Bye bye hair

KristynRuth86
KristynRuth86 Member Posts: 140
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Well I was hopeful that since most of you didn't suffer major hair loss, then neither would I. WRONG. Over a week ago my hair started falling out in chunks. It was so depressing. In just 3 days my hair had gotten terribly thin. My husband kept telling me "let's just cut it!" it took me 2 more days but I finally gave in, just because it was so depressing to brush or even wash my hair. So I am now bald. It's very awkward feeling. I don't want anyone to see my head. I got a really cute wig and most ppl didn't even notice it was a wig! The only down side is it gives me headaches and is really itchy :(. I know we all say this, but I'll say it again. CANCER SUCKS.
«1

Comments

  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652
    Sorry
    I am sorry that you are losing your hair. Just remember it is not your hair that makes you such a beautiful person. It is your personality and being such and amazing mom.

    I would talk to the ladies at the Chemo office. They may be able to tell you something that would make the wig more comfortable.

    Kathy
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    Pumakitty said:

    Sorry
    I am sorry that you are losing your hair. Just remember it is not your hair that makes you such a beautiful person. It is your personality and being such and amazing mom.

    I would talk to the ladies at the Chemo office. They may be able to tell you something that would make the wig more comfortable.

    Kathy

    Sorry. I only lost half my
    Sorry. I only lost half my hair, so I was lucky. I didn't have Chemo tho. Only rads. From the tops of my ears down, I was 'bald'. And then the rest got very thin. I wasn't prepared for that, I wasn't told and thought you only lost it with chemo.

    It grew back pretty quick tho. My hair was very thick and wavy, the part that grew back is super kinky and curly. It's pretty silly looking if I let it dry naturally. There is a clear horizontal line in the back between the dueling hairs. :) I have it all cut super short now and will probably leave it that way it's easier.

    I am glad you found a wig that looks good. My aunt had one during treatment and I had no clue. It looked so beautiful and flattered her face. She said the more she wore it the more comfortable it became. Said it drove her crazy in the beginning.

    Good luck. Blessings,

    Sweet
  • adventurebob
    adventurebob Member Posts: 691
    Eesh
    Sorry you lost your hair Kristyn. Mine got a bit thinner but I've kept it buzzed the last few years and I wear a ball cap anyway so nobody noticed but me. As I see more ladies and gents without hair at the cancer center I realized how much beauty our hair hides and how much more is visible without all the hair. I never feel self conscious around other cancer people as we're all so "real". Cancer really does suck but cancer people are awesome. Hope you feel better about your hair soon.
    Bob
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    I So
    I so agree with you Cancer Sucks!

    Hair Loss Sucks!

    Nausea Sucks!

    Pain Sucks!

    Life is Wonderful!!!!!!
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    Loosing Hair
    I guess one way to look at it, is it's better then loosing life. I lost about half of my hair on my head and all facial hair. Which was big for me. I had either a beard or Go T from the time i was 22 after i got out of the military. It is starting to come back now, a little different and patchy at the moment. It's life though and it will pass. You will adjust and move on to the next thing. You are a strong woman and you will do fine. Hang in there dear. Me and my wife will be praying for you and all our friends fighting this battle. Personally, I can't wait to be done with Kleenex tissues. I buy them in bulk. lol ..... It's o.k. though, at least i still get to blow my nose. Have a great day dear.



    Regards,


    James
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450

    Loosing Hair
    I guess one way to look at it, is it's better then loosing life. I lost about half of my hair on my head and all facial hair. Which was big for me. I had either a beard or Go T from the time i was 22 after i got out of the military. It is starting to come back now, a little different and patchy at the moment. It's life though and it will pass. You will adjust and move on to the next thing. You are a strong woman and you will do fine. Hang in there dear. Me and my wife will be praying for you and all our friends fighting this battle. Personally, I can't wait to be done with Kleenex tissues. I buy them in bulk. lol ..... It's o.k. though, at least i still get to blow my nose. Have a great day dear.



    Regards,


    James

    Hey, KristynRuth
    I'm sure it does suck, given the role hair plays in a woman's appearance. (I remember my late father, who grew up in the mountains back in the 1920s, telling me how some daring young woman in his little hamlet bobbed her hair -- and the preacher delivered a sermon on what a sin it was, because "a woman's hair is her crowning glory.")
    I was warned my hair might fall out, but it didn't. However, they didn't warn me that my beard would fall out (thanks to the rads), which it did. I'd had my beard 28 years, so that was a major change for me. (I could grow it back now, but I kind of like the beardless look.)
    Just remember, it's what you've got underneath where your hair used to be that counts. Your hair will come back -- and so will you.

    --Jim in Delaware
  • JUDYV5
    JUDYV5 Member Posts: 392
    It does
    Cancer does suck - but your hair will come back. Hopefully you will get used to the wig.
    Stay strong.
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    Cancer SUCKS!!!
    You're right..Cancer SUCKS and I'm sure that losing your hair can seem devastating at first but you have to keep reminding yourself that it is just a temporary thing. Your hair will come back and you will be fine. I told my oncologist when I started treatment that I didn't care whether my hair fell out or not, it was the least of my concerns. I just wanted to fight this with everything they had and know that the chemo was working. It did...I'm one year post treatment and both of my cancers are still in remission. You will find it's all worth it!!!

