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Hair Hair Hair - Another question

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  • Rocket
    Rocket Posts: 910
    edited March 2012

    Here's my funny story. In response to a comment I made about losing my hair two weeks after my first chemo treatment, a woman questioned, "Do you lose ALL your body hair?" (implying the hair in the nether region). I replied, "Yes I DID lose my nose hair too!" (ignoring her rude curiosity.

  • MamaV
    MamaV Posts: 373
    edited March 2012

    Looking great everyone ... I've been sick the last week and 1/2.  I will post pics soon - I'm 7 months PFC today!

  • Rocket
    Rocket Posts: 910
    edited March 2012

    Congrats MamaV on you 7 mth. anniversary PFC.

  • Bonseye
    Bonseye Posts: 124
    edited March 2012

    Love having you all here!

    Ossa-love your hair and hoping mine grows in as fast!! You look great!



    Saw a neighbor the other day and I told her I had 5 more treatments to go......her response

    "That went fast!". To which i didn't hesitate to say. "No it didn't"!!!



    All i could think of was all the SE's...hair loss, no eyebrows, eyelashes, appetite...pain, shingles, emergency surgery for staph infection....what are people thinking?? I have done well losing my hair and dealing in general...not all women would do as well as all of us! The little things are exciting to me right now.....starting treatment 8 of Taxol and watching my head carefully for hair growth...feel like a Chia Pet! LOL. I had incredible hair before this and just thankful to think of it growing back....I will take what I get-it sure beats bald. :)

  • Ossa
    Ossa Posts: 685
    edited March 2012

    Mamav.. 7 months .. woo hoo.. hope you are feeling better

  • superfoob
    superfoob Posts: 121
    edited November 2014

    Ok...this is the first time I am trying to upload pics, bear with me.
    Also, I just washed my face so my hair is kinda wet in places. I guess I should've taken these while trying to look all pretty but I was in the bathroom and had my phone with me. So there.

    I am 6 months PFC. My hair looks just like it did pre-chemo. Flat, Thin, Straight with some tinsel (ie: gray) mixed in here and there just for fun.

    hair.front 6mths PFC

    IDC 1cm Grade 2 and ILC 11cm Grade 1: all removed! Chemo kicked my liver mets ass...YEAH! Getting treated as if Stage IIIa (Surg. Path.) Currently in Rads.
    Diagnosis: 4/4/2011, Stage IV, 6/6 nodes, mets, ER+/PR+, HER2-

  • superfoob
    superfoob Posts: 121
    edited March 2012

    Trying again.

    Ok...this is the first time I am trying to upload pics, bear with me.
    Also, I just washed my face so my hair is kinda wet in places. I guess I should've taken these while trying to look all pretty but I was in the bathroom and had my phone with me. So there.

    I am 6 months PFC. My hair looks just like it did pre-chemo. Flat, Thin, Straight with some tinsel (ie: gray) mixed in here and there just for fun.

    I could've sworn my nose isnt this big! UGH!!!

    hair.front 6mths PFChair.back 6mths PFC

  • divinemrsm
    divinemrsm Posts: 6,621
    edited March 2012

    geegster, dang!!!! You got a whole lotta hair at 6 months PFC!!!! Lookin' good!

  • Ossa
    Ossa Posts: 685
    edited March 2012

    geegter.. all I see is hair and more air, looking good

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Posts: 509
    edited March 2012

    geegster, You look great and your hair is growing fast.

  • superfoob
    superfoob Posts: 121
    edited March 2012

    Aw shucks....thanks!!



    *shuffles feet and blushes*

  • cdairth
    cdairth Posts: 63
    edited March 2012

    Geegster, you look great. I don't see any grey, I mean tinsel. I'm not getting chemo curls either. I think my hair is even straighter than before.

  • Love74
    Love74 Posts: 60
    edited March 2012

    SelenaWolf - The explanation I got about hair dye from a hairdressor was that when your hair grows back it has the strength of baby hair. The chemicals in the dye could break and damage the hair. And when you dye it the first time make sure its not hi lites or bleaching to a blond colour because that chemical is apparently too strong for six months...I was told that lightening should wait til hair is 1.5". But everybody has different texture hair right? Im sure there are exceptions to the rule...and semi-permanents too.

  • shore1
    shore1 Posts: 591
    edited March 2012

    Hi All, if the curling is going to happen, when does it start? I'm at 5 1/2 weeks pfc and have ugly grayish black coating of what seems like straight hair. My hair has been super curly my whole life. Does it usually have to get to a certain length before you can start to see how its going to grow, or is the straight growth I see now likely to stick around? Thank God many of you have said the color works itself out!

  • marjie
    marjie Posts: 365
    edited March 2012

    geegster - looking good!!

    bonseye - I used to hate my DH's countdown "well, only 5 more to go, only 4 more to go...." and when people would say "It'll be over before you know it..."  Sure - you try being in my shoes!!

    It sure was a difficult process to go through and time seemed to stand still - but now that it's done, I do feel like it went fast, lol. 

  • mizmarie
    mizmarie Posts: 137
    edited March 2012

    Shore, my hair appeared to come in straight, but in the past 3 weeks or so, ripples have begun to form on the back of my head.  My hair was curly before, but I had nice big loose curls, lots of body and easy to manage - what I fear I am getting now is poodle hair.  It's still fairly straight on the top and sides, but also is not as long as the back. 

