Does everyone shave their head during chemo?

Which cocktail?
Hi, Fabu -

Did your cousin's wife have chemo for breast cancer, or another type of cancer?

From what I've seen on this board, the majority of women who have the chemo cocktails that are used for breast cancer lose most or all of their hair. When I was doing radiation, however, I sometimes shared the waiting room with other patients doing completely different chemo cocktails, for other forms of cancer, whose hair just thinned and/or looked really dry and unhealthy.

Which cocktail are you doing? I did Taxotere/Cytoxan, and I (and most other women here who've done TC) started losing my hair on about day 13 after my first round.

But I never actually shaved my head, per se. By day 17, when my (already short) hair was falling out so much that I couldn't eat without finding hair in my food, I buzzed it down to the lowest setting on the clippers, but never actually shaved it. It continued to fall out, but mainly on my pillowcase and in the shower, anytime something was rubbing against my scalp. And it started growing again (albeit verrrrrry slooooowly) around the 3rd round.

Hope that helps,

Traci

Fabu said:

Traci, My cousin's wife
Traci,
My cousin's wife was treated for breast cancer, also. I am on the same cocktail as you were. I was a little suprised when she told me about her hair that's why I thought I'd ask you wonderful ladies. I think I have another week before mine really starts falling out.
Thanks again for the input.

Pretty much a given on TC
Before I started chemo, my doctor (who is rarely willing to make committed, definite statements about ANYTHING concerning treatment) said, "Your hair will fall out." So I think it's pretty much a given on TC.

Aside from the hair on your head, however, there are some differences in how it affects us: In my case, it wasn't exactly the hair on my head...ahem...that started to fall out first. And I figured at least I'd get to enjoy not having to shave during chemo, but I never lost the hair on my legs or under my arms, whereas many women do. I never noticed any difference in my eyelashes at all, and my eyebrows only thinned briefly right at the end.

Do you have some fabulous scarves and hats? I totally used chemo as an excuse to go a little crazy (okay, a lot crazy) buying cute hats, as part of my self-prescribed complementary treatment, Retail Therapy!

Traci

More shaving discussion
Fabu, there's a thread from mid-April called "should I go ahead and shave my head" that you might want to read.

cats_toy said:

hair loss
Fabu, my aunt had BC twice, the first time, her chemo cocktail only thinned her hair, the second time, she lost it all. There are different types, but most for BC are an almost positive for hair loss.
I cut mine (actually had hubby cut it) short when it first started thinning. Then used the clippers when I started showing big areas of bald scalp through the hair. It actually feels better cutting it at that point because it actually looks better that way.
I was never much into scarves, never wore a wig, used a couple of hats when I did wear something on my head. Usually just went bald, but my picc nurse kept scolding me because I would drive around in my convertible sans covering and he was worried I would burn my head. Never did, but since I live in SoCal and had chemo through the summer months, bald was better for me.
Good luck with your chemo and do with your hair what makes you feel most comfortable.
Cat

I don't know about just
I don't know about just thinning hair. Mine came out in clumps and it was just falling out all over the place. Like a dog shedding. I had my son shave my head. As painful as that was it was the best thing I could do. I shaved it again a little later on cuz I got this hard razor like hair that came out and it hurt, so I did it again.

Fall Out
Fab,

I had A/C for my first chemo. After two weeks, I could grab a lock of hair, and it would come right out. I really don't care for hair in my food, so I had my son buzz my head. I had the stubble for a time, and it was no fun. Everything I tried to put on my head would stick like velcro and it was very difficult to adjust anything. I stayed home alot. But after the velcro grew out, things were pretty good. It was the cold season here in Wisconsin, so stocking hats got me through. Shaving the head is more a personal thing. Works for some, doesn't work for others. You have to decide what works for you.

