Chemo hair loss

Mdotsie47

Hair loss
I'm in the middle of six rounds of carbo/ taxel. My hair started falling out two weeks after the first treatment, so I just shaved it all off. I tried the caps and hats and bald head look, gave up and started buying wigs. Finding the right ones is really difficult. Many are stiff and hot. I now buy only Raquel Welch memory cap wigs because they are comfy for all day wear and look natural. They are my cancer indulgence, since I have stage 4 and who knows what's ahead. At least I can enjoy looking "normal" even if I don't feel it!

CancerFighter05

Still have hair

I am on Carbo/ Taxol. I have had 7 treatments and have 3 to go. I have not lost my hair yet. It has thinned out but not enough to worry about. I washed my hair with cold water and baby shampoo. 

jazzy1

CancerFighter05 said:

Still have hair

I am on Carbo/ Taxol. I have had 7 treatments and have 3 to go. I have not lost my hair yet. It has thinned out but not enough to worry about. I washed my hair with cold water and baby shampoo. 

Cancerfighter

Seriously.....still have hair?  Never ever heard this one and boy are you one lucky gal.  Most difficult part at my beginning of the journey was HAIR LOSS.  Generally loose after day 14 from first infusion.

Wondering why...hum?

Enjoy,

Jan

 

 

NoTimeForCancer

Ah, to hear my sisters!

I remember crying when I heard I would lose my hair.  It was about day 10 after my first taxol/carboplatin when I just stood outside my house, shook my hair with my fingers and saw it fall and blow away gently in the breeze.  I hoped at least a bird would find it helpful when building their nest for their young!

A few days later my girlfriends and I all cried when my wig shop shaved my head.  A week or so later I was sitting in the church for a funeral for a 34 year old young man and all saw the very proud and BEAUTIFUL African American women with their closely shaved heads and asked myself, "Why I am I hiding under this wig?"  The following Monday I asked a bald man at work to get a few other of the bald (and secure) men to surround me in a picture of me without the wig.  It means the WORLD to me.  My mother loves it.  (BTW - I am the one wearing lipstick) and one of my great friends said he gave it to a man who put a copy on his desk because he didn't want to lose his hair and it helped him. 

I wore a wig thoughout this whole treatment though so others didn't view me as "sick".  Since there was a break in my chemo, shaving my head the second time was not as traumatic, and because I say my body got used to the poison, not all of my hair fell out the second round and I had wispy hairs around the sides and back, the "Larry Fine" look!  One year after surgery now and I have closed the wig shop in my second bathroom and since short hair is very hip right now, sporting the doo of the season! 

I agree with others here though, losing eye lashes was the most difficult thing.  I remember going to visit my mother and while washing my face saw some lashes in the sink and knew, sadly, these were next to go.

Everyone told me it would grow back, and while it did, it still really was devasting when it happened.  I hated that people would say that to me, and start to say it will grow back curly or something.  I had loved my hair and didn't want anything but what I had!  Maybe I wasn't as fearless as other in this area as others.  Let's just call it like it is:  IT SUCKS!   

I didn't like being bald but I knew it was because we were killing the demand who chose to take haven in my body.  If it meant killing the devil than I would sacrifice my hair!!

 

Canary

Taxol/carbo hair loss

Hi, friends. I just joined the group today. I am 10 days out from my first chemo and thinking about hair loss. I purchased my wig yesterday and have bought a few chemo caps. I was wondering about the sensitivity of the scalp once one loses hair. Is there anything you can share about this topic? Wash with shampoo? Soap? Baby shampoo?  