    Glenna
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    Buzz Cut
    Hey you...just buzz cut it, you're still going to be as beautiful with a buzz cut. It's only hair and will grow back.

    I lost all of my hair, which is weird as I'm actually a pretty hairy guy, LOL. When my hair on my head starting kind of aching like a nerve does when it twitches or is inflamed (that same feeling)...I just buzzed it.

    I know it's rougher for you ladies, but actually it's not that uncommon for women to have buzz cuts..this day and age.

    Best to you....
    John
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    Hi Kristy


    I too did not like it when I lost some of my hair, but it does grow back after a while and you will look just a pretty as before.
  • charles55
    charles55 Member Posts: 87
    this is only temporary
    Yea, it feels like you are someone else that you don't want to be for a while. You are just as beautiful without hair as with it to the people who count. It would be great to keep the hair, but it is even greater to lose it if it means you get to beat this cancer. This just an outward sign that you are going to win.
  • pascotty
    pascotty Member Posts: 174 Member
    charles55 said:

    this is only temporary
    Yea, it feels like you are someone else that you don't want to be for a while. You are just as beautiful without hair as with it to the people who count. It would be great to keep the hair, but it is even greater to lose it if it means you get to beat this cancer. This just an outward sign that you are going to win.

    Lucky though
    You are so lucky that you have a beautiful face. You should be able to carry off that confident sinead oconnor look. It will grow back. My girlfriend Now has really long hair after losing it all through breast c treatment. Xxxxx
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    My Hair's Better
    Thought it would totally wreck me to lose my LOOONG hair. It didn't. Got it cut in a bob when I started chemo - got it shaved when it looked too gross. I never found a wig that was "the one", so I did without. I wore turbans, scarves and hats. Later on, I went naked-headed if I was hot (NEVER thought I'd be able to do that). Have you talked about this with the kids? I hear the small ones take it very well.

    Hair started sprouting very soon after I quit induction chemo. Have to admit - I spent lots of time petting my own silly head cause it felt so nice. I didn't get the thick salt and pepper curly hair lots of folks get (I had board straight thin fine hair, so I wanted the change). My hair did come back in much more grey (looked totally gray/white at first, now has toned down to look like my old hair color with more gray), but it looks much thicker and has body now, so I'm ahead on the hair front. Six months out of treatment, my hair even covers my radiation bald patch (my doc said it would be permanent, but I know someone on here said that her hair even came back there, but later).

    Oh - LOOK at yourself from time to time. I got into the habit of not looking at myself (I quit wearing makeup during treatment, and with no hair to style, I had do reason to look at myself). Never knew I'd lost a good chunk of eyebrow until I went to a "Look Good Feel Better" session - oops - bring on the brow pencil.

    I do know some folks wear wig liners (and/or a panty liner)between their wig and head. Good luck.
  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    new picture time
    Now, let us see you in that cute new wig, Kristyn!
  • SIRENAF42
    SIRENAF42 Member Posts: 202
    fisrpotpe said:

    I So
    I so agree with you Cancer Sucks!

    Hair Loss Sucks!

    Nausea Sucks!

    Pain Sucks!

    Life is Wonderful!!!!!!

    I recognize that chest
    HA that sounded bad... I meant, I recognize that hope chest. Only a skilled man could create such an art of work.

    Sirena
  • KristynRuth86
    KristynRuth86 Member Posts: 140

    new picture time
    Now, let us see you in that cute new wig, Kristyn!

    Oh my gosh I don't know
    Oh my gosh I don't know about posting a picture! I hate my head :( it makes me so sad!
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    SIRENAF42 said:

    I recognize that chest
    HA that sounded bad... I meant, I recognize that hope chest. Only a skilled man could create such an art of work.

    Sirena

    thanks
    I made it for my daughter 5 years ago, had to store it until now since she did not have room. Took the picture a couple weeks ago when we moved it. Cherry with curly cherry panels, areomatic cedar inside.
    I had hoped you had seen it which meant you lived closer than I thought.

    John
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194

    Oh my gosh I don't know
    Oh my gosh I don't know about posting a picture! I hate my head :( it makes me so sad!

    My Radiation doctor said I was going to lose my hair
    Well my radiation doctor said I would lose my hair in the back but I was lucky enough not to lose any hair only thing I lost was the side burns and which they growing back already. I am only 7 weeks out from radiation and this coming thursday I get a PET scan done then I go see the chemo doctor to get the results from the PET scan (next monday) then I meet up with radiation doctor for follow up on (next thursday).
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720

    Oh my gosh I don't know
    Oh my gosh I don't know about posting a picture! I hate my head :( it makes me so sad!

    I really like your hair,
    I really like your hair, didn't know it was a wig at all.
    I lost from the top of ears downward, did like a funny comb over, but now it is back.
    All will be OK. We are hear for you!
    Hugs
    Stacey
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member

    Oh my gosh I don't know
    Oh my gosh I don't know about posting a picture! I hate my head :( it makes me so sad!

    Don't hate your head!
    I must admit, I was a bit taken aback at the size of my own ears. I got those from my Dad, only they were a better fit on him. On the plus side, I haven't had a single chin hair since treatment ended.

    You are a beautiful person, inside and OUT! The hair will be back before you know it.

    Deb