Shave it off or just let it come out?

BioAdoptMom
BioAdoptMom Member Posts: 358
concerning your hair and chemo, which did you do, and which do you recommend based on personal experience?

Thanks!

Nancy
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Comments

  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    when it was apparent it was
    when it was apparent it was coming out, i buzzed it. neverhad to deal with it coming out in clumps. i never cried, and I moved on rathert quickly. never regretted it!
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    Hair Loss during chemo
    Hi Nancy,

    I had been forewarned that my hair would fall out during chemo and indeed it did. I figured it would be easier going from short hair to no hair so I started out by cutting my shoulder length hair short (like Halle Berry). On precisely Day 14 I ran my fingers through my hair absent-mindedly and came away with a handful of hair. It took about another 2 weeks until it looked completely ridiculous. At that point I had my husband shave off the rest of it. It was very hard. It took several weeks before I could look in the mirror without crying. I think if you just let it come out on its own you look very strange and have more of that "cancer patient" look. On the other hand it sure makes showering go more quickly. A little soap on the scalp and you are done. I alternated between wearing a wig, head scarf or hats depending on where I was going and what the weather was like. You just have to do what suits you best. There is no one answer to this issue. Good luck.
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    carkris said:

    when it was apparent it was
    when it was apparent it was coming out, i buzzed it. neverhad to deal with it coming out in clumps. i never cried, and I moved on rathert quickly. never regretted it!

    This is funny now just not
    This is funny now just not at the time. On my 14th day of chemo and in the car with the air blowing I looked over at my husband and thought " gosh he has alot of dog hair all over his T shirt" To long for dog hair it was my hair blowing all over the car. When I got home,and it was coming out in chunks. I had my son shave my head. I did cry like a baby. I did get over it and moved forward.
    Kathy
  • SylviaD
    SylviaD Member Posts: 17
    I shaved it
    I took command and I shaved my head after my second chemo treatment. I did not want to let the cancer bring down my self esteem. Besides, there are tons of wonderful hats, scarfs, etc. I'm not a wig person. And my reward, when this is all over, is my own grown hair in the end. Being strong and positive is very important when you are fighting cancer. Good Luck and God Bless you.
  • Katmy
    Katmy Member Posts: 93
    My mother in law shaved my
    My mother in law shaved my head down to 1/2 inch. Thank goodness! I am a weird one who has not lost all my hair! Unfortunately, every treatment causes irritation to the hair follicles which still hold hair and I developed folliculitis. My head is covered in itchy, painful bumps that must be "managed." If I had not shaved my head, I think dealing with the infection side effect would be even more uncomfortable.
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    When I started chemo, I had
    When I started chemo, I had my long hair cut short. When it started falling out, I had my head shaved at my hair stylist (who absolutely refused to charge me, bless her heart). I tried different wigs, but never really found one I liked. I stuck to scarves and hats. I found lots of cool ways to tie scarves on the internet. People gave me so many beautiful hats and scarves. I had a favorite soft hat that I wore at night (because my scalp was always cold!). Two and a half years have passed and my hair has grown back; it all feels like a dream. xoxoxox Lynn
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    Hey Nancy,
    My onc told me that my hair would all come out, but it didn't. I got my hair cut really, really short. Hair started coming out, but I still had hair and a few thin spots. Then decided to get it buzzed (crew cut), not shaved so that when it started to come back, it would come back more evenly.

    xoxo,
    Jean
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    shaved it!
    Hey Nancy!

    You've heard this before but I'll say it again, we're all different. That being said, I shaved mine. I was told it would probably come out - 99.9% chance. The first thing I did was cancel my appointment for a perm and ask my stylist to come up with a short hair cut to prepare the way. On the morning of my 2nd treatment I "squeezed" the water out of my hair and came away with hair! (I was told it wouldn't happen until later.) I had a friend give me a buzz cut but just as some predicted, it HURT coming out. I soon tired of that and got in the shower with my shave gel and a mirror and shaved it all off. It felt good to be in charge and good not to have the pain of the fallout. I did all three - hats, scarves, and wig, but tried not to wear anything aroudn the house and to take really good care of my scalp. My hair started to come back in while I was still on the Taxotere (had already done 4 rounds of A/C cocktail.) It came back in just as thinck as it was before, a little bit darker, and wavy. I've had it trimmed once to even up the length and deal with the "fly-away" stuff. My stylist already has plans for a new style for me, shorter than before, but that's okay 'cause it's much easier to care for and dry now. It's your decision, so be comfortable with what you decide. I wouldn't change what I did, I wanted to be in control.
  • cavediver
    cavediver Member Posts: 607
    I chose to shave it off...
    For me...I decided to shave it off completely...privately.... I did not cry or even feel upset...it was just something that was going to happen and I guess I felt I took control of it. The stubs hurt...so I used duct tape to remove them :-) Every time I passed a mirror for days I got 'shocked', but that soon passed. I understand that it is different for everyone...some of us get really upset over the loosing of the hair...for whatever reason I was not so upset (but I had for years had an extremely short hairstyle, maybe that helped too). The no hair on the legs was very nice....loved not shaving the legs :-)
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    cavediver said:

