Hair
I'm in my second 1/2 of chemo rounds. I believe it's Taxol & Herceptin (forgive me, I leave these details to my med team). Anyway, they assured me it would be less rugged than my first 3 months, although the Taxol is strong, I will continue to have hair loss from it, etc. Anyway, I have not been sold on this set from the get-go. It just hasn't "felt" right, because I'm not experiencing what I expected based on what they told me.
Now, I'm getting ready to head out and when I look at my bald melon, I swear it looks like I have a 5 o'clock after shadow (I have really dark hair)...and the little follicle holes look bigger. Maybe I'm losing my mind. I probably am, but I am certain, on some level, my hair is growing back!!! I'm freaked because I've found comfort in my bald head...like my chemo is killing those quickly dividing cells.
Has anyone experienced this? Is some growth back to be expected with this round? Or, does this mean, perhaps, I'm not responding to this drug?
I'm meeting with my onco on Thursday & will address then but my I'm still working on patience and my mind is about to run wild...
(Taking a deep breath)
KC
Comments
-
KC
KC,
When you touch the 5 o'clock shadow is it stiff or soft--thank god this isn't for Juliia/Tasha I'd have some type of comment. If stiff then it iis just the follicles that haven't fallen out. If it is soft like baby hair then itis startingto growo back.
Mine started growing back about one month ago after i had 8 of 12 treatments of Taxol w/Herceptin.
Margo0 -
Hmmm...tommaseena said:KC
KC,
When you touch the 5 o'clock shadow is it stiff or soft--thank god this isn't for Juliia/Tasha I'd have some type of comment. If stiff then it iis just the follicles that haven't fallen out. If it is soft like baby hair then itis startingto growo back.
Mine started growing back about one month ago after i had 8 of 12 treatments of Taxol w/Herceptin.
Margo
Soft I think. It might be too soon to say. It's just that my whole head looks darker today than it has looked. Why would it start growing back only after 3 Taxols (or in your case 8) if Taxol is supposed to make us lose it. Does it mean it's not working?
I know I sound like a frantic Drama Queen who's lost her tiara here, so, comments are certainly understood (and encouraged - I could use some humor right now)!0 -
We're all differenttommaseena said:KC
KC,
When you touch the 5 o'clock shadow is it stiff or soft--thank god this isn't for Juliia/Tasha I'd have some type of comment. If stiff then it iis just the follicles that haven't fallen out. If it is soft like baby hair then itis startingto growo back.
Mine started growing back about one month ago after i had 8 of 12 treatments of Taxol w/Herceptin.
Margo
As with just about everything else ... we all react differently to our treatments. Some people lose all of their hair ... others don't... and if/when they lose their hair they can do it at different times. It doesn't mean the chemo isn't working. I finished my 12 weeks of taxol/herceptin the end of May and my hair was still coming out until a couple of weeks ago. Eyelashes too! But I can feel the baby-fine fur coming back to my head and I can see my "new" eyelashes peeking through ... almost long enough to put mascara on ... but not quite (I tried yesterday and it looked like I'd taken a black paint roller to my eyelids ... not a pretty sight!)
I've heard that often your hair comes back a different color or texture ... so I'm anxious to see what I get. I've always had very straight hair ... so I've got my fingers crossed that the new stuff has some body to it and hopefully a little curl. With my luck it will the the same straight gray hair I had before all of this stuff started. Oh well ... at least it will be hair! After all ... it could have been pink feathers!!!!
hugs.
teena0 -
Upon Further Inspection...
Upon further inspection in the bathroom, YES. My scalp is definitely darker. I do not (yet) have new hair growth, but it is coming.
This will be confirmed this evening, when my poor, unsuspecting (but generally anticipating) husband arrives home. He has a much more stable, grounded, bi-polar (compared to mine) approach to these frantic moments.
I'm setting up my lighted magnification thingy that is supposed to be used for jewelry inspecting/repair. And, when he arrives home, I will assume my position & will make him (reluctantly) inspect it- one follicle at a time, if necessary. I'll let you know how it goes.
...tgf, I'm so glad your hair is coming back that that you will be soon batting those eyelashes!!! Cheering for some body and no pink feathers!!!
KC0 -
I neverfaithandprayer said:Upon Further Inspection...
Upon further inspection in the bathroom, YES. My scalp is definitely darker. I do not (yet) have new hair growth, but it is coming.
This will be confirmed this evening, when my poor, unsuspecting (but generally anticipating) husband arrives home. He has a much more stable, grounded, bi-polar (compared to mine) approach to these frantic moments.
I'm setting up my lighted magnification thingy that is supposed to be used for jewelry inspecting/repair. And, when he arrives home, I will assume my position & will make him (reluctantly) inspect it- one follicle at a time, if necessary. I'll let you know how it goes.
...tgf, I'm so glad your hair is coming back that that you will be soon batting those eyelashes!!! Cheering for some body and no pink feathers!!!
KC
I never lost my eyelashes or eyebrows--they thinned.
