To Daisy366 and Linda

Lisa 00
Lisa 00 Member Posts: 134 Member
edited March 2014 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
Thank you to Daisy for your response and to Linda for your concern. I'll be starting radiation next week. I can't WAIT for my hair to grow back. The hair loss has been the worst part of treatment for me. Being bald sure reminds me that I am a cancer patient and I just try to not look in the mirror too much.

I'm 3 weeks out from my last chemo and am already imagining that I feel the tiniest, tiniest of stubble on my scalp. Probably just wishful thinking! Normally my hair grows fast so hopefully I'll get some in a few weeks (or days!).

Linda, you probably already have hair now that you're done with everything including radiation. How is the hair growth coming???

I live in California and was picked as one who got tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial. I was able to drive to Dodger Stadium and pick up the tickets but didn't feel I had the strength to attend the memorial at the Staples center the next day. I know it is strange, but I like to think that Michael is up there somewhere and personally picked those who got the tickets. Oh, how sentimental we who have cancer get.

Daisy, where are you in treatment? And best wishes to everybody who is on this board!!

Comments

  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    My hair is about 1/2" long, 3 months since last chemo.
    I finally have 'full head coverage' hair, with no real scalp showing, and my last chemo was March 26th. My hair came in a mix of curly whites and straight darks. I thought that my head had tiny bumps on it just before the hairs started poking through, but it was closer to 2 months past chemo for me before anyone else could see any hair besides me.

    A couple of days ago I decided that it was bad enough that I have a crew cut now, but I didn't want a GREY one. So I got some of that Clairol 'Nice & Easy' Touch Up coloring I saw on TV in a Light Auburn shade. The color only lasts about 3 weeks, and just coats the hair, and you only leave it on 10 minutes. I know; I know. You're not supposed to color new chemo hair. But it looks SOOOOO much better, and makes me feel SOOOOO much more confident now that it's too hot to wear my wig (except in the currently posted photo!) or hats. My new baby-fine hair came through the coloring just fine and it even covers all of the greys. I needed the lift it gave me, and it felt so GOOD to actually be 'doing my hair' after all of these many months! (I was totally bald last Thanksgiving; so 7 months of total baldness, and I'm guessing it'll be close to Thanksgiving again before I will actually have enough hair to style in any way.)

    How cool about the Michael Jackson tickets!

    My shadow is still hilarious and still looks like a bald head with stick-out ears. But with big earrings and lots of eye make-up and a big smile, I'm doing my best to pull off this crew cut.
  • Lisa 00
    Lisa 00 Member Posts: 134 Member

    My hair is about 1/2" long, 3 months since last chemo.
    I finally have 'full head coverage' hair, with no real scalp showing, and my last chemo was March 26th. My hair came in a mix of curly whites and straight darks. I thought that my head had tiny bumps on it just before the hairs started poking through, but it was closer to 2 months past chemo for me before anyone else could see any hair besides me.

    A couple of days ago I decided that it was bad enough that I have a crew cut now, but I didn't want a GREY one. So I got some of that Clairol 'Nice & Easy' Touch Up coloring I saw on TV in a Light Auburn shade. The color only lasts about 3 weeks, and just coats the hair, and you only leave it on 10 minutes. I know; I know. You're not supposed to color new chemo hair. But it looks SOOOOO much better, and makes me feel SOOOOO much more confident now that it's too hot to wear my wig (except in the currently posted photo!) or hats. My new baby-fine hair came through the coloring just fine and it even covers all of the greys. I needed the lift it gave me, and it felt so GOOD to actually be 'doing my hair' after all of these many months! (I was totally bald last Thanksgiving; so 7 months of total baldness, and I'm guessing it'll be close to Thanksgiving again before I will actually have enough hair to style in any way.)

    How cool about the Michael Jackson tickets!

    My shadow is still hilarious and still looks like a bald head with stick-out ears. But with big earrings and lots of eye make-up and a big smile, I'm doing my best to pull off this crew cut.

    Oh, the HAIR
    Thanks Linda for the info on the hair. Mine was white before chemo and I colored it but not very well. When I shaved it, I had a nice silvery head of stubble. Over the months even that has fallen out. I only WISH it could grow back as a nice auburn color that it used to be. But I figure it will be curly and dark for only a few weeks then start back with the white. I'm only 45 and have pretty much all white (thanks mom). But now I've vowed to color my hair properly and get a nice cut in the future so as to value my hair and make it work for me.

    At 3 weeks, judging by what you said, I should have 1/2 inch of hair in 2 more months! Hey, it's better than nothing! I'm going on my 2 week "chemo" trip to Hawaii at the end of Nov. Let's see, by then I should have maybe 1.5 inches of hair. OOH, not much! I am 6 foot 2 inches tall and really don't want to be considered in the **** range when I'm in Hawaii. I'll have to rely on makeup, and good hoop earrings that I've already purchased for my trip as I don't want to take "Jackie", my wig with me on vaycay. Seriously, at my height, even with good hair, I already get accused of being a lesbian when I'm not. It just irks me. Not that I have anything against lesbians, but when I'm not it just gets on my nerves. People are so quick to pidgeon hole others.

    I'm not looking forward to the 3 brachys. The humiliation factor will be big with me. I used to avoid going to the gynecologist for paps because of the humiliation factor. Maybe sedatives are in order???? But if these people do these brachys all the time it will be okay. Uggh.