    I chose to shave it off...
    For me...I decided to shave it off completely...privately.... I did not cry or even feel upset...it was just something that was going to happen and I guess I felt I took control of it. The stubs hurt...so I used duct tape to remove them :-) Every time I passed a mirror for days I got 'shocked', but that soon passed. I understand that it is different for everyone...some of us get really upset over the loosing of the hair...for whatever reason I was not so upset (but I had for years had an extremely short hairstyle, maybe that helped too). The no hair on the legs was very nice....loved not shaving the legs :-)

    You're right
    I used shipping tape at first to remove the stubble but gave up and shaved it instead. You're lucky, I still had hair on my legs to keep shaving. Not as often but still needed to shave. Underarms went early though.
  • Annette 11
    Annette 11 Member Posts: 380
    buz
    Nancy, My husband shaved it off when my hair started to fall out. Never cried, but just said "Oh my gosh, I look like my father" (who is gone now, but he was always bald). That's all then move on. Now it's growing back and I look more like ME!:)
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    First time all but about 5
    First time all but about 5 areas the size of about a nickel fell out overnight and the next morning in a hotel shower. My son shaved the rest with a bic.
    This time around, it starting coming out in handfuls in the shower, so my other son took out the clippers and shaved it. I still have some fuzz and clean it up from time to time. This time I cried a little after the fact, but it sure is easier.
    Went to shave my legs before a massage and there was no hair!! Now that I did not cry over!

    Do whatever, no right or wrong way!
    ~Carol
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    camul said:

    First time all but about 5
    First time all but about 5 areas the size of about a nickel fell out overnight and the next morning in a hotel shower. My son shaved the rest with a bic.
    This time around, it starting coming out in handfuls in the shower, so my other son took out the clippers and shaved it. I still have some fuzz and clean it up from time to time. This time I cried a little after the fact, but it sure is easier.
    Went to shave my legs before a massage and there was no hair!! Now that I did not cry over!

    Do whatever, no right or wrong way!
    ~Carol

    If you decide to shave your head .. Please use a
    shaver, rather than razor. As a razor nick your scalp, and if let untreated cause an infection.

    Wash, rinse and condition your newly 'bald' scalp. If going outdoors, please use sun screen or a cap for protection.

    Myself, I ended up getting sun burn on my newly bald scalp, just by going outdoors for a few minutes and picking up doggie do.. True story!

    If you get chilly at night, use a wool or cotton cap to sleep in.

    Good luck you brave, dear Sisters in Pink.

    Vicki Sam
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    VickiSam said:

    If you decide to shave your head .. Please use a
    shaver, rather than razor. As a razor nick your scalp, and if let untreated cause an infection.

    Wash, rinse and condition your newly 'bald' scalp. If going outdoors, please use sun screen or a cap for protection.

    Myself, I ended up getting sun burn on my newly bald scalp, just by going outdoors for a few minutes and picking up doggie do.. True story!

    If you get chilly at night, use a wool or cotton cap to sleep in.

    Good luck you brave, dear Sisters in Pink.

    Vicki Sam

    scalp care
    I continued to use shampoo and conditioner on my scalp throughout the process and used moisturizer on my scalp every day until the fuzz got too long and all it did was make a mess. ALWAYS wore something outside! You have to take good care of the newly exposed skin!
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    hair cut.
    I have a consult for chemotherapy on 4/26. I am part Native American and want to get a mowhawk prior to my hair falling out. I thought it would be a cool way to honor my ancestors and would also satisfy the fun loving part of my nature. The grandchildren will think it is cool too. They already know that thier grandmother is not ordinary, so it will not be a big shock to them. Some of them already know that I am going to joke my way through this illness rather than cry my way through it. I have had short hair for years but I think having a mowhawk will allow me to get used to the idea of baldness a bit more gradually.