As for the hair I lost most and the top kept growing but was not soft like baby hair so I shaved my head once a week until I started feeling the baby soft hair and then I stopped shaving my head. Armpit hair stopped growing and then started growing back when my head hair did--shave armpit hair every other day. Leg hair was very sparse and now only shave once a week.
Margo0 -
Mine started growingfaithandprayer said:Upon Further Inspection...
Upon further inspection in the bathroom, YES. My scalp is definitely darker. I do not (yet) have new hair growth, but it is coming.
This will be confirmed this evening, when my poor, unsuspecting (but generally anticipating) husband arrives home. He has a much more stable, grounded, bi-polar (compared to mine) approach to these frantic moments.
I'm setting up my lighted magnification thingy that is supposed to be used for jewelry inspecting/repair. And, when he arrives home, I will assume my position & will make him (reluctantly) inspect it- one follicle at a time, if necessary. I'll let you know how it goes.
...tgf, I'm so glad your hair is coming back that that you will be soon batting those eyelashes!!! Cheering for some body and no pink feathers!!!
KC
Mine started growing why doing taxol, but was spotty, don't freak out cause it is comming back.
tjhay0 -
I just lost mine lasttjhay said:Mine started growing
Mine started growing why doing taxol, but was spotty, don't freak out cause it is comming back.
tjhay
I just lost mine last Thursday, well we shaved it after it blew all over the car. So I have stubble. Does that fall out to and if so when. It feels so strange. I hate looking in the mirror right now, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. When does it start coming back ?0 -
I have some of the sameKat11 said:I just lost mine last
I just lost mine last Thursday, well we shaved it after it blew all over the car. So I have stubble. Does that fall out to and if so when. It feels so strange. I hate looking in the mirror right now, so I try to avoid it as much as possible. When does it start coming back ?
I have some of the same questions. I shaved mine on day 12 anticipating the fallout within the coming week. Well it started to fall out yesterday, 6 days after my second treatment. It is real patchy now. My scalp feels so weird, the stubble hurts and it feels like my hair is being pulled all the time! How long does it take to finish coming out? And what about the armpits and legs? I stopped having to shave my legs every day but the underarm stuff just keeps on coming! When I went in for my blood test the woman said it was weird that I still had eyebrows!0 -
Ooooohhh!!!faithandprayer said:Hmmm...
Soft I think. It might be too soon to say. It's just that my whole head looks darker today than it has looked. Why would it start growing back only after 3 Taxols (or in your case 8) if Taxol is supposed to make us lose it. Does it mean it's not working?
I know I sound like a frantic Drama Queen who's lost her tiara here, so, comments are certainly understood (and encouraged - I could use some humor right now)!
Humor is my department, so here goes. If you take a look to your left at my beautiful protait here, take notice of all the hair covering my body!! If you look anything like that, then you are probably growing your hair back. I was even thinking, you know how they sheer lambs for their wool? Well, I was thinking I could sheer my body and sell it to other people for all their hair needs!! What do you think?????? I'm just not sure what a naked Monkey would look like though and if I could get arrested for nudity in public???
Pammy 0 -
GiggleAkiss4me said:Ooooohhh!!!
Humor is my department, so here goes. If you take a look to your left at my beautiful protait here, take notice of all the hair covering my body!! If you look anything like that, then you are probably growing your hair back. I was even thinking, you know how they sheer lambs for their wool? Well, I was thinking I could sheer my body and sell it to other people for all their hair needs!! What do you think?????? I'm just not sure what a naked Monkey would look like though and if I could get arrested for nudity in public??? Pammy
HA! Pammy, you are totally monkey'ng around tonight!!!0 -
Okay. So, hubby arrived home & I had him inspect my hair under the magnifying light thingy. After a moment of silence I (calmly) asked (with my mind racing)..."so, is it coming back in"
His reply: "I don't know, I'll let you know in a couple of weeks"
...this from a man whose been with me since high school and clearly does not want 2 days of panic until we see the doctor.
The children have confirmed, my head is no longer prickly and has moved into the soft & fuzzy category.
I will get to the bottom of this with my onco on Thurs and report back!
Staying Surprisingly Calm & Collected (thanks to your responses that reminding me that everyone is different). I sincerely don't know how I managed before you guys...
KC0 -
elmelm3544 said:I have some of the same
I have some of the same questions. I shaved mine on day 12 anticipating the fallout within the coming week. Well it started to fall out yesterday, 6 days after my second treatment. It is real patchy now. My scalp feels so weird, the stubble hurts and it feels like my hair is being pulled all the time! How long does it take to finish coming out? And what about the armpits and legs? I stopped having to shave my legs every day but the underarm stuff just keeps on coming! When I went in for my blood test the woman said it was weird that I still had eyebrows!
If the stubble hurts then get a lint brush that has tape on it and roll it over your head--that is what I did.
The armpit and leg hair usually slows down before it stops growing.