     Geegster, you look great!

  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Posts: 516
    edited March 2012
    MizMarie Yup, that sounds like it could be the chemo curls coming on...I've always had straight hair and I wouldn't mind the curls but the texture of this hair is what makes the combination impossible. I'm still keeping it short until the texture softens up. I think it's like some kind of weird brillo pad-dry and wiry. It's like trying to style cotton candy:) When I tried to let it grow out initially, someone at work said it was growing out Jiffy Pop style i.e. poofy and straight out of my head-not good.Geegster Your hair looks great, I'll trade you! :)
  • dechi
    dechi Posts: 110
    edited March 2012
    The first time I went through chemo my hair was dry, wiry and nasty.  It eventually turned back to its normal texture.  I don't remember how long that took but it did happen.Foot in mouth
  • shore1
    shore1 Posts: 591
    edited March 2012

    MizMarie, how many weeks pfc did you start to notice ripples?

    Dragonfly & Dechi, your descriptions are scaring me! :) I will start stocking up on some good products I've always used to smooth curly hair - have you tried morroccan oil? I found using that or rusk deep shine oil worked, although that was not on chemo curly hair, just naturally curly. In any case, once I have some hair, I will try never to complain of a bad hair day again.

  • mizmarie
    mizmarie Posts: 137
    edited March 2012

    Shore, I first noticed the ripples at about the 10 or 11 week mark.  I'm now at week 13.  I know a couple of women who naturally have the wiry ringlets, and, well, I just don't care for that look.  :-( 

  • marjie
    marjie Posts: 365
    edited March 2012

    MizMarie - Jiffy Pop, LOL, that sounds familiar....when I try to let my hair grow, it just seems to get bigger rather than longer. 

  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Posts: 516
    edited March 2012
    Shore I was beginning to get the ripples in my hair around 12 weeks as well. Around 16 weeks the ends began to curl and I knew the chemo curls had begun. It's not all bad. I'm 9 1/2 months PFC and I really think the texture is beginning to change slightly. It's softening up just a little bit and I can pull some of the curl out now but I think it will be a while before the texture completely reverts back. It also has no natural shine but I have read that others see that come back as well after a year or so.I just can't fight with it so it's easier right now to keep it short and scrunch it with gel to add some shine. When I tried to grow it out it really was an explosion that couldn't be tamed-picture me with Don King hair:)
  • lago
    lago Posts: 11,653
    edited March 2012
    Got my hair cut again today. My hair grows like weeds. My stylist again noticed that texture looking really nice again. He also thinned it a bit because it's so thick… but then he dried it puffy Tongue out
  • eileenohio
    eileenohio Posts: 268
    edited March 2012

    Lago, that is great news, and so encouraging.  My hair used to grow fast so I am hoping that when chemo is done it will start to grow fast again. Had my 2nd treatment on wednesday,happy to say no side effects . I went shopping today,washed and waxed my hall floor,cleaned out some drawers.   I find if I stay busy I can forget about this darn itchy wig. I really love this wig,but after several hours it begins to itch. Linda gave me some advice about Walgreens Healing Moisturizing Lotion,so I bought some today.  I will try it tonight and tomorrow morning before I put my wig on.  Have a great weekend everyone.   Eileen

  • CaitlinB
    CaitlinB Posts: 88
    edited March 2012

    Hi Ladies,

    Geegster, that's a lot of hair....hope mine grows back that fast.

    Speaking of insensitive people, I had lunch with a friend and I was telling her that I got two new wigs and she said, "You're going to lose your hair?"  Duh.  Then she went on to say, "I am glad I am not going through this."  Duh again, but completely insensitive.  I wanted to slap her.  Then she said, "I am sorry you are going through this."  I was completely speechless.  

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Posts: 1,477
    edited March 2012

    It is just amazing to me, with so many people getting chemo these days, how ignorant people are about it and insensitive. I am so hyper aware now, every time I see a woman wearing a hat that I can't see her hair I can't stop looking at her, because I want to hug her and tell her she will be ok. But since she is out and about in her hat I suppose she knows that.

  • CaitlinB
    CaitlinB Posts: 88
    edited March 2012

    I agree, Carrol2.  I want to hug anyone going through chemo or cancer treatment.  God bless us! 

  • EmilyInOntario
    EmilyInOntario Posts: 288
    edited March 2012

    Amazingly it's now 10 months PFC and my hair is about 2 inches long BUT while it is normal and thick and slighly curly on the back of my head , it sticks STRAIGHT up on the top of my head like a punk rocker and is much thinner. I can see my scalp in places. Has anyone experienced this and how long before hair becomes it's former texture. My hair was always thick, naturally curly but fine. Now it looks like grass growing out of the top of my head! ( but it's red not green..*L*) Hair products just plaster it to my head so I just wear my wig when I go out becasue I don't know what else to do with it but I so long to ditch the wig...*sigh*
  • fluffqueen01
    fluffqueen01 Posts: 1,801
    edited March 2012

    Emily....mine is pretty similar. It doesnt stick up now, but other than hat, it is the same in texture and thickness. I still wear my wig most of the time also. i am hoping after I finish my last herceptim, that things will start to improve

  • 3jaysmom
    3jaysmom Posts: 2,604
    edited March 2012
    you ladies do look great..just reading now. NOTHING to report ...3ays