    I also want to do this as a message to society that one should not judge a book by it's cover. I am a straight laced person who is quite the church attender. I think it will be good for others to think about the kind of thoughts they have based on what they see.
  • Katz77
    Katz77 Member Posts: 598
    Shave baby, shave
    Shaved mine. Husband said something crazy and I reached up there and pulled 2 handfuls of hair out and told him, "I could just pull my hair out." He was'nt ammused, but I thought it was funny.
    We buzzed ot off. I placed most of it in the trees for the birda to make their nests from. It disapeared pretty quick. Kept some for a memento. Wear sunscreen, or a hat. That is some virgin scalp you'll have. Be brave and prayers to you.
  • RozHopkins
    RozHopkins Member Posts: 578 Member
    Hair
    After second chemo the hair folicles were sore (nor terrible). I knew this had to mean hair was ready to fall out and it did suddenly. Sounds funny but noticed another lady did the same as me. I cut it very short then used parcel tape to take the rest off. Was left with no soreness nor any lumps or bumps (no razors used). My hair now has grown back, still short but very thick, softer than a babies. Please note I was lucky and wore hats mainly from www.headcovers.com some I matched up with lovely bought scarves. The right style of hat can look great, however, this was through Fall and Winter. Summer in a lot of places would make hats make you feel very hot, but then a wig would too. I bought some hats from stores and they were fine, thought they would irritate with seams etc but didn't. You can buy linen hats they are light. In the house its lovely to go without anything on. Go for the on line hats that say 'full coverage' at first, make you feel covered and safe. Now wearing much more casual caps just for a few weeks then no more. Good luck hope you get on OK and dont worry.
  • BioAdoptMom
    BioAdoptMom Member Posts: 358

    Hair
    After second chemo the hair folicles were sore (nor terrible). I knew this had to mean hair was ready to fall out and it did suddenly. Sounds funny but noticed another lady did the same as me. I cut it very short then used parcel tape to take the rest off. Was left with no soreness nor any lumps or bumps (no razors used). My hair now has grown back, still short but very thick, softer than a babies. Please note I was lucky and wore hats mainly from www.headcovers.com some I matched up with lovely bought scarves. The right style of hat can look great, however, this was through Fall and Winter. Summer in a lot of places would make hats make you feel very hot, but then a wig would too. I bought some hats from stores and they were fine, thought they would irritate with seams etc but didn't. You can buy linen hats they are light. In the house its lovely to go without anything on. Go for the on line hats that say 'full coverage' at first, make you feel covered and safe. Now wearing much more casual caps just for a few weeks then no more. Good luck hope you get on OK and dont worry.

    My new pink sisters, you are
    My new pink sisters, you are wonderful! Thank you for your advice, for adding a sense of humor and helping me to feel so much better about the whole thing!

    Nancy
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member

    My new pink sisters, you are
    My new pink sisters, you are wonderful! Thank you for your advice, for adding a sense of humor and helping me to feel so much better about the whole thing!

    Nancy

    hats, wigs, scarves, and WRAPS
    I had a friend tell me about using wraps, sort of like a turban but not complicated to do. She got, and had me get, a yard of cotton jersey (or knit), cut it in half for 2 wraps. Then fold it in half and put it on like a bandanna, except that you only knot once then pull the "tail" up and knot over that and tuck in the ends. I started chemo in July so this was much cooler than hats or wigs. I wore hats sometimes but the knit wraps could be lots of fun 'cause I found some really neat prints - things like black & white background with pink flowers, leopard etc. If you've got to go through it why not have some fun?!
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    skipper54 said:

    hats, wigs, scarves, and WRAPS
    I had a friend tell me about using wraps, sort of like a turban but not complicated to do. She got, and had me get, a yard of cotton jersey (or knit), cut it in half for 2 wraps. Then fold it in half and put it on like a bandanna, except that you only knot once then pull the "tail" up and knot over that and tuck in the ends. I started chemo in July so this was much cooler than hats or wigs. I wore hats sometimes but the knit wraps could be lots of fun 'cause I found some really neat prints - things like black & white background with pink flowers, leopard etc. If you've got to go through it why not have some fun?!

    almost forgot
    Oh yeah, I almost forgot. (blame it on chemo brain) Wear dangling earrings with your scarves, hats, etc. It helps to draw attention away from your head. I had some real fun shopping for earrings too - nothing expensive because I wasn't sure I'd keep wearing them but I have just because they were fun and my hair is still so short.

    I"ve had lots of people say I should keep my short hairstyle. Time will tell.