Margo0 -
Hair loss
I've been reading posts about hair loss and it's strange how the chemo effects everyone differently. I've had 3 treatments of TAXOL and am just now experiencing hair loss. I have real thick hair and am now shedding like a dog. I'll have my 4th treatment Thursday, so will probably get my head shaved afterwards. Now for the hats!0 -
Hairtgf said:We're all different
As with just about everything else ... we all react differently to our treatments. Some people lose all of their hair ... others don't... and if/when they lose their hair they can do it at different times. It doesn't mean the chemo isn't working. I finished my 12 weeks of taxol/herceptin the end of May and my hair was still coming out until a couple of weeks ago. Eyelashes too! But I can feel the baby-fine fur coming back to my head and I can see my "new" eyelashes peeking through ... almost long enough to put mascara on ... but not quite (I tried yesterday and it looked like I'd taken a black paint roller to my eyelids ... not a pretty sight!)
I've heard that often your hair comes back a different color or texture ... so I'm anxious to see what I get. I've always had very straight hair ... so I've got my fingers crossed that the new stuff has some body to it and hopefully a little curl. With my luck it will the the same straight gray hair I had before all of this stuff started. Oh well ... at least it will be hair! After all ... it could have been pink feathers!!!!
hugs.
teena
Mine went out silver/gray and is coming back silver/gray. Its finally long enough to create a lather when I wash it! Its soft like baby hair and is doing this swirley thing so maybe I'm getting curls or waves?????? since it's baby fine and pin straight from birth, this will be a new experience! Good luck with your chemo!
Pat0 -
Margotommaseena said:elm
If the stubble hurts then get a lint brush that has tape on it and roll it over your head--that is what I did.
The armpit and leg hair usually slows down before it stops growing.
Margo
Omg, a lint roller, ok I will try, but is there a camera some where recording this and I will see my self on TV one day. LOL0 -
KatKat11 said:Margo
Omg, a lint roller, ok I will try, but is there a camera some where recording this and I will see my self on TV one day. LOL
Kat you never know if there is a camera somewhere.
America's funniest videos--if you win the $10,000 you will have to give me some since I gave you the idea.
Margo0 -
LOL...tommaseena said:elm
If the stubble hurts then get a lint brush that has tape on it and roll it over your head--that is what I did.
The armpit and leg hair usually slows down before it stops growing.
Margo
I used duct tape.
LOL...
I used duct tape. Stuck it to my stubbly head..and pulled it off. Seemed to take care of some of the stubble. But then it kind of resolved itself. My head feels a little like moderate sandpaper, armpits, arms, legs, face...all gone. Eyelashes and eyebrows still about 1/2 there.
The hardest thing to get used to was my ears folding over when I was trying to sleep and laying on my side!!0 -
My man has also been with mefaithandprayer said:Okay. So, hubby arrived home & I had him inspect my hair under the magnifying light thingy. After a moment of silence I (calmly) asked (with my mind racing)..."so, is it coming back in"
His reply: "I don't know, I'll let you know in a couple of weeks"
...this from a man whose been with me since high school and clearly does not want 2 days of panic until we see the doctor.
The children have confirmed, my head is no longer prickly and has moved into the soft & fuzzy category.
I will get to the bottom of this with my onco on Thurs and report back!
Staying Surprisingly Calm & Collected (thanks to your responses that reminding me that everyone is different). I sincerely don't know how I managed before you guys...
KC
My man has also been with me since high school and has had to endure his fair share of "does this make me look....". I can't wait to get a makeup mirror and start on scalp inspections...a new date night idea!!0 -
Scalp/Hair falling outelm3544 said:I have some of the same
I have some of the same questions. I shaved mine on day 12 anticipating the fallout within the coming week. Well it started to fall out yesterday, 6 days after my second treatment. It is real patchy now. My scalp feels so weird, the stubble hurts and it feels like my hair is being pulled all the time! How long does it take to finish coming out? And what about the armpits and legs? I stopped having to shave my legs every day but the underarm stuff just keeps on coming! When I went in for my blood test the woman said it was weird that I still had eyebrows!
Hi Elm3544,
My hair began falling out Sunday 7/26 and yours is the only post I've seen describing the very sore scalp that I am experiencing. I had thick hair and the scalp pain started Saturday, ramped up Sunday and continues today. My hair, while still plentiful, comes out in handfulls as I run my hands through it. I've been plucking it out thinking if my hair is gone then perhaps my scalp will stop hurting. Have you found anything that works for the burning/hair pulling feel? Tylenol isn't working for me and neither is a mild prescription pain reliever. I reassure myself that it's something to keep my mind off next week's upcoming chemo and other stressors. I did find that wearing a soft BC beanie type hat to catch my hair provides a little relief, like keeping my hair from jogging the folicles!
I have very dark brown hair with a lot of white (it's not gray it's white). Although my brown hair is fairly straight, it seemed my white hair was coming in with some curl. So, I'm taking bets it'll return red and ultra curly! What about you and yours?
Martha0
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