Hair growth after chemo

joyyee1
joyyee1 Member Posts: 31
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My last chemo treatment was August 19th and my hair is starting to grow back.. but VERY slowly- I was expecting more hair by now!! How long did it take for everybody else?

Also- my scalp is flaky and I have what appears to be like a baby's cradle cap... anyone have a product they have used successfully?? I never had this problem before!!

thanks for any responses....

PS.. I'm wearing my wig in my photo.... I don't look like this anymore!!

Comments

  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #2
    Hi Joyee
    My last chemo was Aug 25th, today my hair is about 1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inches long. Very soft like new baby hair. I am using Johnsons baby shampoo about every 4 days. My hair is really thick on the sides and in the back, it's not as thick on the very top of my head just yet. I hear it can take as long as a year to a year and a half to get a full head of hair again. I has a dry flaky scalp too for the longest time but not anymore.
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #3
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Hi Joyee
    My last chemo was Aug 25th, today my hair is about 1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inches long. Very soft like new baby hair. I am using Johnsons baby shampoo about every 4 days. My hair is really thick on the sides and in the back, it's not as thick on the very top of my head just yet. I hear it can take as long as a year to a year and a half to get a full head of hair again. I has a dry flaky scalp too for the longest time but not anymore.

    Nearly 6 months out
    My last chemo was July 2nd. I have not worn any head covering for 2 months now. My hair was short but I was really tired of caps and bandanas (never cared for the wig) I have about 2-3 inches of really curly hair now.My hair is really thick too. It grew slow at first but has really started growing lately. There is a pic on my expressions page from about 2 weeks ago. I never had any scalp problems. I used Johnsons baby shampoo even when I had no hair at all. Hang in there it will be back!! God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • Annette 11
    Annette 11 Member Posts: 380
    #4
    Joyyee
    I had my last chemo Nov. 15th and my hair is coming in slowly. It's so soft and my eye brows are starting to come in slightly. I also use Johnson baby shampoo thru this journey, haven't had a problem with any kind of flaking or cradle cap.
    I am going to get a wig this week because it is going to take a long time for the hair to grow in and I'm getting tired of wearing bandana's and I just want to get back to normal.
    Annette
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #5
    Annette 11 said:

    Joyyee
    I had my last chemo Nov. 15th and my hair is coming in slowly. It's so soft and my eye brows are starting to come in slightly. I also use Johnson baby shampoo thru this journey, haven't had a problem with any kind of flaking or cradle cap.
    I am going to get a wig this week because it is going to take a long time for the hair to grow in and I'm getting tired of wearing bandana's and I just want to get back to normal.
    Annette

    Annette
    This is just my personal opinion but I think if you go and start wearing a wig it will only slow down the hair regrowth, I wear/wore nothing unless I had somewhere I needed to go and only then did I wear a bandana. I kind of think you should air out your head and let it breathe.
  • faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy
    faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy Member Posts: 319 Member
    #6
    Annette 11 said:

    Joyyee
    I had my last chemo Nov. 15th and my hair is coming in slowly. It's so soft and my eye brows are starting to come in slightly. I also use Johnson baby shampoo thru this journey, haven't had a problem with any kind of flaking or cradle cap.
    I am going to get a wig this week because it is going to take a long time for the hair to grow in and I'm getting tired of wearing bandana's and I just want to get back to normal.
    Annette

    Harpo Marx
    My last chemo was June 18th, 2010, a wee bit more than 6 months ago. I have between 1.5 to 2 inches...white/silver and curly baby soft locks. Sources tell me there is a huge clockwise swirl on the back of my head. I use Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo and a bit of Pantene conditioner too, seems to keep the 'fuzzy look' under control. The eyebrows and lashes are white/silver too and thin.

    I'm rather enjoying the new look, even if it's like watching grass grow or paint dry.
  • chriskaput
    chriskaput Member Posts: 109
    #7
    It's been a little more than 2 mos.
    I finished chemo on Oct. 8th. 2 and half months later I have about an inch of hair. It's coming in wavy and I have always had straight hair. Also with alot of grays. I am using Mane & Tail shampoo. (Yep horse shampoo). I read that it helps your hair to grow faster and healthier. I was willing to try anything. It seems to be working unless it's just my imagination. LOL I can't wait for my long hair to come back, I am sooooo tired of wearing a wig. : )
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #8
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Annette
    This is just my personal opinion but I think if you go and start wearing a wig it will only slow down the hair regrowth, I wear/wore nothing unless I had somewhere I needed to go and only then did I wear a bandana. I kind of think you should air out your head and let it breathe.

    Not everybody lives where it is 'doable' to go "naked headed". Many live where it is quite cold and add in the wind chill which is in the minus teens F now here.

