Keeping our Hair Healthy while taking anti hormonals
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Hair With A Cause Hair Recovery Treatment Center offers Treatment Programs that will help Post Chemo Hair Recovery and they also offer Hair Extensions to help grow out your hair.
Christine
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Michelle, thanks for telling me about this post. I recently took a trip and at one point a picture was taken of me where I could see my own crown area. I was mortified to see what looked like a near bald spot! I went for a haircut yesterday and talked to the stylist about it. She said yes an area right on my crown is thinning. My part also appears to be widing. I have a cowlick area back there so that doesnt help. I try to back comb it. She recommended trying biotin but now I read the article about it throwing off labs! Dang! Not sure what to do. I found a spray at my local walgreens that helps camouflage my scalp by making it darker. I will try to post a pic. I started using VERB products which I buy at my local costcutters. Meow, I am also very grey and dye my hair. I worry about the harsh chemicals making me lose more hair, but dont like my hair if I dont dye it. I dont know how grey you are but if <30% you could try a demi permanent that would not damage and make your hair nice and shiney. I use Age Beautiful by Zotos. I buy it at Sallys. I use the permanent but they have a demi permanent. It claims to help thicken. If anyone has had luck thickening a thinning area I would love to hear. Sorry this post got so long.
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GK, I would probably find another product, besides VERB, to use to cleanse and condition hair. I used Nioxin for several months after radiation. My hair really fell out at that time. Zoladex, which shuts down the ovaries functioning, can be a culprit as well. After the Nioxin, I moved on to Living Proof Full Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave in Cream. They were travel sizes, which I used over the summer. By fall, I was buying samples of Monat on Ebay and Amazon, which did help my hair regrowth, but is kind of drying. I had some Rose Oil Shampoo by Matrix and the accompanying conditioner, and used that for a bit. I did find some good hair products in Monat which could help you: Root Lifter, Smoothing Creme which is a leave in (actually seems to bulk up the hair). I have continued to mix and mingle my product lines, and recently been playing with Amika, which I feel is really good for my hair. They have hydrating shampoo and conditioners with Sea Buckthorn Berry. Also, a leave in cream that I put on my ends because they are dry, which I apply day. My hair regrowing, is slightly dry, is lowlighted - just not enough. My hair and my skin are two challenges to keep healthy and youthful, but I am taking aim and working hard to make sure both are intact during my Tamox o' fun years. Hugs to all my girls working on their hair!!
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Anyone dabble in DIY hair masks or hot oil treatments? Off today so trying peanut oil and honey. Letting it sit on my hair now while enjoying a cup of chamomile tea and watching a movie. Will post later how it worked.
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Gk,how did your hair turn out? Did the peanut oil mixture strip your color?
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No not at all. It looks good. Cant say it seems any better than other things I have tried though and it was was a bit of a complicated application. What I really liked better was how it made my skin feel from rinsing off with the warm water. It made my skin feel amazing!
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I used the Amika hydrating shampoo and the Redken "All soft" heavy cream conditioner. My hair looks healthier, and I plan to use a curling iron later and see how it turns out. Please keep up the suggestions, and let us know what brands you use.
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I lost ALL of my hair in 2010-2011 due to chemo. I went from chemo directly to aromatase inhibitors. Since I am stage IV, I will have to be on these drugs the rest of my life. My hair grew back, somewhat, but it is really unsightly! It grew back gray, wiry, and sparsely. Due to the drugs, I have male pattern baldness. I have been wearing wigs for almost 8 years now, and I am so over it!!! About a year ago, I changed from Femara to Aromasin, a little later I increased my biotin supplements, and started using Rogain. Not sure which one is helping, but my hair has gotten a little thicker. I now color it (no more gray), and can pull it back into a ponytail and wear a hat and feel comfortable in public. However, this is not the ideal hair style for a lot of situations! I have never had hair extensions, or even know how they work. Could this even be a possibility
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415, there is something called a hair halo, which is a strand of extensions on an invisible line. In your particular situation, I would think that a shop, with experience in wigs for chemotherapy patients, could find a fabulous one for you. If your insurance would pay, I would get a couple of wigs....a fun one, and a classic shoulder length or bobbed style. Even if you don't have it naturally, still flaunt it, that is what celebs do!!