shaving head during chemo
Hi Fabu.... I began loosing my hair 12 days after my first chemo. I had already been to a cancer support group at the hospital and had been to see someone that makes wigs and gets good quality wigs for cancer patients. He told me that when and if I started to loose my hair, if I wanted to shave my head and forego the clump loosing to make a bunch of tiny pony tails and then cut them off and put in a sealed baggie. With these pieces he made me a headband (soft) with the hair coming out front (my own hair) for me to wear with scarfs and it appeared that I had hair. This was a very good idea and helped a lot with self esteem. After a while I just started wearing lots of colorful scarfs to work tied exotically(sp?). People told me that I looked very exotic and they got used to seeing me that way. This was while I was at work. At home I was more comfortable just wearing a felt hat that was soft on the scalp. I was in treatment during the winter months. I did purchase a wig to the tune of $350 but only wore it a couple of times. My scalp was too tender and it was itchy. We all do different things and have different reactions. Like someone else said, it's according to the 'cocktail' they give you. I know it's scary but you have a lot of good people that will give you support if you allow them to. If you have the opportunity you should go to one of the meetings sponsored by the ACS, they give you lots of tips on makeup, scarf tieing etc.

Keep smiling. You are in my prayers.
Mary

mwarren said:

shaving head during chemo
Hi Fabu.... I began loosing my hair 12 days after my first chemo. I had already been to a cancer support group at the hospital and had been to see someone that makes wigs and gets good quality wigs for cancer patients. He told me that when and if I started to loose my hair, if I wanted to shave my head and forego the clump loosing to make a bunch of tiny pony tails and then cut them off and put in a sealed baggie. With these pieces he made me a headband (soft) with the hair coming out front (my own hair) for me to wear with scarfs and it appeared that I had hair. This was a very good idea and helped a lot with self esteem. After a while I just started wearing lots of colorful scarfs to work tied exotically(sp?). People told me that I looked very exotic and they got used to seeing me that way. This was while I was at work. At home I was more comfortable just wearing a felt hat that was soft on the scalp. I was in treatment during the winter months. I did purchase a wig to the tune of $350 but only wore it a couple of times. My scalp was too tender and it was itchy. We all do different things and have different reactions. Like someone else said, it's according to the 'cocktail' they give you. I know it's scary but you have a lot of good people that will give you support if you allow them to. If you have the opportunity you should go to one of the meetings sponsored by the ACS, they give you lots of tips on makeup, scarf tieing etc.

Keep smiling. You are in my prayers.
Mary

Insurance and Wigs
Your insurance plan may cover a wig. I just called mine for my wife, and they said it was covered as long as we used someone in network, which I found on the insurance company's web site. One wig is covered over the lifetime of the plan at 100%. If she ever needs a second wig we would need preauthorization.

And maybe I spoke to soon, because a second call into them says they're not covered, but I think I'll try back for a third time and see if I get a better answer.

greyhoundluvr said:

Fubu
My onc said that not everyone will lose their hair on CT but most will. She said the others will usually have "thinning" but it doesn't occur regularly on their head and tends to be patchy. Mine started coming out day 17 after a shower. Sitting and waiting for it to finish was driving me nuts so I had it shaved off. It still grows back a little between treatments but only the white fuzz - my dark hair peeks it head out and then runs and hides again.

I also got a wig through my insurance company although I don't use it a lot - I find the caps a lot more comfortable and got a special soft cotton one to sleep in. I use the scarves when I go out to the store and that type of thing but really don't care for the knot at the back of my neck. I guess variety is good....

Good luck to you!

12 days
On the 12th day after I started chemo, a big clump of hair fell out. I had already decided to shave it if/when it started, so we went to the front porch, set up the camera and buzzed it. My grandkids were supposed to come out and make a party of it, but they were sick and my BC was low, so Grandpa did it and we took pictures.

I didn't lose my eye lashes until after I finished chemo and my brows thinned but didn't leave. Everything else either got flushed or washed down the drain.

It's a weird feelding when it starts dropping, but it's kinda refreshing when it's all gone.

Don't let it bug you. It'll come back.

I said Before I lost my hair, I thought I looked like a big bug with glasses in a ball cap. After I lost it, I realized that I DO look like a big bug with glasses. I just don't care! I wore them anyway and I have a closet full!

I figure if someone is uncomfortable looking at my bald head, that's their problem. I had enough problems without worrying about their hang ups, so I did what I pleased and the heck with them!

I'm 5 mos out from my last treatment and I've got about 1/2 in back. Now, if they look, I just smile real big and say "HI". I try not to say "see my new hair!!" ;-)