Hair
Comments
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I am just starting to lose my hair from my first round of chemo and cried all day yesterday. I did want to add that I had Lupus and permanently lost some hair on the crown of my head. I have used the hair fiber product Caboki and have been very happy with it. I sprinkle it on the spots and you can't even see them. I hope this helps someone who needs to cover thin or bald spots.
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emac, sorry to hear about your experience with your hair dresser. It is so hard to find one that actually listens. BCO had a thread on a product called hairmax awhile ago which works well on growing hair. Ibrance has thinned out my hair quite a bit so I thought I would give it a try. I bought the cheapest lazer, shampoo, conditioner, and serum for the scalp. It's been a couple of months and My bald spots are filling in. I still have fine hair but I am noticing some new short hairs growing in making my hair look fuller. Here is the link if anyone is interested.
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I had been looking forward to emac's hair appointment yesterday and hoping that you would have found a hairstyle you would be happy with. I am so sorry. Good suggestions above. Another suggestion to help find someone that can help with a new cut if your friend doesn't know what to do would be to ask someone you see who has a curly haircut you like who does it even if they are a stranger. Don't be afraid to ask as even a stranger would be flattered that someone asked them that.
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Wow, I appreciate all the support. I did ditch that other hairdresser. I had a good cry about it and then I was just mad. My friend has a salon and he got me in on Thursday and I really like what he did. I am terrible with selfies but I will work on how to upload one. Basically we decided to go edgy and copied the singer Pink. If you can imagine her with dark hair, slightly curly on top that's what I did. It's so short on the sides! I had a mild heart attack when he was cutting it but the end result actually hides the thinning better and being short on the sides lets me wear a hat without worrying about hat hair. It's the easiest thing ever! So he picked up another super grateful client.
I had heard of Toppik. I stayed away from it because I was afraid it would sweat off at work or at the gym. Ill have to look at it more closely. My friend used a root spray that is intended to cover grays but it covers the scalp some also. It's by the brand Unite and it's called 'gone in 7 seconds'. It worked pretty well but makes the hair feel kind of gummy. I think Loreal makes a similar product I've seen at Walmart. I will look into the other suggestions too. I appreciate the moral support! Thank you.
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emac877- so happy to hear this! it is important to feel good- I love the idea of an edgy cut- my hairdresser was very good at cutting the irregular growth after chemo into a style- YAY!!!
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emac, sorry for the trouble your original hair dresser put you through and glad you found another one who worked with you for a solution you’re happy with. I’m sure a part of you wants to revisit the first hair dresser to show her how it’s done! Maybe you can accidentally on purpose run into her somewhere!
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emac877 -
I have hair thinning on the top of my head, maybe not because of chemo.
I use L'Oreal's Magic Root Cover Up. After washing and drying, I spray it across the top of my head. Be sure to shake the can thoroughly! It usually lasts until my next shampoo - sometimes days at a time. Spray it in cross sections, then you may run your fingers easily through so that the scalp coloring is even.
If you scratch your head for any reason, you will get color under your nails. Since I use dark brown or black, I look like I've been working with dirt. Sometimes I use black nail polish that doesn't show through.
Oh, the things we do to help ourselves feel better.
Warm regards,
Anna
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But it does make us feel good. So glad there are different products to try. Looking good (or thinking I do) when I go to dinner with friends distracts me from thinking about my insides.
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hi ikgski,
It helps me so much to know that you are 10 year survivor.
Some days I can be positive but mostly mbc drags into negative thoughts
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emac- so happy your friend was able to make you feel better. I like the idea of you bumping into your old hairdresser who didn't want to do your hair. I have been with my hair dresser for 25+. When my hair fell out from chemo I had to ask her to cut it because it was so long, it was just a huge mess; she cried with me as she cut it. I text her the other day and told her I was ready to make an appointment and that I wanted to something fun with the color. She didn't say she wouldn't do it, however, she did advise me on a few things and for that I was grateful, but she never told me she would not do it.
I bought my mom L'Oreal's Magic Root Cover Up last year when her hair started thinning and it worked very well for her.
amontro - I think the same...the things we'll do, which goes along with what nopink says;
nopink - you nailed it; wanting to look good when going out to dinner or a special occasion. It makes such a difference in my self-confidence.
Positive2strong - your username says it all...stay positive and strong; you've got this!
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If we don't pat ourselves on the back for trying, who else is going to do it? Family and friends mean well, but we like to look in the mirror and see something that we made different.