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I have been taking excellent care of my hair and will be traveling to Vegas next week. It is dry there, so I am taking hair oil with me. The dry air just sucks the moisture out of my skin and hair. I recently purchased a hair oil by Pureology that is light weight and am trying a hair oil by Lanza which is a heavier weight. I have been using the Lanza blue conditioner and the silver shampoo (or other shampoo) - it cancels out warmth in my ash tone blonde hair. I follow that up with Monat's leave in conditioner and Amieka's leave in conditioning creme in the days that follow. Hydration, for me, is the #1 defense against breakage. What do you think?
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Michelle, do you think the Monat helped? I went to a hair dresser yesterday to have her look at my hair (or lack of hair). She highly recommended Monat, however, I looked at reviews and they were terrible. So I got scared off and decided it might be risky. There has got to be something out there to help me!!! I am so done with wearing wigs, going on 8 years now. Extensions and Halos won't work, I don't have enough hair on the top of my head.
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Anybody tried or know anything about topical 5-alpha reductase inhibitors? Is it safe for breast cancer patients, or does it promote cancer growth?
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4152010 I feel so bad for you! All you have been through and you just want your hair! I have a small bald spot in my crown area. I have enough hair to the front of it that I can tease it to try to hide it. Do you think that something like this might help you? Not exactly a wig. I hope the link works.
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There is a product by Monat, for people that have done chemo // alopecia. However, you need to check with your dermatologist to find out why your hair is not filling in. Are you currently in a chemo treatment plan? Do you have thyroid issues? If you do not have any other medical issues, I would try the monat hair oil. I would try it by purchasing sample packets on ebay. A sample packet will last a couple of treatments.
Here is a segment on youtube about bonded hair. If I lost most of my hair, I think that I would do this. I would shave my head (which could encourage hair growth) and have a bonded wig for 3 to 4 weeks, like the one in the video.
Personally, I would not add more drugs to my body, to regain my hair growth. We are likely to create more issues that way, in my personal opinion.
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sorry my link didnt work. I will try a different way. I am going to think about this if mine gets much worse. I know getting the right color is essential so I am willing to send back however many times or find a retailer. I also dye my hair so could work on a match. I have heard of women bringing them to their hairstylists and they can cut and layer to help blend.
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uuugggh I cant get any of the links to work! Just youtube toppers 101. See what you think.
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Has anyone has their hair grow back to pre cancer levels once they have come off these drugs. my hair too is thinning on the crown. despite no recurrence nearly 6 years on i find myself deeply upset at the state of my hair. It's just another loss.
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I don’t have enough hair for a topper. Receding hairline, mostly due to clipping on wigs, plus just very thin and sparse
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4152010 so sorry. I recently saw a dermatologist who said rogaine but told me to buy the mens formula. My hairdresser said take prenatal vitamins and biotin. I hope your hair just keeps getting thicker for you. Maybe someone else will post something that worked for them.
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Michelle, which Monat product are you referring to for hair loss due to chemo or Alopecia? I don’t think I need to see a dermatologist to find out why my hair isn’t filling in. I have been on aromatase inhibitors for 7 years, and will be on them indefinitely. No estrogen means no hair. However, over the years, with Rogaine, super vitamins, and sheer willing, I have gotten some hair to come in. I want to try everything that I can
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Thank you gkbuser. I've just about tried it all, and within the last year or so, my hair volume has increased some, but has a long way to go! This picture was taken after I took my wig off. I probably should have combed it first, LOL
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I think I would just try the Monat oil, as some of their other products have red clover leaf etc. in them. I also know of a procedure of scalp tattooing with microdots, so the scalp is not as visible. If I would lose my hair to a great extent, I would shave it and have a wig professionally glued down. Those wigs last for three weeks or more glued down, but you have to have very little hair if any.