    Susan
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #9
    My hair started coming back
    My hair started coming back in during Taxotere which we do separately after a cocktail of 5FU, cytoxan and epirubicin. Didn't have the cradle cap so can't help you there. I loved my post chemo hair. Wish I could get that curl back :)
  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member
    #10
    phoenixrising said:

    My hair started coming back
    My hair started coming back in during Taxotere which we do separately after a cocktail of 5FU, cytoxan and epirubicin. Didn't have the cradle cap so can't help you there. I loved my post chemo hair. Wish I could get that curl back :)

    @phoenixrising,I had the @Joyyee
    @phoenixrising,I had the same cocktial as you i finished my treatment in September 2010 and started taxotere in October and like you my hair has started coming in everywhere it had feel out at,i never lost my eyebrows and lashes but they thinned out. @Joyyee1 I use olive oil and massage my scalp with it and i use the baby johnson shampoo. MollyZ
  • kya911
    kya911 Member Posts: 157
    #11
    mollyz said:

    @phoenixrising,I had the @Joyyee
    @phoenixrising,I had the same cocktial as you i finished my treatment in September 2010 and started taxotere in October and like you my hair has started coming in everywhere it had feel out at,i never lost my eyebrows and lashes but they thinned out. @Joyyee1 I use olive oil and massage my scalp with it and i use the baby johnson shampoo. MollyZ

    I just Had
    #3 of 6 rounds & my hair is starting to grow.
    I shaved it off after I started chemo. Weird right???
  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    #12
    My last chemo was Oct 12 and
    My last chemo was Oct 12 and I have about 1/2 inch of hair. It isn't as thick as it use to be yet but it us getting there. I don't wear head covers any more. I grew to hate them things anyway. I just use Suave that is what I always used. It was coming back grey so i did colored it so it looked thicker. The color is about the color of you wig. I like your wig you look great. That is how I want my hair cut when I have enough to cut LOL. I have not had any flaking at all. Take care Kay
  • mrs gadget
    mrs gadget Member Posts: 118
    #13
    Last chemo was Dec 6th
    My last chemo was December 6th and I already have a nice 'down' covering on my head. My hair actually started coming back treatment # 5 of 6. I use head and shoulders every day and that seems to help...
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #14
    mrs gadget said:

    Last chemo was Dec 6th
    My last chemo was December 6th and I already have a nice 'down' covering on my head. My hair actually started coming back treatment # 5 of 6. I use head and shoulders every day and that seems to help...

    I finished chemo jan 2010,
    I finished chemo jan 2010, went naked June 2010. still very short. came in curly now it is below my ears and at the nape of my neck, the top is growing in nicely. Used to be stick straight, now curly. very stylish. I did trim it twice because it grows out in different areas at different lengths. It gave it a Intended haircut look. as opposed to the mullet. Now pwople tell me they love it and I should keep it like this, however I think the curls do go away (then what haha). when I tell them this they dont get it. They think my hair will be permanantly curly. anyway I know this happens for a small percentage of people but is not likely. My hair grww in with more grays, and a mousy color, so I colored it. Anyway be patient, hair will come back and being bald will be a memory.
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #15
    HI Joyyee1
    Oh I know how you feel. My hair took a long time to come back. I used nutri ox shampoo & cond. I think it helped, but honestly I really don't know for sure. I can tell you this. I had thin hair before chemo and I have thicker hair now. My last chemo was in November 2009 and I did not have much through that summer and started getting more by fall, and well you can see were I am at now. I have had a few hair cuts to keep it in shape. Had to dye it as well. Use lotion on your head for the dryness. Hang in there, it will come back.
    Kathy ~
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #16
    My last chemo was Jan 28,
    My last chemo was Jan 28, '10 and I still have only between 2 1/2 and 3 inches of hair back. I don't exactly remember when it started VERY slowly coming back but it was after the end of 5 weeks rads and by the time it started getting warm here, there was a dark 'shadow' so I quit wearing wig/scarfs/caps as they were too hot except to go somewhere 'special' (church/dinner/etc.). Takes a fair bit of time for some of us. I was so hopeing that I'd get grey when it came back and there are a few 'silver threads' but have to hunt for them which isn't what most have at 64. LOL - it's genetics.

    Susan
  • rene9
    rene9 Member Posts: 214
    #17
    Kat11 said:

    HI Joyyee1
    Oh I know how you feel. My hair took a long time to come back. I used nutri ox shampoo & cond. I think it helped, but honestly I really don't know for sure. I can tell you this. I had thin hair before chemo and I have thicker hair now. My last chemo was in November 2009 and I did not have much through that summer and started getting more by fall, and well you can see were I am at now. I have had a few hair cuts to keep it in shape. Had to dye it as well. Use lotion on your head for the dryness. Hang in there, it will come back.
    Kathy ~

    Hi
    I know what you're going through. The waiting game...I finished chemo last May and stopped wearing my wig in August. My hair is 2-3 inches now and very curly. I would use a stimulating shampoo and take biotin but I was told it would grow without taking biotin or using nioxin, and it did. My hair was brown and now it appears to be black. I don't care if it's blue...I get a lot of compliments too. I do treat it better by using natural products as I do with my body wash and deodorant. Oh, I was told to wash it with baby shampoo as that's the texture it came back.


    rene9

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