Trying a new eye shadow or lipstick may help us change our moods.
I am very upset that, because of Covid, lipstick smears on the mask. I never did learn to use matte. So, when I go somewhere where my mask stays on, I don't wear lipstick.
Remember when they said to wear clean underwear in case you get hit by a bus? For me, a little more mascara goes a long way!
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I agree. I have found that in all the tests and visits, the oncologists really don't seem to get how important the loss of hair and sense of self is. This feels good. It's stinking cold here right now so I am wearing my beanies anyway but I feel good when I'm not and I don't feel like I have to hide under them. That has been a huge relief. The masks! Oh my gosh. I do liner because it looks like I have no eyelashes without it and I have gotten used to chapstick. I never wore a lot of makeup before cancer and I do a little more now but basically just enough to not look sick.
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Emac877- I think people still think it is about vanity- it's not for most. For me it is about privacy. I don't have to share this disease with anyone if I look well- don't have to hear grisly stories from people who "mean well???" people are afraid of bald women- men don't like being bald either, but, at least people aren't afraid of them and don't feel obliged to invade their privacy. also- it's cold
I got way more compliments on my hair when I wore a wig- it looked good all the time. not vanity
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A few comments about hair: I’ve colored mine since I was 17. I remember thinking that once my hair grew back after chemo that I would do my best not to complain about it, but that’s a lot easier said than done. Summer humidity makes my hair flat. It’s fine hair with medium thickness so it doesn’t hold curl well. It has always grown very slowly, even before chemo. I’ve never found a good hairstylist. Too many quickly cut so much of my hair my heart sinks that they don’t realize how long it takes to grow back. I cut my hair myself but it can be tedious to keep up.
The thing I have fun with is trying different hair products. I use several different ones on my hair before I blow dry it, and a few others after it’s curled. I like volumizing cream, texturizing paste and wax, hairspray and all the other kinds of products to smoosh, crunch, tug and cajole my hair into shape. I only spend maybe 15 minutes fixing it in the morning. I will say I feel great when I have a good hair day!
I wear eyeliner and use brow pencil since lashes/brows never really grew back after chemo. It makes a big difference. I have a neutral color lip gloss with a wand applicator that I love. I wear earrings every day, always have, even if I’m staying home.
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Nkb, you spoke for me. I wore a wig so I would look like everyone else. Didn't want to draw attention and be the woman with cancer. Wigs are great, but I'm really glad I have hair now. And yes I color it all the time.
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I has two wigs, one for the summer months and another for the fall/winter. They both looked really good on me and no one knew it was not my hair. Like, Nkb, it was all about privacy for me, not many people knew about my diagnosis (my choice.) I've seen many women rock the bald look and not because they lost their hair, but because they wanted it to be bald. Several friends that I meant during chemo definitely rocked the look, they looked so good, but not me. I am so grateful to have hair and I agree (I finally get it), it's not vanity, it's a sense of normalcy for many of us. After everything we have been through and still going through, we are entitled to want to feel good about our appearance, there's nothing wrong with that.
Mascara and brow gel have become my friend throughout covid. My lashes did not come back as full and my brows, well they grew back so light. I love lipstick, but because of the masks I stopped wearing it and chemo made the so chapped so I started wearing lip balm. The trick to lipstick with masks is to prime your lip with lip primer or regular foundation (just dab it on) and lip liner so it does not bleed.
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Emac,
Your comment about oncologists not "getting it" really spoke to me. One of the treatments I have recently been on caused my hair to thin terribly. My doc had made no mention of this. When it started, I asked her about it and in an off handed way she said, oh yes, this can happen sometimes. Then we had a discussion about another drug -- I asked her about hair loss, and she seemed surprised that I would ask. What? We just went through the hair thinning episode less than six months ago. When I asked her about cold capping, she said we could look into it, but again seemed surprised.
Seems to me that we need some more empathy training in med school.
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I've been so blessed with my entire medical team. When I told my MO about my hair she was very empathetic and was going to reduce my dosage of Xeloda (I'm on it for maintenance.) I was already dealing with some other SE's to which she changed my schedule from 14/7 not 7/7, which I'm hoping will help so I told her I'd like to stick with the dose and we'd reassess at my next visit. She's been such a great support to me and has always tried to uplift me.
I'm so sorry to those of you that have had to deal with MOs/other doctors that don't do that. It really doesn't take much to do it. I realize their seeing many patients, but it's not hard to go that extra "mile" to say a couple of nice words, regardless of what it's about. It can make a world of difference to person.