I have heard some wigs are nice, like the Raquel Welch line are really nice too.
As far as seeing a dermatologist, don't assume it is the AI's doing cause the current hair loss. Taxotere has been a culprit and there is a class action lawsuit regarding those who used Taxotere and did not regrow their hair.
There is a time limit on the AI's because of bone thinning and other issues. Unless a person is Stage IV, I don't think AI's are indefinite.
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I've had a Halo Couture hair extensionsince before I was diagnosed just because I have naturally fine thin hair. I only wear it once in a while for dress up but I would highly recommend if someone is looking to add volume, it won't however help to hide thinning or baldness in the crown area.
My already fine hair suffered after radiation. In the last few weeks I started using this line by Paul Mitchell. So far I feel like the texture both wet and dry has improved. Haven't seen new growth at this point, will keep you posted .
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Michelle, what is red clover leaf?? And yes, I am Stage IV, diagnosed 4-15-2010. So AI,s are indefinite, unfortunately. I have been wearing expensive Raquel Welch wigs for years. At this point, nothing looks good to me, I’m just sick and tired of not having hair. Grateful I have done so well in my fight, but desperately want my hair back
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Red clover leaf is a phytoestrogen, which is not recommended for breast cancer patients. Since you are on an AI indefinitely, I would look for human hair wigs that can be cut and colored. It might not be the real thing, but it can be beautiful. If you keep your hair very, very short, it might also be very cute. Don't give up hope for liking your hair, maybe work with a hair consultant (insurance should pay) and get a look that you like. We are all very lucky to be here and I want to wish all of you a great Easter evening. Hugs to my girls with curls.....and without curls...
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gigi, I also had issues with my hair after radiation. It fell out by the handfuls and I used Nioxin to nudge it back to life. It has been a journey, that is for sure.
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Michelle, I started out 8 years ago with real hair wigs. They are very expensive, and very difficult to deal with. I quickly changed to synthetic and was much happier. The one I wear is a great color, and I get it cut to my liking each time I get a new one. I get many compliments from people who have no clue that it is a wig, however, I certainly know! Can hardly stand to put the thing on my head anymore!! I recently retired from my job, so the only time I wear a wig is when I go out somewhere, never at home. It’s really not a matter of how it looks, it’s how it feels. Itchy, sweaty, annoying! I buy about 3 a year, they only last a few months, and unfortunately,
my insurance company will not pay for them.0 -
415, you look fantastic and what a pretty wig!!! Think of all the time that you save not having to mess with "doing" your hair and the many different looks you can have. If you have to be on AI's for an indefinite period of time, maybe think of these wigs as a blessing. I would look at Taxotere as the culprit, and check out the class action law suit for hair regrowth after using that chemo med. By the way, your last sentence was cut off by your picture. The American Cancer Society has brand new wigs that people send in, new with tags, to give away. Perhaps check with them about what you are looking for and your situation?
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Michelle - the Taxotere lawsuit is not a class action, so far there are only individual suits. They have been consolidated to one district for ease of administration, and the first test cases are to begin shortly. Nobody has won money yet. The suits hinge not on whether the hair has grown back, every chemo carries some risk of that happening. Rather, the damage awards are concerned with whether patients were told there is a higher risk of this with Taxotere. If the patient was informed, and their hair didn't not return, they cannot sue. If they were treated after 2015, when the packaging included risk warnings, they cannot sue. I was aware of the permanent loss risk in 2010 and discussed this with my oncologist. Hair thinning is very common with AI drugs due to the estrogen suppression. My hair grew back after Taxotere, but has thinned considerably from 18 months of Arimidex and 6 years of Femara.
4152010 - here is a link to a salon that deals specifically with hair loss on top of the head. I'm not sure if you are interested in this level of intervention, but the before and after photos are impressive. I am thin on top, and have extensions completely around my head from ear to ear. I need to restart Femara and if I lose much more on top I will go this route.
http://www.lucindaellery-hairloss.com/
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https://youtu.be/JIi1n9XgPPc