Help .. My scalp hurts and my hair is coming out .. Yep, I think it's time

Options
VickiSam
VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
To buzz off the rest of my shorty hair do. Every time I touch my hair 5 to 20 hairs come out in my fingers .. a bald scalp is now inevitable.

Start chemo on 9/8 .. 15 days ago.

Just the beginning of all hair loss, I imagine.


VickiSam

Comments

  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #2
    Options
    :)
    You are so very brave VickSam! And, beautiful with or without hair!

    Kylez ♥
  • JGrim
    JGrim Member Posts: 36
    #3
    Options
    I don't know if it will
    I don't know if it will help, but I have a funny photo-montage of my head-shaving on my site (cancervacation.com) in the photo section. The cats really did sleep on my head like they're doing in the last picture. If you know it's falling out it really does help to just get it over with... I figured better to shave it all at once than have it all fall into my soup or something. Mine was about two weeks in, too.

    A lot of people say not to shave down to the skin but my head actually hurt if I left stubble so I went over it again later with a regular razor. I also had to start sleeping with a cap on... I cut the brim off a painter hat. Part of it was that my bare head weirded me out too much to sleep and part was that Momo (a cat) would wait until the middle of the night and then start licking my head. Ew.
  • ladybug22
    ladybug22 Member Posts: 646
    #4
    Options
    hugs
    hugs to u vicki it will grow back good luck
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    #5
    Options
    Vicki, remember the lady
    Vicki, remember the lady with the 3 hairs on her head! Your hair will grow back beautiful.
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #6
    Options
    meena1 said:

    Vicki, remember the lady
    Vicki, remember the lady with the 3 hairs on her head! Your hair will grow back beautiful.

    Thanks everyone ...
    for sharing your thoughts and comments. I truly appreciate you all.


    VickiSam
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #7
    Options
    VickiSam said:

    Thanks everyone ...
    for sharing your thoughts and comments. I truly appreciate you all.


    VickiSam

    Come on, VickiSam...
    ...'fess up.

    Is it only falling out on your *head*???

    :-) Traci
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #8
    Options
    VickiSam said:

    Thanks everyone ...
    for sharing your thoughts and comments. I truly appreciate you all.


    VickiSam

    Yes, shave it
    Hi Vicki,
    it was a very emotional event for me loosing my beautiful hair. But 2 weeks after 1 Chemo at 11 PM it happened and I did shave my hair. It took time but eventually I used to see myself in the mirror and even liked my appearance. I shaved than several times after Chemo was finished because they grow white and were impossible to dye.
    Hugs
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    #9
    Options
    New Flower said:

    Yes, shave it
    Hi Vicki,
    it was a very emotional event for me loosing my beautiful hair. But 2 weeks after 1 Chemo at 11 PM it happened and I did shave my hair. It took time but eventually I used to see myself in the mirror and even liked my appearance. I shaved than several times after Chemo was finished because they grow white and were impossible to dye.
    Hugs

    I remember well
    I had a headache and then i started shedding worse than my dog tootsie, my hubbie shaved me and I was heartbroken, but i am here to tell you it has been coming back thick and beautiful. I am so excited, no caps, hats, or wigs... you will get through this. all my love, jackie
  • rosebud5
    rosebud5 Member Posts: 15
    #10
    Options
    My 1st chemo was Sept 9th
    VickiSam,

    So glad I found someone who is dealing with 1st chemo the same time as I am. My scalp started itching & hurting late Tuesday night. Haven't lost any hair yet up to this morning (Sept 24th). But I did put a sleeping cap on last night to catch it if it fell out while I slept. I had my hair cut very short a week ago Thursday, so I could get used to it and also so the clumps of hair wouldn't be so long. I had hoped to have my head shaved before my 2nd chemo treatment yesterday, but I wasn't up to it. I'm hoping to do it today.

    Have you heard of how to take care of your scalp once the hair is gone?

    Also, I do know our hair will come back! My mom went thru breast cancer chemo 8 years ago and hers came back strong!

    How have you been about all this?