Ok sorry, I know that really wasn't hair related.
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I do think it can be hard for people to really "get" the hair loss impact if it hasn't happened to them. I thought when I lost my hair with the first chemo that it would fully come back in a few months- I didn't realize how horrible it was- I was obsessed with each new wisp as it grew in. It is true that some people rock wigs and have fun with it and are very transparent about what is happening to them- I do think that my MO does understand as much as one can who it hasn't happened to, but, I guess they also deal with the desire to save or prolong your life as primary and hair loss as secondary.
Serendipity- I read that 6% of people have hair loss with Xeloda. Mine is thinner, though thicker than with Ibrance- No loss with Afinitor.
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Emac - I am so happy that your friend was able to give you a style that makes you happy. It makes me happy too!
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Nkb - my hair was shedding quite a bit on X. About two weeks into my break from X I started seeing new growth. Hoping that the 7/7 will cause less shedding. I only have to do eight cycles and hoping that I can get them all in.
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Happy to say that with the changed schedule of Xeloda, my hair is not shedding as much and I see quite a bit of new growth on the hairline, which was starting to concern me.
Oh, had to create a new account. Due to the update, I haven't been able to access my old account. Hopefully It can figure it out so I can get my old account back.
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Serendipity91- happy news!! why do you only have to take 8 cycles?
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nkb - I had a local recurrence that was discovered through biopsy on a "blemish" during my exchange surgery. I had to do rads and am taking X as a "precautionary measure."
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Hi everyone
- I am new to this forum- I just started my 4th round of Ibrance/Letrozole and my hair is thinning, as I expected it to. But I have a question for whomever has been on this combo for a while - does your hair continue to thin or when/does it ever start to grow back or stop thinning if you are on this med combo for years? I know this isn't the worst of the side effects for lots of us, but I was just curious on what to expect down the road. Thanks so much for any insight!0 -
I just want to chime in because I saw the Hairmax laser system suggested a few pages back. I am using the LaserBand by Hairmax and I really do think it is making a difference. My sister noticed it too, the hair on top of my head has gotten thicker and fuller, not sure if ithas improved my hairline yet but I’ve used it for almost a year now and definitely have more hair at the top and back.
I am not on Ibrance but I lost all my hair from Taxol 4 years ago and now I am on arimidex which I think contributes to the “old lady hair” problem.
To emac - I had thick curly hair also and now I just have limp frizzy hair. After it first grew in I had it cut short, hoping it would grow back in curly but it never has. I still wear my wigs because i like them and it is so much easier than wrestling with frizzy hair that is now 90% gray as well. But I would like to have the option of at least wearing a ponytail and not being bald on top which is why I bought the hairmax. And I dont wear wigs in the house, usually, and I like to swim without the wig although sometimes I do go in the pool with one on. But I still feel sad that I have lost my curls : ( even though I cursed them many times when I had them LOL.
I am glad you got a haircut that you like that works for you.
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Welcome chellbelle. Sorry you find yourself here with us. I hope you will find this site helpful and we do have weekly Zoom meetings that you may find helpful. The moderators are working to get a weekly Zoom meeting set up for those of us that can’t make the meetings held during the work day. I lost my hair with Taxol IV chemo that was completed a little over a month before I started Ibrance so I was starting off bald when I started Ibrance. My hair came back thinner than before but not sure which drug caused that or if it was both. That being said, I have been on Ibrance for almost 2 1/2 years and I do think that my hair loss has stabilized but not sure at what point that occurred. I do wear my hair a little shorter than before being Stage 4 because it is thinner but it looks okay and I am just thankful I have hair.
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olma61, is the Hairmax system red light therapy? The reason I ask is that I think red light therapy may not be safe for cancer patients.
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its led lasers, dont know if that is the same thing. I never heard that red light therapy might be dangerous, I used to use the red light therapy booth at planet fitness
Ok I found this on the Cleveland clinic website, Low Level Laser therapy is what hairmax calls it and this page says LLLT
is the same thing as “red light therapy" but no mention of use by cancer patients, except for this: “Other potential medical uses being investigated include:
- To reduce cancer chemotherapy side effects, including oral mucositis.”
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22114-red-light-therapy
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Here’s an article on red light therapy that addresses the cancer issue: https://redlighttherapyhome.com/blogs/news/red-light-therapy-for-cancer-not-quite-there-yet#Is_red_light_therapy_safe_for_cancer_patients0
