How long before hair starts to grow after chemo?

As with all you other wonderful ladies, I am worried about my hair regrowth.  I had 4 cycles of FEC, followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel.  My hair regrew instantly and thickly between the two cycles, but then I lost it all again with the docetaxel.  My last chemo was July 4th (I'm in Canada so it was not a holiday for me) and it is now almost 6 full weeks after I had the last treatment.  I have no hair on my head yet and am beginning to panic. 

I see from your posts I should be patient and it provides me with some hope.

I do have a question, though.... and at the risk of being indelicate please forgive.... my pubic hair has begun to come in fast and furious and thick! (Ironically all along the bikini line!) Does this heighten my chances of having my head hair grow in too, or are they unconnected?  

In other words, do those people who suffer permanent head hair loss also have no public hair.

Can anyone offer their experiences? 

PS - my chemo happened first to reduce the size of the tumour.  My double mastcetomy is in a few days, followed after healing by radiation.

Apaugh said:

Canadian girl

I dont think there is any connection.  Just just have to be patient.  It can take a long time. 

Hang in there.

Thank you!  Just a bit depressed about it and worried.  At the moment I am as bald as an egg.  Hoping to see new growth soon!  Will post as I go along.

Apaugh said:

Big big hug

Oh hon, I feel your pain.  It is a long journey and you are being brave.  It is ok to cry and be upset.  I hated it and still do when people say, well it is just hair, at least your alive.  To me, it is insult to injury.  Be kind to yourself and keep fighting the fight as all of us are.

hugs,

Annie

Thank you for your response and hugs!  Hugs to you too.  Wishing you restored GREAT health and everything bright & beautiful.

Mariangel43 said:

Apaugh and CanadianGirl58

I agree with Apaugh.  People seems to forget that we are affected in all dimensions.  Really, I think that "it's just hair" with an air of lightness is like minimizing our ordeal.  But we must also remember that we discover this twilight zone once we are diagnosed, not earlier.  Cancer or no cancer, we care about our appearance.  We still are persons, changed persons with new set of priorities.

Thank you Mariangel43 - this horrible cancer & treatment changes us forever... hope after upcoming surgery & radiation treatments (I had chemo first to reduce size of tumour) to be pronounced "cancer free", but will always be living under the shadow of another secondary cancer.   Hope to face my future will hair! 

I've been taking anastrozole for about a year now and my hair has started to look better. I still keep it very short because the longer it grows the thinner it looks. With it being short it looks pretty healthy. I did switch to a more natural shampoo, no additives. Overall it looks pretty good. Don't despair, you're hair will grow even if it's not as fast or as thick as before.

My hair started coming back about 6 wks after last chemo. Last chemo was April. It's now Sept and I still have to wear turban or wig, but I have hair all over my head now and it's coming pretty fast now. I'm hoping by first of yr that I can at least show a short hair without covering it up. It looks now more like a man cut. It's not thin, but feels like my regular hair. They usually say about 8 wks or so. But what they won't tell you is that some women never get their hair back or it is extremely thin or patchy. I have met these women. So it is up in the air until you see how you reacted to chemo. I know hair is important, but that is least SE you should be worrying about. There are many more serious SE that you can have for life. I hope medical people informed you of those. They didn't me, I had to find out from research and other people. Hair is something you can control either by wig or other means. This other stuff you can't control. Be aware

My hair growth is very slow... see post just previous - is this normal?  (I had been bald as a billiard ball after finishing chemo) 

CanadianGirl58 said:

Is this normal???

I am 15 weeks PFC - I have fuzz all over head, but much thinner on top and crown.  Is this normal?  (I was on docetaxel)  If so, how long before hair starts to grow at a more normal rate?  Will the thin patches fill in? 

My eyelashes are starting to come back but not eyebrows.  Thoughts anyone? 

Did your hair ever regrow to normal thickness? I am 6 weeks and 2 days and only really thin fuz has grown, and i too have patches on the top where there is vlose to nothing! i am a guy, but i was nowhere close to male pattern baldness before chemo.

Mathias

Hello, I completed chemotherapy in September 2019 and by December 2019 started to see a fuzzy regrowth.  It is now June 2020 and I have about one and a half inch length of hair that is full and I am able to style.  I have friends who have had slower growth, some with faster growth and some with patchy growth.  I'm not sure why that is.  I would just be patient.  Give it a few months and don't panic.  I'm just happy to be able to toss the wig.  At least for now.