Canary

NoTimeForCancer said:

Hello, Canary.  I am sorry

Hello, Canary.  I am sorry you are having to go through this all.  I remember my head itching as my hair was falling out, which was a little maddening.  I also remember - and this lasted for years - it felt like my scalp like it was being pulled - like when I used to use a curling iron as a kid.  I would just press on my head when I had the latter, but it eventually ended.  Also, here is a video of using old t-shirts to make them in to wraps.  I loved these to run around in and for around the house.  My tip on this is:  get at least a Large, go to Goodwill (you need to inspect them) but look for a fashion designer t-shirt for better colors (Ann Taylor, etc), cut with scissors 15" from the bottom. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP2JyDgql_0

Thank you so much,

Thank you so much, NoTimeForCancer, for the link. A soft absorbent t-shirt sounds really good for a sweaty head. I tend to be warm natured and that sounds very comfy. I’ll head out tomorrow to get a shirt and try it out, or maybe just go look in my closet right now. 

Canary

First homemade cap completed.

First homemade cap completed. Thanks for the great idea.

Canary

NoTimeForCancer said:

Canary, I remember my

Canary, I remember my radiation techs wanting to see how I wrapped it and another woman in JoAnn Fabric came up to me and said she had never seen anything like it - so I showed her as well. I know the woman didn't show it in the video, but I would smooth it down over the back of my head.  Hers was a little wonky in the back, but if you play with it a little bit you will get the hang of it fast.   

Actually, it looked really

Actually, it looked really great the first time. My shirt was an XL and i did an extra twist in the back and that took care of the extra fabric. I am a Christmas nut and had been looking for caps in a Christmas print for December. Now all i have to do is find a Christmas print tshirt and my problem is solved. I am on day 11. Thursday will be day 14 and i am leaving then on a short vacation. I will take my clippers with me in case that is when the hair starts falling. I feel ok about all this right now. I hope i can keep that positive attitude when it actually happens, but i think i can. 

ConnieSW

Canary said:

Actually, it looked really

Actually, it looked really great the first time. My shirt was an XL and i did an extra twist in the back and that took care of the extra fabric. I am a Christmas nut and had been looking for caps in a Christmas print for December. Now all i have to do is find a Christmas print tshirt and my problem is solved. I am on day 11. Thursday will be day 14 and i am leaving then on a short vacation. I will take my clippers with me in case that is when the hair starts falling. I feel ok about all this right now. I hope i can keep that positive attitude when it actually happens, but i think i can. 

You'll be ok

When my hair came back, I discovered having it really short suited me. It's been 6 years now and I still like it and get compliments. Who knew. 

Cass83

ConnieSW said:

You'll be ok

When my hair came back, I discovered having it really short suited me. It's been 6 years now and I still like it and get compliments. Who knew. 

Me too Connie!

I keep mine short now too. It is so much easier to maintain, and cheaper!

 

Cass83

Canary said:

Actually, it looked really

Actually, it looked really great the first time. My shirt was an XL and i did an extra twist in the back and that took care of the extra fabric. I am a Christmas nut and had been looking for caps in a Christmas print for December. Now all i have to do is find a Christmas print tshirt and my problem is solved. I am on day 11. Thursday will be day 14 and i am leaving then on a short vacation. I will take my clippers with me in case that is when the hair starts falling. I feel ok about all this right now. I hope i can keep that positive attitude when it actually happens, but i think i can. 

You can do it!

I had long hair when I was diagnosed, cut it short, then when it started coming out, I had it shaved and wore a night cap to keep it from getting all over my pillow at night. Once it all came out, I used baby shampoo on my scalp. 

I only cried one time when it all came out, and my husband said "at least the chemo is working". And that put it all in perspective. And it does grow back! (oh, btw, there are many perks, like not having to shave your legs or arm pits!)

Canary

Thanks, everyone. I have

Thanks, everyone. I have definitely been thinking about not shaving legs and armpits and plucking chin hairs. I have worn very short hair for most of my adult life so that part won’t be a problem.

CheeseQueen57

Canary said:

Thanks, everyone. I have

Thanks, everyone. I have definitely been thinking about not shaving legs and armpits and plucking chin hairs. I have worn very short hair for most of my adult life so that part won’t be a problem.

