Hair loss and Chemo...

Hi Mary Frances. I had
Hi Mary Frances. I had Cytoxan and Taxotere every 3 weeks for 5 cycles. I lost my hair on day 15. About a week prior to that it started coming out very slowly, but when I hit day 15 it was falling out in clumps in the shower. That was probably one of the hardest parts of chemo because when my hair came it, it made the whole cancer thing real. Now I am almost 2 months post chemo and my hair is like a very short buzz cut. It seems each week it gets a little thicker. I have always had hair that grew rather slowly so I am not expecting that much to change (but the color sure did-went from dark blonde to salt and pepper). Good luck on your treatments. It is not easy getting through them, but they were tolerable. Penny

AngieD said:

Hi, Mary Frances. I'm
Hi, Mary Frances. I'm getting Adriamycin and Cytoxan every 2 weeks. Nothing happened after the first treatment. Two days after the 2nd treatment, my hair started coming out. I had what was left trimmed/buzzed so it wasn't so messy. It's time for my 3rd treatment this week and I still have some left around the edges, but it's mostly gone. Check with your cancer center on wigs and hats and scarves. Mine has hats and scarves that are made by volunteers and are free. And the American Cancer Society provides a free wig which a local salon handles the fitting and cleaning of as a service project. I think losing our hair is a big reality hit for most of us, but we just have to think of it as part of the road to recovery. And some chemo doesn't even make you lose you hair. My husband was on Xeloda and Oxaliplatin from July til Christmas for Esophageal Cancer and did lose his hair.
Good luck!
Angie

After hair loss .. some idea's for you!
Your freshly bald scalp will need to be shampooed and moistured. Ask your Oncology Staff
for idea's on shampoo brands --

If you go out into the sun for a prolonged periods -- please use sunscreen to on scalp, ears
and the back of your neck

Some of we chemo queens loose all hair -- even in our nose region -- so if you find that
your nasal passages get dry -- you can use neosporin applied with q-tip. Please always
ask your Onco and staff for 'their' recommendations first.

Personally, I did not wear wigs == I preferred scarves, and matching hats to my outfits.
I probably did get out of control with the purchase of over 30 matching hat's -- LOL

My head scarves were my badge of honor -- I had the pink ribbon on black, white, brown
lite pink, silver etc -- you name the color, I sported it!

Please also note that I did not work during my chemo treatments -- so maybe that is
one of the reasons I chose not to do the wigs.

Lastly, many of us also lose our hair all over our bodies -- including legs, under
arms -- and our southern region -- south of our belly buttons!

Gentle hugs ... for you.

Strength, Courage and Hope for a CURE!

Vicki Sam

My Hair Loss Experience
Hi Mary Frances,

I had 4 rounds of A/C and then 12 rounds of Taxotere. My hair started falling out on precisely Day 14 after Round 1. I would absent-mindedly run my fingers through my hair and would come away with a handful. As I had very thick hair to begin with it took about another 2 weeks until it just began to look ridiculous. At that point I had my husband use his "buzzer" and remove what was left. It was NOT a happy day. It took at least a week before I could pass a mirror and not cry. I think especially for a woman, hair is a big part of what makes us look female. Being bald points out that you are indeed a cancer patient. Not too many healthy women are bald on purpose. I wore a wig (got it at the American Cancer Society) or a scarf depending on the weather and where I was going. Often times if I was just going to be indoors at home I went "topless." As another poster said, it is not just the hair on the head that goes. While everyone will have a different experience, I lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes in addition to all the hair on my arms and legs. I lost probably 90% of my pubic hair, too. I lost all the hair in my nose, also.

It is now 18 months since my last chemo infusion. I have a full head of salt and pepper curls and have had about 4 haircuts. It took about 6 months after my last chemo until I felt comfortable leaving the house without a head covering of some kind. The color is what it was prior to chemo but the curls are a new thing. Never before had a curl in my life. I am so grateful to have any hair that this new look is just fine with me. I have all my eyelashes even though they are lighter in color than they were before. The eyebrows are somewhat more sparse than they used to be but they are visible. I only have to shave my underarms and legs occasionally - that is perfectly OK in my book.

I hope hearing about all our experiences prepares you in some way for what is coming. I always feel that things are not as scary if you are informed. Good luck.

IRENE

Hair
Hi,
I suppose by now you have your answer. Taxotere pretty much guarantees a lot of hair loss. Mine started coming out at the 2 week point and I tried very carefully to wash and back comb that day. The next day I was at my hair dressers requesting a buzz cut!!! Pro active is best. Plus it keeps dinner safe!
The pluses? No armpit or legs to shave. Never having to rinse out the tub due to a shed hair. Going out in the rain and not worrying about what it does to your hair. I lost every bit of hair on my body with the exception of the lower arm fuzz. Now explain that. I hung on to a few pitiful eyelashes but finally those went too. I now draw on any hair that I feel matters.
Now for the downside, at least my experience. My leg hair is growing like kudzu!!! Tell me, is this fair?
Lynne

madsters1 said:

to "hair" is human
Hi Mary Frances,
As someone else said, you probably already get the picture of what you're facing my friend. For me it has been very traumatic...a nightmare. Someone posted that for the first week they coudn't walk past a mirror without crying. I lost almost all of my hair on Nov. 20th, the rest soon followed. I still cry. No, not all the time, not everyday. But sometimes this nightmare still hits me. I had 4 rounds of T/C, the last one being Jan.19th. Somedays I just want to NOT have something on my head. Just want me back. I suppose I am one of the rare ones, but I do not even let my husband see me without a scarf on. I don't like who I see in the mirror so I spend as little time as possible in the mirrow without a scarf. Amazing how quick the make-up routine goes with no hair. I have been SO blessed that I did not lose my eyebrows or lashes although they have thinned (were thin to begin with). I touch up my eyebrows with pencil and use an eyelash curler. It helps alot.
I am counting down the days til my hair begins to grow back. As for the expected changes in color and style ie; curl, coloring and straightening is the way to go. I plan to "work" that little curl!
I was diagnosed Aug 11,2011 with IDC Stage II, ER+, PR-, Her2-. I am 48 years old and frankly way too young for hair loss to be a minor issue. I deal with it and as I said, count the days. Take heart..."this too shall pass". My very best to you.

Hi there
My hair started coming out by chunks after my second treatment. My kids and i decided to shave it after that started because i was leaving hair everywhere. I cried of course and my kids comforted me by telling me i was still beautiful bald!!
take care
Laura

HAIR
Hi I lost my hair exactly at day 13 after my 1st infussion of citoxan/taxotere, prior to this my scalp hurt like dickens, was very itchy and felt uncomfortable, this was the most traumatic event of all but once it was all gone the pain went away as well so it was a relief, we all knew we were loosing it so i was prepared i guess.
I used a lot of baby products- they are the best - i still use them specially in those areas that are tender after surgery and treatments, I was done w/chemo last summer but i don't give up my baby wash hair and body and baby lotion, I feel me like a brand new baby and that is uplifting enough, God only knows we all need some of this! good luck