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Cold Caps Users Past and Present, to Save Hair

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Comments

  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    I wanted to let you all know that when I woke up this morning my hair absolutely, positively, 100%,looked exactly like a troll dolls hair! I really wanted to take a photo but my face kinda looked worse then my hair so I couldn't do it. On a positive note when I brushed it I only lost like a normal persons amount of hair! That's only happened like 2 times so far:)

    Also wildflower I keep wanting to reference a movie character who was kinda of a crack ho but I don't think anyone would get it. But just for the heck of it I look exactly like the beautiful woman from "I'm gonna get you sukkah" except I'm white and have 2 legs... I'll find a pic

    Found a video 😜



  • jgab
    jgab Member Posts: 24
    edited May 2016

    trixie16...do you go to Jason's? She loved Jason's...we have to do Sunday run to ace/shamrock because they are open on Sunday's. I have stuck with my Monday infusion day since it feels nice to feel better by the weekend when my family is home. We drive over three hours from northern Minnesota. I think my husband might cry harder than me if I lose my hair....he has put so much effort into this!

  • lydialydia
    lydialydia Member Posts: 12
    edited May 2016

    Day 17 and hair is shedding Im so upset........I know its normal but it sucks and im so depressed...............

  • Wildflower2015
    Wildflower2015 Member Posts: 223
    edited May 2016

    Lydia,

    That dreaded first shed is a real shock, isn't it? I felt the same way. Depressed and scared I'd still lose all my hair anyway. It's hard to get used to, when the shedding begins, but take heart from all the capping success stories here. You'll make it just like the rest of us!

  • Wildflower2015
    Wildflower2015 Member Posts: 223
    edited May 2016

    Phalia, lol! Thanks for the laugh this morning! Smile

  • goldenpawsKim
    goldenpawsKim Member Posts: 102
    edited May 2016

    TShire - you look stunning!! So so happy to see another success story. Congratulations ... you look beautiful. Looks like we had the same exact treatments - so glad it works!! Thanks for sharing. Best wishes -Kim


  • lydialydia
    lydialydia Member Posts: 12
    edited May 2016

    thanks for your encouraging words wildflower2015 It is very scary but I have hope that in the end ill save my hair. Does the shedding ever subside or do we keep shedding?

  • cody_mx
    cody_mx Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2016

    Annie looking great! You too phalia!

    So this is day 30 for me after first TC, also its the dreaded wash day, I have lost a lot of hair all over but mostly on my crown and part, you can really see it now :(

    Yesterday i got a topper wig, which I plan to use in occasions when troll hair is not acceptable

    On the bright side I think the shedding was slightly less today than on the last wash (it may be wishful thinking or it may be that I just have no more hair to shed)

    Any advice on wether this is working or not would be very much appreciatedimage

  • 7of9
    7of9 Member Posts: 474
    edited May 2016

    Cody I'm on day 31 and we could be twins. I wore a baseball cap to my sons baseball and soccer practice despite this being a no no and I don't think I got any second looks. There is no way in hell the rest of this shit rats nest troll hair goes this distance (is my gut feeling) but as long as I can throw on a hat when I go out and earrings, I'm keeping on keeping on. Besides taxotere is so rough, the main goal was and remains for it to come back - which I hope cold capping helps minimize the permanent damage to folicles since stupid Taxotere has a 3 - 6% permanent hair loss record.

  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    I know this might be bad but at this point I dont care. I have been using regular temperature water in my showers and I use my favorite shampoos and conditioners. And honestly, the hair has not reacted a bit differently. I have also found that a brush works much better at getting knots out (still holding roots so no pulling) . It also gets out freakin cradle cap flakes. Which (with no idea) I had a huge continent sized one right above my forehead throughout the WHOLE muffins with moms event!! 😡 THE WHOLE TIME

    Had I used a brush instead of wide combthat effer would not have been sitting there the whole time!

  • Wildflower2015
    Wildflower2015 Member Posts: 223
    edited May 2016

    phalia,

    If we're sharing confessions, then I need to say I did the following no-no's while capping, and still kept my hair:

    1. Washed my hair way more than the recommended number of times. Probably 4 times a week. Weekends and date nights, no way was I going to go out in public or have my guy see me with nasty looking hair.