Chin Hairs

I have bad news. For some reason chinny chin chin hairs keep growing. But my leg hair never came back in full force. My head hair came back beautifully. I had a preference for turbines myself. 

LisaPizza

ConnieSW said:

You'll be ok

When my hair came back, I discovered having it really short suited me. It's been 6 years now and I still like it and get compliments. Who knew. 

Same!

Same!

NoTimeForCancer

Canary, I remember my

Canary, I remember my radiation techs wanting to see how I wrapped it and another woman in JoAnn Fabric came up to me and said she had never seen anything like it - so I showed her as well. I know the woman didn't show it in the video, but I would smooth it down over the back of my head.  Hers was a little wonky in the back, but if you play with it a little bit you will get the hang of it fast.   

Soup52

CheeseQueen57 said:

Chin Hairs

I have bad news. For some reason chinny chin chin hairs keep growing. But my leg hair never came back in full force. My head hair came back beautifully. I had a preference for turbines myself. 

Yes, Cheese the chin hairs

Yes, Cheese the chin hairs were probably the first to come back and never stopped!! Underarm hair never grew back and very little on legs. If I ever have to have chemo again I won’t grow my hair longer again. That part ha been a pain, but I’m finally back to my shoulder length hair. I need to take a new picture:)

NoTimeForCancer

Hello, Canary.  I am sorry

Hello, Canary.  I am sorry you are having to go through this all.  I remember my head itching as my hair was falling out, which was a little maddening.  I also remember - and this lasted for years - it felt like my scalp like it was being pulled - like when I used to use a curling iron as a kid.  I would just press on my head when I had the latter, but it eventually ended.  Also, here is a video of using old t-shirts to make them in to wraps.  I loved these to run around in and for around the house.  My tip on this is:  get at least a Large, go to Goodwill (you need to inspect them) but look for a fashion designer t-shirt for better colors (Ann Taylor, etc), cut with scissors 15" from the bottom. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP2JyDgql_0

pato58

CheeseQueen57 said:

Chin Hairs

I have bad news. For some reason chinny chin chin hairs keep growing. But my leg hair never came back in full force. My head hair came back beautifully. I had a preference for turbines myself. 

Chin hairs

I know what you guys are talking about, even without chemo. They are relentless 

Canary

CheeseQueen57 said:

Chin Hairs

I have bad news. For some reason chinny chin chin hairs keep growing. But my leg hair never came back in full force. My head hair came back beautifully. I had a preference for turbines myself. 

So i guess if the chin hairs

So i guess if the chin hairs stay, i can think “i didn’t lose all my hair”.

The chemo nurse told me at my treatment that hair doesn’t disappear everywhere and i told her i would probably be the one to keep leg, armpit, and  chin hairs.  It is what it is and it will be ok.

cmb

Hair is Really Lost!

I'm one of the unlucky ones whose hair came back very sparsely after chemo. My hair had been thinning for several years before I got cancer and I was used to wearing wigs for work or social events, although I went "natural" the rest of time. So I was actually hoping that I'd get back "different" hair as a few friends with cancer did.

But what grew back was exactly the same (texture, color) as I had before, just a way lot less, especially on the top of my head. It actually looks like male pattern baldness. I do have more hair on the sides and back of the head, so I just stick a hat on when I'm not wearing a wig. If I had looked better when I was bald I would just shave it all off again, but the bald look didn't really suit me as it does some others.

Fortunately I did get my eyebrows and eyelashes back, so at least I don't look as sickly as I did without them. I was especially happy to get the eyelashes back – I hadn't realized until they were gone how much junk they keep out of your eyes.

I realize that my hair loss is a very minor issue compared to the residual effects from treatment that other ladies have suffered. So I try not to dwell on it. And even if I had known about cold capping before I had chemo, I doubt that I would have pursued this anyway since I didn't have great hair to start with.