    Rosebud5
  • lanie940
    lanie940 Member Posts: 490 Member
    #11
    Options
    I had my hair cut by my
    I had my hair cut by my hairdresser yesterday. She is also a friend and comes to my house. She told me that two woman she works with had BC and had chemo and their hair came back curly, but like a salt and pepper color. They had no grey before.
  • Sam726
    Sam726 Member Posts: 233
    #12
    Options
    rosebud5 said:

    My 1st chemo was Sept 9th
    VickiSam,

    So glad I found someone who is dealing with 1st chemo the same time as I am. My scalp started itching & hurting late Tuesday night. Haven't lost any hair yet up to this morning (Sept 24th). But I did put a sleeping cap on last night to catch it if it fell out while I slept. I had my hair cut very short a week ago Thursday, so I could get used to it and also so the clumps of hair wouldn't be so long. I had hoped to have my head shaved before my 2nd chemo treatment yesterday, but I wasn't up to it. I'm hoping to do it today.

    Have you heard of how to take care of your scalp once the hair is gone?

    Also, I do know our hair will come back! My mom went thru breast cancer chemo 8 years ago and hers came back strong!

    How have you been about all this?

    Rosebud5

    Hey Rosebud 5
    Check out "beauty pearls for chemo girls" its a book for us ladies going thru chemo...it has all kinds of info on scalp care after hair falls out.
    I had chemo on the 10th for first time..no hair loss yet but I guess its getting close huh??
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #13
    Options
    Bless your heart~ Baldness,
    Bless your heart~ Baldness, the REAL non-crown of killing the BC beast! It is no surprise your scalp hurts~ kinda like the too too tight rubberband left in too long in a ponytail. The bad news is: You have to shave your head! The good news is: The pain will immediately leave ( along with the rest of your hair!)

    As LaTraci alluded to: Be prepared~ anywhere else you have hair...you won't! At least "those parts" won't hurt like your scalp does! Not having eyebrows, eyelashes, and of all things nose-hairs was very humbling to me; and made me apprecite just WHY we have them. And the brows and lashes aren't just beauty features--who knew???? LOL LOL The rest of the body, well, that isn't so bad! LOL

    As everyone said, it certainly does all come back...my eyebrows didn't come in as thick and shapely as pre-cancer, but I DID get a moustache! :-) It's always something, isn't it???

    You will come through this with flying colors!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #14
    Options
    chenheart said:

    Bless your heart~ Baldness,
    Bless your heart~ Baldness, the REAL non-crown of killing the BC beast! It is no surprise your scalp hurts~ kinda like the too too tight rubberband left in too long in a ponytail. The bad news is: You have to shave your head! The good news is: The pain will immediately leave ( along with the rest of your hair!)

    As LaTraci alluded to: Be prepared~ anywhere else you have hair...you won't! At least "those parts" won't hurt like your scalp does! Not having eyebrows, eyelashes, and of all things nose-hairs was very humbling to me; and made me apprecite just WHY we have them. And the brows and lashes aren't just beauty features--who knew???? LOL LOL The rest of the body, well, that isn't so bad! LOL

    As everyone said, it certainly does all come back...my eyebrows didn't come in as thick and shapely as pre-cancer, but I DID get a moustache! :-) It's always something, isn't it???

    You will come through this with flying colors!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥

    Moustache - hummm
    Chen .. Thank you for describing my condition to a 'T'. to tight of a rubberband, yep that's what it feels like. I have heard that you lose your hair down south first, so I am checking everything I use the bathroom. Nope still there. I do have a large array of hats and scarfs .. so I am prepared in that sense. I've been unable to find a wig that fits my head, as the back of my scalp is flat and wigs ride up the back of my scalp. I've been told to use glue or adhesive to keep wig in place.. I don't feel like spending $500.00 on a wig that will not fit correctly, or applying adhesive to my poor bald head. I have gone to 3 chemo wig stores, and have had the same experience. Cheap or expensive - all wigs ride up on the back of my scalp. Oh well, this is my cross to bear.

    My son's girlfriend came over last night to clip my hair and we both decided to leave me head alone for another day to 2 .. I think she was scared. So Morgan left her clippers here and told to me call her day or night and she would swing by and clip when I was ready. I am truly ready .. My family on the other hand, is not. Oh well, we will laugh and cry together very shortly.