    2. Wore baseball caps

    3. Wore a morotorcycle helmet, along with a do rag, in the middle of the hot summer

    4. Used hairspray

    5. Drank coffee

    6. Kept using aluminum based antiperspirant

    7. Used a blow dryer on the coolest setting (and sometimes warm for a couple of minutes)

    8. Oh yeah, I picked off the cradle cap, including some hairs, and my hair still grew back

    9. Exercised - and often had a hot sweaty head

    All those things people worry about.

    Now I am not recommending that anyone follow my lead! but I do hope it at least offers some reassurance to those who are worried about every single thing being a potential disaster. Maybe I was just lucky? Who knows!

  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    Are you my doppelgänger Wildflower? I also picked my cradle cRap, I wash my hair whenever I feel like it, and I sat in the sun today hoping to sun away the grays.

    The only time I followed the rules was week one. After having all my hair fall out and it being gross and stinky I had to just enjoy life a little bit more:

  • hikerchic
    hikerchic Member Posts: 25
    edited May 2016

    It's nice reading that it is okay to be not so rigid with the rules. I definitely have the "crack ho" look going on as I'm five days out from washing my hair...ugh. I haven't started my first shed yet as I'm only 11 days out from my first tx. When the shedding does start, is it fairly rapid and a good amount? My husband and I are going away for Trail Days next weekend and I was wondering about tips for being out and shedding. I have a straw cowboy hat (so it's well ventilated) and might just wear that. I just don't wanna be talking to people and have hair all over me or blowing on them...LOL. Also, anyone else doing cold capping on AC? I know my results aren't going to be as favorable as it is so harsh, but I'm cool with that. I'm just happy to be feeling like my old self and full of energy this last weekend prior to my next tx!

  • viktoryak
    viktoryak Member Posts: 238
    edited May 2016

    Girls, lol . you are way to funny! You made my day. I just started capping> Had first chemo on Tuesday. Scared for day 17.So far my hair ok. I exercised today and yes my hair get sweaty. There is no way i can not sweat when exercising. I bough a portable fan to blow my sweaty hair. Bough different bandanas and plan to use them . My hair short and I can no way be without some "styling mechanism" or in this case if no gel then bandana or hat will have to be

    What is it about not drinking coffee? Is it something to do with hair...




  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    yeah the coffee thing is kinda dumb right?! I totally blew past that rul

  • Runner70
    Runner70 Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    why can't we have coffee? And I use aluminum based antiperspirant. What does that have to do with hair? And I exercise a lot and my head gets hot. So what? I think now that I know it's working, I'm becoming more lax. I don't freak out anymore when my comb pulls out 20 hairs. "Wash day" doesn't stress me out. Now I'm strictly in survival mode. I have 1 infusion left and I'm trying to just get through this hell all in one piece. I'm tired of not knowing if I'll have the energy to keep plans I made or not. And I'm tired of worrying what I'll do if this comes back.

    Phaila- the more chemos you do, the funnier you get!

  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    the real me stood up;) I'm a dry witted, sarcastic, super crass shy comedian...

    ;)

  • starsarestars
    starsarestars Member Posts: 30
    edited May 2016

    Hi beautiful ladies,

    I am 4 1/2 months post final chemo. I'd like to report I still have hair, never had any bald spots! Penguin Cold Caps do work! I think I lost about half my hair and was scared I was losing too much at one point. But it really did work. I just look like I have thin hair now. No one would ever know I'd have gone through chemo without me telling them. This process was long, hard, took lots of work from my friends and family but in the end was worth it 100%. I now can see my new hairs growing in and filling in my hair. They are about 1" and growing

    I'd be more than happy to answer any questions any newbies have.

    Lots of luck!!!


  • starsarestars
    starsarestars Member Posts: 30
    edited May 2016

    I'm at the point (4.5 months PFC) where I'm thinking of coloring my hair. Would still like something organic, gentle and natural. Any suggestions? My hair is light brown,with previous dyed blond ends. I used to dye my hair blond before all this cancer stuff. Thinking of just staying natural light brown/ dirty blond.

    Thx!!

  • anniekaja11
    anniekaja11 Member Posts: 116
    edited May 2016

    hey all...Happy Mother's Day to everyone...

    My bald spot is really growing on top...Cody, I think you mentioned a product ?Toppix to help with this...which supplies do you use with it? Anyone got any other ideas or products?