    You have a very nice smile and I'm sure that you're successful at pulling off the crew cut look!!
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    If my hair were WHITE, I'd LOVE that spikey look!
    Did you ever see that exercise instructor on TV that has the short white spikey hair? I would LOVE it of my hair had come in pure white and wouldn't have colored it, and would have tried to replicate those short white spikes. I was afraid to bleach my super-fine chemo hair so I did what I thought I could get away with and not burn off the little hair that I have.

    You'll look great! I do look goofy because my ears stick out so much, but the goofy look goes with the goofy light-hearted feeling I have right now at just having finished treatment.

    I feared the degrading bracys more than anything else in the treatment protocol, and it turned out to be the easiest! They are all so matter-of-fact about what they are doing to you, and have you all draped with sheets. I chattered away nervously about other things while anyone was in the room. During the actual treatments you are in the room alone with the radioactive material inserted robotically, so you can think about other things or make plans or just zone out. I pretended that the vaginal tube was a tampon and ignored it.
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member

    If my hair were WHITE, I'd LOVE that spikey look!
    Did you ever see that exercise instructor on TV that has the short white spikey hair? I would LOVE it of my hair had come in pure white and wouldn't have colored it, and would have tried to replicate those short white spikes. I was afraid to bleach my super-fine chemo hair so I did what I thought I could get away with and not burn off the little hair that I have.

    You'll look great! I do look goofy because my ears stick out so much, but the goofy look goes with the goofy light-hearted feeling I have right now at just having finished treatment.

    I feared the degrading bracys more than anything else in the treatment protocol, and it turned out to be the easiest! They are all so matter-of-fact about what they are doing to you, and have you all draped with sheets. I chattered away nervously about other things while anyone was in the room. During the actual treatments you are in the room alone with the radioactive material inserted robotically, so you can think about other things or make plans or just zone out. I pretended that the vaginal tube was a tampon and ignored it.

    looking "hip"
    Hi ladies,

    It's interesting how different we are. Baldness didn't bother me much. I went bald or with my baseball cap nearly everywhere - even elegant restaurants. I was even tempted to sing in my church and chorus bald but decided that it might be too much of a distraction. But started to when it was about a half inch long.

    My last chemo was end of Feb. I now have about 1.5 inches of hair - starting to curl a bit lately. I just got my 3rd "trim" - I can't stand it shaggy along the neckline so I've gone every 4 weeks for a trim. I'm using gel some days and everyone thinks it looks "hip". Today I had a TV interview (I can't believe it - cause I have always had a phobia about public speaking which has gradually worn off as I got older) for our new cancer center and the integrative medicine component they have there - and my hair was doing it's own thing. Everyone comments on how good it looks. It's mostly white with some gray and I have darker eyebrows so the hair looks sorta dyed. I think I will keep in short - it's so easy and I've been going to a female at a barber shop!!! Time will tell

    Another alert about hair growth. After 3 months I suddenly noticed hair - more like soft baby "fur" growing on my neck and FACE!!!!! I looked like a werewolf and got to SALLY'S asap for the cream to dissolve it. I actually said to myself "I'd rather be bald than be covered in FUR". I hope you don't get this. I'm told it is not all that common but will go away - I still have it 2 months later.

    Good luck with all that hair which will be coming in fast and furiuos!!

    Mary Ann
  • deanna14
    deanna14 Member Posts: 732
    daisy366 said:

    looking "hip"
    Hi ladies,

    It's interesting how different we are. Baldness didn't bother me much. I went bald or with my baseball cap nearly everywhere - even elegant restaurants. I was even tempted to sing in my church and chorus bald but decided that it might be too much of a distraction. But started to when it was about a half inch long.

    My last chemo was end of Feb. I now have about 1.5 inches of hair - starting to curl a bit lately. I just got my 3rd "trim" - I can't stand it shaggy along the neckline so I've gone every 4 weeks for a trim. I'm using gel some days and everyone thinks it looks "hip". Today I had a TV interview (I can't believe it - cause I have always had a phobia about public speaking which has gradually worn off as I got older) for our new cancer center and the integrative medicine component they have there - and my hair was doing it's own thing. Everyone comments on how good it looks. It's mostly white with some gray and I have darker eyebrows so the hair looks sorta dyed. I think I will keep in short - it's so easy and I've been going to a female at a barber shop!!! Time will tell

    Another alert about hair growth. After 3 months I suddenly noticed hair - more like soft baby "fur" growing on my neck and FACE!!!!! I looked like a werewolf and got to SALLY'S asap for the cream to dissolve it. I actually said to myself "I'd rather be bald than be covered in FUR". I hope you don't get this. I'm told it is not all that common but will go away - I still have it 2 months later.

    Good luck with all that hair which will be coming in fast and furiuos!!

    Mary Ann

    Furry Face...lol
    I too have the furry face and have had since around chemo #3. I have just kind of let it go, but am feeling more like fixing up lately. What kind of cream did you get at Sally to get rid of it?
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
    deanna14 said:

    Furry Face...lol
    I too have the furry face and have had since around chemo #3. I have just kind of let it go, but am feeling more like fixing up lately. What kind of cream did you get at Sally to get rid of it?

    Surgi Cream

    Surgi Cream