    Nose hairs still in tact ---)))

    VickiSam
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #15
    Options
    Your beautiful with or
    Your beautiful with or without hair Vicki, and yes it's time. I kind of liked the fact that I didn't have to pay to get waxed and in a way I was proud of the warrior that I had become even without hair so girl..... march on you are kicking cancer in the a@@. I don't mean to make light of it but it will grow back and you will still be beautiful. I didn't loose my eyebrows and my eyelashes only thinned out so, you may have the same situation. Call ACS and find out if they have the lessons on applying make-up etc. which my mind right now went into a blank and I can't remember what it's called but I'm sure my sisters in pink will enlighten you and remind me about. (Must be lingering chemo brain) Chin up Vicki we all love you. Hugs, Lili
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #16
    Options
    VickiSam said:

    Moustache - hummm
    Chen .. Thank you for describing my condition to a 'T'. to tight of a rubberband, yep that's what it feels like. I have heard that you lose your hair down south first, so I am checking everything I use the bathroom. Nope still there. I do have a large array of hats and scarfs .. so I am prepared in that sense. I've been unable to find a wig that fits my head, as the back of my scalp is flat and wigs ride up the back of my scalp. I've been told to use glue or adhesive to keep wig in place.. I don't feel like spending $500.00 on a wig that will not fit correctly, or applying adhesive to my poor bald head. I have gone to 3 chemo wig stores, and have had the same experience. Cheap or expensive - all wigs ride up on the back of my scalp. Oh well, this is my cross to bear.

    My son's girlfriend came over last night to clip my hair and we both decided to leave me head alone for another day to 2 .. I think she was scared. So Morgan left her clippers here and told to me call her day or night and she would swing by and clip when I was ready. I am truly ready .. My family on the other hand, is not. Oh well, we will laugh and cry together very shortly.

    Nose hairs still in tact ---)))

    VickiSam

    I believe in the TLC
    I believe in the TLC catalog, I got what I LOVED! I hope I can describe this correctly..
    So, they are DESIGNED to be bangs, so picture hair which would span temple to temple and about the length of your hand. Theses "bangs" have a rubber rand-like elastic thingsy attached to each end. So,you put the bangs on, and the rubber band goes in back of your head, covered by a bandana! So even tho you are bald, it LOOKS like you have bangs.

    The Chen-touch was...I turned it around, and wore them on the BACK of my neck! The rubber band was toward the front, and then covered again by a bandana, it looked like I had hair which was in a to my collar kinda flip!

    I hope you can picture this...or that someone else knows what I am trying to say and can describe it better! It made me feel like I had hair without spending a zillion dollars (this was maybe 20 bux) and it didnt ride up or get hot, or itch as it was only as big as bangs, covered with a bandana! I loved it, actually!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #17
    Options
    the time has come....
    ...and you will look beautiful when all is gone. Even though it is a traumatic experience, I think we look pretty damned good without hair. I never wore anything on my head, and I see pictures of a lot of us here one the boards who chose not to, also. It does shout to the world that we are survivors, and we are doing everything in our power to stay that way.
    I will not tell you it will grow back, because when this is happening, that does not give comfort, I will just say that you are a warrior.
    Good luck in the rest of your treatments!
    Cat
  • lmmo
    lmmo Member Posts: 56
    #18
    Options
    cats_toy said:

    the time has come....
    ...and you will look beautiful when all is gone. Even though it is a traumatic experience, I think we look pretty damned good without hair. I never wore anything on my head, and I see pictures of a lot of us here one the boards who chose not to, also. It does shout to the world that we are survivors, and we are doing everything in our power to stay that way.
    I will not tell you it will grow back, because when this is happening, that does not give comfort, I will just say that you are a warrior.
    Good luck in the rest of your treatments!
    Cat

    scalp hurts
    Oh I am so comforted by this, because I was going thru the same thing. My hair started falling out at work on a Tuesday night. Friday my daughter buzzed me...I tried going to work with one of the free wigs I received from ACS Look Good Feel Better, but it was so scratchy and hot...so I am wearing scrves out and bald at home...it is just so hot.
    I also can not stop sweating, is it the AC? And the 3rd tx took so long for me to get over the sickness, now I have so much anxiety for next Thursdays chemo...
    You are all so helpful and encouraging!
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    #19
    Options
    lmmo said:

    scalp hurts
    Oh I am so comforted by this, because I was going thru the same thing. My hair started falling out at work on a Tuesday night. Friday my daughter buzzed me...I tried going to work with one of the free wigs I received from ACS Look Good Feel Better, but it was so scratchy and hot...so I am wearing scrves out and bald at home...it is just so hot.
    I also can not stop sweating, is it the AC? And the 3rd tx took so long for me to get over the sickness, now I have so much anxiety for next Thursdays chemo...
    You are all so helpful and encouraging!

    My scalp tingled alot when I
    My scalp tingled alot when I was losing my hair. I never got my head shaved, I just couldnt do it. I just cut it really short and choppy, and let it fall out. Mostly it came out in the shower, so I could cry then. But my hair has grown back awesome!

Discussion Boards