Thin hair & thin facial hair

Dave195
Dave195 Member Posts: 3
edited July 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

I'm a 26yr old male and I was diagnosed w/ Nodular Schlerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma 2B (nightsweats) in my upper chest (both sides - size of a softball). I had 12 chemo treatments over 6 months and my last treatment was on 5/12. Still need to have a last PT scan before my doctor let's me take my port out. Mu question is if my hair and facial hair will grow ever grow in thick the way it used to? I have to keep a buzz cut becuase my hair grows in super thin & stringy after the first half inch or so. Same w/ my beard. I used to be able to grow a think mountain man beard lol. Now after a week or so, the hair grows in super thin everywhere on my face and it's hideous. At least my eyebrowns are normal again after being super light. Will this get any better or is there a pill or something that will promote thickening of my hair so it looks like it used to? Maybe something men use for baldness?

Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! - Dave

Comments

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #2
    Hair

    Dave,

    Good news.

    During chemo I lost EVERY hair on my body, including my eyelashes and eyebrows. I noticed that even the tiny hairs on my fingers left. My hair was not thick before treatment, and returned about equal to before.  The texture did change: it was coarse before, but came back fine, like baby hair, and has remained fine for five years now. I have heard many times of the new hair being a different color than before chemo, but my color remained the same.

    My faical hair took a while to come back, and did some odd stuff in the process. It would grow on one side of my face only, and then just on the other !! This went back-and-forth for maybe a month, but I am now also a certified Duck Dynasty looking character.  My oncologist said he had never heard of the "side-to-side" thing, but as I said, it is now even and thick.  It did take time.  I do not know of any teatment, except waiting.

    max

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #3
    Hair or not

    Hi Dave and welcome to the group.  I have to agree with Max.  It will grow back and there may be some differences - not necessarily bad.   My hair came back darker and I lost most of the gray (which is coming back now :)).  As Max said, the texture may be different - especially at first and it may come out wavy or curly at first (mine didn't really curl).  I used to have thick eyelashes and that didn't return - they are thinner now.

    All in all, I was a decent looking "Alien" there for awhile:).  Give things more time. 

    Jim

  • bicarsa
    bicarsa Member Posts: 4 Member
    #4
    I too lost all of my hair

    I too lost all of my hair during treatment.  But a few months after chemo ended it came back just as thick as before.  I think I am blessed because my father had very thick hair also.  So maybe its part of family genes.

  • Dave195
    Dave195 Member Posts: 3
    #5
    hair

    Thanks for the responses. Yeah, I never lost most of my hair. Problem is I can't grow it or my beard long anymore because it grows in super thin and looks really bad. Just wanted to know if it gets thicker over time. Guess not.

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #6
    Dave195 said:

    hair

    Thanks for the responses. Yeah, I never lost most of my hair. Problem is I can't grow it or my beard long anymore because it grows in super thin and looks really bad. Just wanted to know if it gets thicker over time. Guess not.

    Give it some time

    Dave, it may take another few months - don't give up on the hirsuit pursuit ;).

  • Dave195
    Dave195 Member Posts: 3
    #7
    hair

    haha

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