Hair loss without Chemo???

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seeknpeace
seeknpeace Member Posts: 259
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Have any of you experienced hair loss without having had chemo or radiation? I had a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruct and my hair is falling out in handfulls. I try to not comb it and to wash it seldom, but, when I do it is horrible. What at first looked like just accelerated hair loss maybe due to dyeing or something, now is quite obviously going to be total hair loss soon. I am going to the doctor and I have read on some sites that anesthesia can cause hair loss. I had a total hysterectomy and bladder surgery in Dec 2002 and then the ten hour surgery on 2-4-04, and I had to have more surgery last Friday to remove some of the tissue in my tram reconstruct on the right side as it was not softening. So that is three times, two of them long surgeries. But, I also read it could be thyroid, liver, and many other things, including stress.

I am really interested to see if anyone else has had this and what it was and how it was treated. I just hope that my insurance company will cover the cost of a wig. It will in chemo, but, this is due to medical issues too so I hope that they will. Jan

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  • lynne40
    lynne40 Member Posts: 87
    #2
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    Hi Jan, everything that you mentioned can cause hairloss. Stress or thyroid or your diet would be my first guesses. There is also something that happens for no pin downable reason which is Alopecia of no specific origin but it is usually as a result of stress related causes. Fortunately if that is the cause your hair will grow back and it usually affects all body hair just like chemo. Good luck at the doc hopefully they will give you an answer soon and I pray your insurance will cover a wig. Good luck, I'll be thinking of you Hugs,
    Lynne
  • martyzl
    martyzl Member Posts: 196
    #3
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    Hello Jan!

    Did you just notice this or could it have been happening before your bc surgery? The reason I ask is that I was having amazing hair loss before my dx and it calmed down quite a bit just before I started chemo, months later. Something to think about.
    Post chemo my hair is back to it's original thickness, pre-babies and all. Time for thinning shears!

    As Lynne said, everything you mentioned is a viable reason. Do consider getting it checked out though as many people have undiagnosed thyroid as well as other "issues". Your body is trying to tell you something.

    All my best. May you find your answers soon and heal quickly!
    Marty

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