    Thanks -

    Annie

  • cody_mx
    cody_mx Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2016

    annie i just use the fibers, that is the only thing they sell here in mexico, i shake it on top of the bald spots and just pat it in, it makes a HUGE difference

  • anniekaja11
    anniekaja11 Member Posts: 116
    edited May 2016

    thanks for the humor and the great attitudes and the break some of the rules...I'm going to wear a cap tomorrow and get some scarfs until I figure out how to make over my growing bald spot. Uhhhhh. I'm not looking forward to 30 days out at this point...but I still look okay from the front. Maybe I should get elevator shoes so I'm taller than everyone.

    Today I was thinking about that line "That chick looks like shit." I'm a counselor and I thought "My counselor looks like shit but she knows her stuff."


  • anniekaja11
    anniekaja11 Member Posts: 116
    edited May 2016

    Cody, is it Toppix? No water? Just shake and pat?

    Thanks...


  • anniekaja11
    anniekaja11 Member Posts: 116
    edited May 2016

    Cody - Its working! 30 days in! its nothing super prominent. What"s a topper wig?

  • Aussie-girl75
    Aussie-girl75 Member Posts: 95
    edited May 2016

    happy Mother's Day to all of you!! And to all going through chemo and capping at the moment good luck and stay strong. Xx

  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    Hi Starstar, I have a couple questions

    When you start your counting - as after chemo-are you starting to count like right after your last day of treatment or are you counting treatment plus the weeks afterwards? Most say they shed for 8 weeks post chemo. I'm just wondering if they are starting their count the day of their last chemo treatment??? Does that make sense?

    Also you wouldn't have any pics to share would you? Like before/after/now?

    Thanks for the pep "talk" too👍😊🌈

  • cody_mx
    cody_mx Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2016

    Annie its called Toppik, it comes in something like a salt shaker, and its little fibres that adhere to the scalp and remaining hairs, it comes in different colours to match your hair, no need to add anything, there is a spray applicator that you can buy in the states, but i don't know how that works.

    a topper wig is basically a toupe but for women, they look nothing like trump´s hair, it matches my hair exactly even in length so I clips it on my remaining hair and it covers the baldness and adds some volume, I will only wear it on special occasions because Im afraid the clips may damage the remaining hair, but you can't even tell Im wearing anything when I have it on. In the meantime Im wearing scarfs to cover and also to protect from the sun!

    If next week the shedding is anything like in the third week of las round I will have no more hair

  • phaila
    phaila Member Posts: 177
    edited May 2016

    Cody- just take deep breaths! I swear a was a total basket case I lost so much hair. I'm still losing hair but not nearly like the first 2 treatments. I keep thinking about how much I'm losing but if I look at my hair there's still lots. Like people with thin hair have less then me and I've lots TONNNSSSSS and tons and tons. Here is a pic just from the first half of the first shed. There are like 3 full sized sheep in those bags and those were just the ones that I kept. After a while I said screw it and stopped saving. On your photo it's thin but there's soooooo much there. Compare it to bald and you like have an Afro! And if you're a mom HAPPY MOTHERS DAY❤️🌈🌻

    image

    Plus it's brown which is so weird because my hair was dark blond. You know that happened to me once before, when I was like 17 I had a serious car accident and my hair was light blond, after the accident my hair was falling out but it was like jet black! The accident shocked my system and turned my hair black...but only the hair that fell out. So weird.. 😳

    I'm going to look for toppix today. Sounds interesting:

  • cody_mx
    cody_mx Member Posts: 57
    edited May 2016

    happy mothers day to everyone!

    Here we dont celebrate it until may 10 so I still have a few days

  • anniekaja11
    anniekaja11 Member Posts: 116
    edited May 2016

    Hiker chic - I just used the wide tooth comb that they gave me when the shedding started, I combed it in the morning and the evening. I'm keeping all the hair and putting it into a cup and then press it down with a cup on top. When this is over, I'm going to make a nest of it or send it out to sea for something like that. For me, it was slow start around day 12 with a few hairs and then more intense at 20,21,22 and now still a lot. It falls onto my shoulders but its not anything that anyone notices. I find hairs in my coffee and places like that. I'm so glad that you are getting out and having fun life input!!!


    A

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