After Carboplatin/Paclitaxel, hair regrowth

I had a friend whose hair grew back very differently. Prior to chemo for uterine cancer, her hair had been straight and blond. After chemo, it came back as brown and curly and still is 20+ years after treatment (nowadays with help from hair dye!).

Since my hair has always been straight and had been getting thinner even before chemo, I was actually hoping I’d get better, or at least different, hair after treatment. By my second chemo treatment I was losing my hair and I soon shaved off the weird looking bits. Because I had eight chemo treatments, (4 carbo/taxol and 4 others), my hair took longer to return than many other women here. But more than the hair loss, I actually missed my eyelashes. I hadn’t realized how much junk they keep out of your eyes until they’re gone.

Many women like NoTime had an initial period where their hair grows in differently at first, until it finally reverts to its original color and texture. However, mine grew back exactly the same as before right from the start only, sadly, even thinner and has never gotten thicker, even five years after treatment.

But your experience may be quite different. Most women here eventually do get back the hair they had before treatment.

Also note that some women have used the “cold capping” technique to try to avoid hair loss. You can search this site for comments on this process.

Because I had two different chemo phases with different drugs, the delivery schedule was different. The carbo/taxol phase was treatment for one day, every 3 weeks (which is typical for most women here).

My second chemo phase was also at 21 day intervals, but as an inpatient for three days each time. This is NOT typical here as most women no longer receive the chemo drugs I had during that period as an initial treatment. (I had a rare form uterine cancer and my doctor wanted to try this unique combination treatment protocol).

You can click on someone’s user name to read their profile. Not everyone enters information about their cancer and/or treatment on the profile, but some like me do.

The dates of my treatments are listed in my profile. I was diagnosed at 61 and received treatment when I was 62. The photo was from October 2017.

Since this is forum that non-members can also access, I do not share any photos (or other information) that may be personally identifiable. I keep my hair short since I don't bother trying to style it anymore. As my hair started to thin after menopause, I was already wearing wigs for work and social events years before I had cancer. That continues to this day.

But again, I reiterate that most women's hair does eventually grow back to match what they had before treatment. I just happened to inherit my mother's genetic legacy of thin hair that was heightened by chemo.

Hi, kerly

I had the standard doses of paclitaxel and Carboplatin, 6 infusions, 3 weeks apart.

My experience is a little different than some others because I did cold capping to try to save my hair. I still lost 50% - 60% of my hair (it is more successful for many others), but I accomplished two goals: 1) I was never bald, and 2) my hair came back quicker and is MY hair, not a forever-altered-chemo-version of my hair. I started shedding hair about day 17 or 18 after 1st infusion. Then the shedding accelerated for weeks…then finally slowed down. I continued to shed during the entire process. I started feeling stubble of regrowth after my 3rd infusion.

I am 15 moths post-treatment now and my hair is growing at it’s normal rate… 1/2+ in. per month. The thing is…it didn’t ALL come back at once (of course!), so it is still a million different lengths. The bottom is below my shoulders, now, but the hair on the crown has a way to go to catch up. It basically looks like a Farrah Fawcett Shag….which I understand happens to be back in style. I get tons of compliments, but I am NOT happy with it! My hair won’t be back to it’s pre-cancer self —long layers below my shoulders…for at least another 6 mths.

Yes….I’m thrilled I survived and I’m still here, but the hair mess really bothers me. I never needed or had a wig, and became quite the hat girl. Originally, I kept what I had up under my hats, but now there’s just way too much of it. I’ve always had wavy and curly hair. I’m not doing anything to it, just letting it do it’s thing…no products, no blow drying, no heat. I just comb it and put my hat on. I can’t begin to make it look like I want to, so no point in trying. I look in the mirror, shake my head, and laugh! It’s Impossible!

That’s my $.02!

Best to you in your treatments. I’m glad you found us.

❤️, A