week of December.)
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Yup that was my AC Taxol regime. Twelve weeks of Taxol once a week! I ended Taxol 12/6/17
Ok don’t get upset, but this is 12/30/17! I haven’t personally met anyone that kept head hair on AC but to be clear I did not have a thread on my head! Cue ball bald!!
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CBK, thanks for reply! Your regime is exactly like mine. Well, according to the picture of your hair I think I will need my wig during Christmas... Well, I thought so. Thanks a lot for your reply, at least I know not to be too hopeful for christmas hair! 🙂 you know what's worst? I didn't get any shedding of leg hair - shaving my legs like usuall, during the whole chemo!
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JaBoo-
I remember them scaring the bejesus outta me and telling me I needed an electric shaver, and I bought one.... so I know I was using it here and there!! Chemo brain hit me pretty hard at points, so my memory is foggy on details!! HA!!
I think I was periodically shaving legs and armpits..... not as often, but I was.....
I found taxol super tricky..... like not predictable at all.... Maybe because it was so darn drawn out!! I spent that 12 weeks eating every food and researching everything to grow my hair back the best way I could.... My appetite was good on Taxol, actually gained 10lbs..
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CBK and Rachel, thank you so much for getting back to me. I have already purchased a wig. I got a synthetic wig this time. I had a real hair wig when I was going through treatment for stage 3 melanoma. I hated the maintenance so I'm hoping this is a better option for me. I didn't shave my hair last time since it just thinned tremendously. It finally had filled back in and here I go again. The salon at the hospital will do complimentary hair shave and then they will help me pick out a couple of hats and do a wig fitting. I just made my appointment for this Friday. I know that this is sooner then needed but it works the best for my work schedule. I am just going to be confident that I will be able to continue with Taxol.
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Woohoo Ingerp!
When I look at you, I think stylish urban art dealer, not chemo! You look great, congratulations:)
You look great too, shelabela:
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Hair is growing, wooow, I am growing hair, teeny tiny fuzz, but it's deffinitelly there!!!! 💃
Well, ehm, I am still totally bald, but my scalp "changed colour" and it's the hair folicles waking up. I had very dark hair so it's showing.
I can't wait for the hair to grow back, I think you ladies here understand my excitement.
I am post 4x AC and post 6th Taxol+Herceptin. The fuzz started to show about 2 weeks ago.
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Ingerp. you look fabulous !
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Sisterstrong
Sorry I missed your post! I'm happy to hear you will be able to continue taxol!!
That's when I joined the boards. Taxol was a long winding process for me and I received great support and information on the weekly taxol threads. I had mild side effects that my MOs office would say they never heard of and sure enough someone would be chatting about it on the boards. Gave me great comfort.
I hear you, I have a human hair wig I barely wore. It was gorgeous but never felt quite right in it. Loved my synthetic hair bands I would wear with hats during the winter; kept me warm! I was always cold during chemo.
Jaboo! Yup, that's about when the fuzz started for me. See you are on your way! So exciting!! I remember obsessing over my new threads! What shampoo to use, what to rub on my head etc..etc. it's so exciting to watch it grow!
Keep us posted and you can always DM me too! I look forward to hearing good news from you!!
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I'm at 10 weeks and can still see my scalp. I was planning on covering the grey with a gentle warm brown this weekend but I'm waiting a little longer. I was expecting more by now.
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Rachael I think you should just let it grow for a bit and see what you get!!
Keep the chemicals and color off for about six months. Nurture your scalp and new threads !!
10 weeks congrats!!
I’m not sure on your chemo regime if it wiped out every thread on your head, but mine did. It takes time. I have my hair progression on camera. It’s thicker and crazier than I’ve ever remembered!!
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Hello Everyone -- I'm popping over to this board now that I'm officially 2 weeks PC! OrangeDaisy, you put powdered collagen in your coffee? Do you just get that at the pharmacy? Does it have a taste? I've been using Brian Joseph's Formula One shampoo on my bald head ever since it was shaved in August. Love it, and it supposedly keeps the follicles open and encourages regrowth. But I want to do something additional as well.
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Awww—you guys are sweet. I had a bit of a celebratory trip over the weekend. Sorry about the funny placement of the pictures. This is 12 weeks + one day PFC. 
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Ingerp- you look great and hope you had a great time at Disney!
Here is my latest progress photo! First photos are 3, 6 and 9 months after chemo and last photo was yesterday 15 1/2 months after my last chemo. It's almost back to where it was prior. My hairdresser has been just amazing and I'm so thankful for her. Patience has not always been a virtue but here’s to hope and progress!!
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leesa - wow, nice progression! When did you start coloring? Sorry if you mentioned it above but I can't find it.... I wanna be blond again and instead I look like a silver backed gorilla lol
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