Chemo hair loss

cmb said:

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.

Fortunately I had very thick hair before chemo. From ear to ear on my hairline is much thinner than the rest of my head. To my peers at work my hair is now more like theirs. 

My hair came back pure white and curly but much thinner than my pre-chemo hair which was thick, dark and stick-straight. My left eyebrow never came back so I just paint it on to match the right one the best I can.  But, as a lot of you have mentioned, I still have those pesky chin hairs!!! I suppose I could get a hair transplant to move those chin hairs to my left eyebrow - ha ha!!!

Love,

Eldri 

My time has come. On the evening of day 14, my hair stated to shed. I was leaving the next morning on vacation for four days. So i took my clippers, wig, and hats with me just in case i needed them and was certain i would. However, today, day 18 my hair started really falling out on the way home from vacation. Once home in the late evening, we clipped it down to 1/8 of an inch.  That task is done and ready to move onward and upward. 

I remember trying to decide what to do with my hair falling out. I too was about to go on a few day trip to Idaho.  My hair had started comming out but wasnt thin enough to where my wig.  I worried i would loose alot while i was gone and would be stuck.  I was going to see family that i hadnt seen for years and worried about that. My desision was to start wearing the wig before i left. It worked out great for me. I just had to brush my hair at night before i went to bed.

Thank you, notimeforcancer, i had a great vacation. It will be two weeks tomorrow since my hair really started coming out and i shaved it to 1/8 of an inch. At first i had pain like the hairs were needles but as much hair has fallen out, that kind of pain has passed. Right now, i am feeling many sore spots on my scalp. I am assuming this is from inflamed follicles of hair that is trying to come out. I was wondering if anyone has advice on anything that can ease that pain. I wear a turban style hat when going out (wig is too hot right now) but wear nothing while at home. The pain is still there even with nothing touching my head. Any advice would be appreciated. If nothing can be done i’ll try to be patient until it is all out and maybe pain will stop. Thanks for your help. 

derMaus said:

I had a lot of soreness

I had a lot of soreness before all my hair fell out. I would take a soft hairbrush and brush the heck out of my hair; I had had it cut quite short before chemo but never shaved it off entirely, so I had massive shedding going on. I'd stand outside on the deck and brush away while it flew away in the wind. That was the only thing that really helped me, might be worth a try even though you have 1/8" of hair?  For the sore/inflamed areas, aka folliculitis, try dabbing on plain (white or cider) vinegar. I got that tip from this board and it helped me a lot. 

Thank you so much for the ideas. At least i know this happens to others too. Even that helps a lot.

christhecoolest said:

When will it grow back

Hello, I am new here.  I am 49 years old and finished by carbo/ taxol after 6 rounds every 21 days on Sept. 11.  I was diagnosed April 16th, 2018 at Stage 1C ovarian.  I have lost all of my hair- in places I didn't even knew I had it. I did keep most of my upper eyelashes and have a few lower.   I have been given the all clear on Oct. 2.  I am grateful that I it was caught early and I have a second chance.  I am wondering about hair regrowth.  My Onc said at my 3 week check up that in 10 days I would have fuzz.  Well, I do have fuzz, but, it's not a whole lot. I was thinking would be more.  And, I see picutres of others and they seem to have so much more hair faster than me. I know that I still needed to deal with the after effects of the last treatment- usually 2 weeks after I still lose a little more hair. Now, 1 month after my last treatment, I see some hairs but, thought would be thicker covering.  I worry it's not going to come back- or that I should have more.  I know I'm being impatient.  Is this normal?  How long until my eyebrows will grow back.  

I finished 6 rounds of carbo/taxol on 4/3, and first went without a hat on 6/20, the last day of my radiation. Very short and still a bit thinned out at that point, but it was HOT and I was ready. So I bet you're doing fine and will soon see more. My profile pic was taken 7/4, for reference.

christhecoolest said:

When will it grow back

Hello, I am new here.  I am 49 years old and finished by carbo/ taxol after 6 rounds every 21 days on Sept. 11.  I was diagnosed April 16th, 2018 at Stage 1C ovarian.  I have lost all of my hair- in places I didn't even knew I had it. I did keep most of my upper eyelashes and have a few lower.   I have been given the all clear on Oct. 2.  I am grateful that I it was caught early and I have a second chance.  I am wondering about hair regrowth.  My Onc said at my 3 week check up that in 10 days I would have fuzz.  Well, I do have fuzz, but, it's not a whole lot. I was thinking would be more.  And, I see picutres of others and they seem to have so much more hair faster than me. I know that I still needed to deal with the after effects of the last treatment- usually 2 weeks after I still lose a little more hair. Now, 1 month after my last treatment, I see some hairs but, thought would be thicker covering.  I worry it's not going to come back- or that I should have more.  I know I'm being impatient.  Is this normal?  How long until my eyebrows will grow back.  

It took about 9 weeks after my last infusion for my hair to grow out evenly. My eyelashes came in at about 6 weeks but were very short and still are slowly growing 5 months later. I think everyone is different. The hair on my head is very thick and curly now. That happened at about 3 1/2 months.

christhecoolest said:

When will it grow back

Hello, I am new here.  I am 49 years old and finished by carbo/ taxol after 6 rounds every 21 days on Sept. 11.  I was diagnosed April 16th, 2018 at Stage 1C ovarian.  I have lost all of my hair- in places I didn't even knew I had it. I did keep most of my upper eyelashes and have a few lower.   I have been given the all clear on Oct. 2.  I am grateful that I it was caught early and I have a second chance.  I am wondering about hair regrowth.  My Onc said at my 3 week check up that in 10 days I would have fuzz.  Well, I do have fuzz, but, it's not a whole lot. I was thinking would be more.  And, I see picutres of others and they seem to have so much more hair faster than me. I know that I still needed to deal with the after effects of the last treatment- usually 2 weeks after I still lose a little more hair. Now, 1 month after my last treatment, I see some hairs but, thought would be thicker covering.  I worry it's not going to come back- or that I should have more.  I know I'm being impatient.  Is this normal?  How long until my eyebrows will grow back.  

Believe it or not but my eyebrows and eyelashes fell out after my chemo was done but was the first to grow back completely in about 2-3 weeks. Before cancer, my hair grew very fast. Right after chemo, most of it came back super black, wavy and slowly. It took about 8 weeks before I saw significant fuzz or baby chicken hair. About 3 months in, I noticed my whorl was back (that point from where hair spirals from) and it was about half as thick as it used to be. 4 months in, it was at normal thickness but rather short. I got my first trim around then. After about 6 months, it grew back at it's normal rate and my hair appeared more dark brown like before. So sit tight, it will grow back! It's like watching the grass grow but hella more exciting.

You put your body through hell. Be proud you endured!!!! It took me a good year to really feel like myself again and yet I still have long term effects from surgery, radiation, and chemo. I'll take this new normal any day and hope I have this cancer nipped in the bud. And I hope you have too!

LadyMox said:

Being close to my 3rd

Being close to my 3rd treatment I am suprised I have as much fuzz as I do and some patchy parts are holding on. I basically had it buzz cutted before the second treatment since it got too thin and got sick of long hairs coming out.  My hair naturally does in those perfect curly ringlets so I wonder if my hair will be straight at first when it comes back lol. My eyebrows and eyelashes have gotten thin, but I still have some. I hate being bald, I miss my hair so bad.

Mine came back better than before. Be patient and most likely you’ll have your beautiful ringlets once this is all over.