hair growth

curly
curly Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone, I am new at this, so forgive me and my computer illiteracy. I have had a year that has been filled with surgery, chemo and radiation...but I'm done!! yeah!! My problem now is my new found hair...it really isn't hair, it's more like curly fuzz..anyone out there experienced this?? I really can't deal with this...

Comments

  • isaiah4031
    isaiah4031 Member Posts: 240
    #2
    Hi,
    I am almost one year post chemo. I lost all my hair, and it was long, thick, straight and dark brown. Now I have a head full of salt and pepper curls. It's not as thick, but I can still feel some little hairs on my scalp, so I guess it's still growing in. I was told that sometimes the hair reverts back to the original texture and style, but so far, I am curly all over. I am enjoying not having to do anything to it in the morning. I can't really remember how long it took after chemo stopped, but I wore a wig well into the holiday season. Hang it there. It will get better! You'll be in my prayers.
    Love, Jayne
  • mjtarantino
    mjtarantino Member Posts: 8
    #3
    isaiah4031 said:

    Hi,
    I am almost one year post chemo. I lost all my hair, and it was long, thick, straight and dark brown. Now I have a head full of salt and pepper curls. It's not as thick, but I can still feel some little hairs on my scalp, so I guess it's still growing in. I was told that sometimes the hair reverts back to the original texture and style, but so far, I am curly all over. I am enjoying not having to do anything to it in the morning. I can't really remember how long it took after chemo stopped, but I wore a wig well into the holiday season. Hang it there. It will get better! You'll be in my prayers.
    Love, Jayne

    Question - I am going to be having chemo soon and just wondered... did you shave your head priop to the chemo? I think it would really freak me out to see great clumps of hair falling out. Where the heck do you go for a buzz cut? I don't want to freak out the girl who does my hair, either.I am in Boston and will be treated at Dana Farber. I think they might do it there. Does anyone know?
    I'll be picking out a wig soon....
    Have fun with your new hair. Try a really cool new short style or maybe a different color? I am thinking of this as an opportunity to try a new style that I never would have thought of.
    Maureen
  • maggs
    maggs Member Posts: 164
    #4
    My hair eventualy returned to normal, but it took several months...you will have a free perm for awhile!
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #5
    mjtarantino said:

    Question - I am going to be having chemo soon and just wondered... did you shave your head priop to the chemo? I think it would really freak me out to see great clumps of hair falling out. Where the heck do you go for a buzz cut? I don't want to freak out the girl who does my hair, either.I am in Boston and will be treated at Dana Farber. I think they might do it there. Does anyone know?
    I'll be picking out a wig soon....
    Have fun with your new hair. Try a really cool new short style or maybe a different color? I am thinking of this as an opportunity to try a new style that I never would have thought of.
    Maureen

    When my hair started falling out(right before my 2nd chemo), my 16 year old son and I buzzed ours together at home with a cheap pair of clippers. It was so much easier than just letting it fall out. Now, I'm almost 5 months post chemo and 2 months post rads. I quit wearing a hat or scarf when I go out about 6 or 7 weeks ago. I never wore a wig. I've always had curly hair, but my new hair is REALLY curly. It is pretty thick. It seems like instead of getting longer it just curls up more. I'm going to attempt to have it trimmed before too long. It is definitely easier than the long hair I used to have.
    I've kind of enjoyed the adventure with hair loss.
    Diane
  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #6
    I was a brunette w/ wavy hair, now I have blk hair that is so very soft and curly. I honestly feel like I have been born again. I was Saved at age 28, but not Baptized till age 38. I lost my hair that month so I got pictures from my mom of me as an infant. I was bald till about 15 mo which coincided w/ my hair regrowth after chemo. I even wrote a poem to correspond with my experience. See my web pg if interested it's called 'Back In Black.' A lady told me one day "I'd die for hair like yours." I told her I almost did. Hang in there curly, it'll grow and you'll be beautiful...Hummingbyrd
  • iris48
    iris48 Member Posts: 92
    #7
    mjtarantino said:

    Question - I am going to be having chemo soon and just wondered... did you shave your head priop to the chemo? I think it would really freak me out to see great clumps of hair falling out. Where the heck do you go for a buzz cut? I don't want to freak out the girl who does my hair, either.I am in Boston and will be treated at Dana Farber. I think they might do it there. Does anyone know?
    I'll be picking out a wig soon....
    Have fun with your new hair. Try a really cool new short style or maybe a different color? I am thinking of this as an opportunity to try a new style that I never would have thought of.
    Maureen

    Hello Maureen,
    It took about 14 days before I ran my hand through my hair and realized it has started to fall out. I called my hairdresser and she offered to come to my home and gave me the buzz and razor shave privately. We hugged, laughed, bonded and made it a very female moment. She didn't have to do what she did but it sure made a difference for me. It was bad enough it was going to fall out, but to clean up hair all over the house was too much. My husband also for years teased me about having a lumpy head. Well he took one look at me and apologized and said I had no idea your head was this symetrical...wow! I crocheted a thirties look head piece (you see them in the mail order catalogs) complete with burgundy beads that looks also like the egyptian wig/Bo Derek braid thing and it was cooler than the turbans, scarves, wigs for my casual times. I also used a vest that was a thin knit and had a hood. I kept getting hot and cold so the hood was easy to slip on and off. The wig I found best was Renee of Paris - my style was "Pam" which was short. Just shake it out, put it on and everything fell into place. You still need to have it cut to fit your face (but I learned how to do it at the Amer Cancer session- Looking Good Feeling Good). My hair started to grow back in Jan 02. My last chemo was Dec. Now I have 3" of spring like curls and my dark color hair back. My original hair was poker straight so the curls are fun. The Amer. Can. Soc. has wigs, and other supplies that you can borrow for the time you need it. That can give you an idea of what you might want initially with out the expense. Check it out.
    Have fun with it and laugh a lot. That helped me tremendously. Hugs, Iris
  • llange
    llange Member Posts: 54
    #8
    I was warned before my hair fell out that it could come back a different color or texture. Fortunately, it came back the same color but with a lot of extra body and a little wave to it - it's much nicer than my old hair. My hair stylist told me that it often doesn't stay in the new texture, but after a few months goes back to the old. She also said that sometimes it comes back really kinky curly, but that when it does it almost always grows out to it's normal texture after a few months. I hope this is the case for you. Maybe a hair stylist could help you out until it does. Good luck!
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #9
    I just wanted to welcome you to the site as the others have done I am sure. Congradulations on your year of enduring all the treatments that seem to go with this disease. I am sure like us all you thought you would never get through it all but YOU have.
    My hair came back stiff, dark and thick, nothing like the blonde hair I had before. I use to look at myself in the mirror and wonder "Who the Hell that was". After seeing my father in that mirror I decided to dye it and it even softened the thick stiffness that I hate so much.
    I find it interesting just how much our hair can change after loosing it all. Even my son's changed after he shaved his head in sympathy of my hair loss. His too came back dark, that was a sad day since he was blonde and blue eyed. He is still handsome and I am still me under the hair. I do encourage you to do what you feel best with that new found hair of yours. I hope that you too find something you can be comfortable with.
    Glad you found us,
    Be good to yourself always,
    Tara
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #10
    Dear Curly, Hi, welcome back to the wonderful world of hair. Mine all came out 14 days after 1st treatment. We were gone on a long weekend camping when it started, so we made a scrafice to the bonefire with it. What little was left, got shaved (by my husbands hand) the night we got back. It was long (mid way down back) and started coming back in about this time last year-short, thick and fuzzy curly. It is about collar lenght (when wet) now and still hangs in little ringlets all over my head. My mom says I look sossssooo cute..NOT!! Be patient, you have much bigger things to deal with then your hair right now. concentrate on getting strong, and healthy and leave the hair alone for while. Much love and big hugs.Jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com

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