Not all hair fell out. Now what?

Eli's mom
Eli's mom Member Posts: 1
in Breast Cancer #1

Most of my hair fell out less than 3 weeks after my 1st chemo.  The hair that didn't fall out got "buzzed".  This was back in January.  The hair that didn't fall out also has not grown.  Just wondering what to expect later, when my hair starts growing back.  Will the hair that is still on my head continue to grow or fall out first?  Thanks

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
    NO advice-just pixie dust

    NO advice-just pixie dust heading your way.

     

    Denise

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    edited April 2017 #3
    Mine came back at same time.

    With neoadjuvant DD A/C, the majority of my head hair fell out a little over 2 weeks after first A/C (a few days after 2nd infusion). We had a 'clipping' party at the barn using the horse clippers on the little bit that was still there on me first and then on my Son and several of my other 'Sons' as they wanted to (in their minds) show support for me.  With A/C, only about half of lashes, brows and other bodily hair fell out.  5 weeks after last A/C, I started 12 weekly Taxol. (In those 5 weeks there was no sign of any hair regrowing.)  Started adjuvant 12 weekly Taxol and almost immediately the remaining lashes, brows and other hair fell out.  When hair finally started growing back (in May), it all started back at the same time and just as it had been to start.

    Time line - (2009-2010)

    Neoadjuvant A/C - Aug 25 - Oct 7

    UMX - Oct 21

    Adjuvant Taxol - Nov 11 - Jan 27

    Rads - Feb 3 - Mar 9

    Of course, we are each so unique.  That is just my experiences and others will have had different ones.

    A bit OT but thought I'd add (and hope you get a chuckle from it) - I was disappointed in how my hair grew back in - exactly as it had been "bc" (before chemo)!  I was 63 at DX and my hair was (and still is) as dark brown NATURALLY as it always has been.  'Curse' from my Dad's side of the family - Daddy, his Dad, his Mom and both of his GMoms still had their dark hair naturally at death. (My GMom and both GGMoms lived into their mid to late '90's.)  Most had written here that hair post chemo will be a lot greyer - not weird me!  It gets aggravating when strangers in stores will comment that "You'd look a lot younger if you didn't dye you hair so dark."    I do not dye my hair - it's just how it grows.   One woman went so far as to tell me I was lieing even after I parted my hair and showed her the roots to which she replied "You just had it dyed yesterday or earlier today.  It's impossible to not get grey when old!"    For many that's true BUT there are a few of us that it's NOT true for.   

    Point is - there can be humor in a lot of 'things' IF one looks for it! 

    Winyan - The Power Within!

     

     

     

     

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    edited April 2017 #4
    "Resilient hair"

    You may have what my oncologist said was called "resilient hair," which how he described mine when I was going through chemo.

    I did 4 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxan back in 2009, and I never went bald.  My hair started falling out in clumps, we buzzed it down to the lowest setting on the clippers, I kept shedding all over my pillow for awhile, and got a little of that "male pattern baldness" in the front -- but then my hair actually started to grow a teensy, tiny bit around the time of my 3rd or 4th chemo.  Not enough to matter, but enough for my oncologist to tell me I had "resilient hair."

    Once I was done with chemo, what I wasn't prepared for was how horribly unevenly it grew back.  I swear -- I looked like I had a mohawk!  If I didn't want to keep wearing hats, I had to have it evened out every couple of weeks for awhile -- I often just went to one of those bargain haircutting places, because it wasn't like there was enough there to style or anything, and the hairdressers there were happy to help.

    I had my first "real" haircut with my hairdresser, and got pretty close to my normal short style, about 3 months after my last round of chemo.

    Hope that helps?

    Traci

  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    edited April 2017 #5
    I had the brain rads almost 9 months ago. I had 3 baseball size

    bald spots.  About 1 weeks ago I got a sassy pixie (name on the pic of pixies for old women, lol).  

    The 3 bald areas were about a quarter inch.  Almost 3 months and the 3 areas are still 1/4 inch and the rest of the head is almosT 3 inches, time for another pixie!

    I had the stray stringy areas surrounding the bald spots that look like the ads with the sad cancer people with the sad music that some of the non profits use to bring in more donations.  (The music for the abandoned dogs or the cancer patients with the iv's that make so many people think that is how you look with cancer).

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #6
    duck fluff

    Oh if you read through some of these post you will see me having a near nervous breakdown over my hair.  Some days I still do but then the bone pain reminds me well, it is what it is.  When mine first started coming back it reminded me of fluff on the back side of the duck.  Then the back came in first and it was the chemo curl and I thought hmmm, never had curl, this might be nice.  NOT, that was the only part that curled, the rest was my normal straight as a stick.  But it gets even better, some places are thin, and some are thick and some are frizzy and some are longer than other parts.  (Sounds like a Dr. Suezz book)  So I took Carol's cue and go for the pixie for old ladies because I am or at least feel like it right now.  In time, it will work itself out. 

    It is ok to be frustrated at times.  It is ok to vent.  It is ok to be sad over it but please dont let it get you too down and be good to yourself. 

    Hugs,

    Annie

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