new hair - slow process

ever1
ever1 Member Posts: 26
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Everyone! I finished chemo in July. My hair is starting to grow back but it seems like such a slow process! I have been using a product called Nioxin. I'm not sure if it is helping or not. Just wondering how long it took for your hair to get a decent length. I'm hoping by Christmas mine will be long enough to feel comfortable going without a wig, hat or scarf.

Comments

  • chhristin
    chhristin Member Posts: 7
    #2
    I had finished my chemo about the same time last year. Christmas Eve was the first time I went out with my "new short hair" It was still very short to me still being that I had always had very long hair, but was finally a comfortable length to start out as the new me. I did not use any products. I just let it come. Good Luck!
  • BBK
    BBK Member Posts: 53
    #3
    I finished chemo in May and I attended my brother's wedding in October with a very "crew cut" style hair-do...wasn't cut that way, but that's as much as had come back in. It was the first "big" public appearance without my scarves. I did go bald during the summer some, because the scarves made my head itchy and sweaty. Hang in there...new hair IS coming!
  • mssue
    mssue Member Posts: 242
    #4
    Hi,

    This may sound strange but my hair seemed to grow faster after I finally got up the nerve to go wigless.I finished treatments January 04-kept wearing wig to work - waiting for it to get long enough-it seemed so long of a wait-and yes I shocked alot of people @ work upon my 1st day arriving wigless-I just held my head up and kept on keeping on never wore my wig again-this was in August 04-it looked like a very short crew cut.Now it is past my shoulders-it came back salt and pepper and black in the back-nothing coloring couldn't handle.I've had it cut 2 times in the last year, it's time again-I have a new found appreciation for my hair,but am never in a hurry to cut it nor does it have to be perfect-just being there is enough to make me grin.Be patient,it may be slow but it will return and remember for all of us whose hair is coming back - there are others who are losing theirs at the very same time.It will be alright-Hugs to Ya!
    Sue
  • SandyV
    SandyV Member Posts: 9
    #5
    My hair is taking a very long time to return. I stopped chemo in November 2003. I am taking Tamoxifen. After a few months I realized, and my doctors agreed, that I must have female pattern baldness. I have been using Rogaine, actually the Walmart version, with some success. Nioxin didn't help the thin hair that I do have. In the summer of 2004 I finally stopped wearing a wig. I decided that "I am what I am." I got a permanent so that curls would help it look fuller and colored it so it would be one color instead of 3 or 4. Just recently though, it has started to thicken up. So there's hope yet!
  • Kathy1108
    Kathy1108 Member Posts: 62
    #6
    SandyV said:

    My hair is taking a very long time to return. I stopped chemo in November 2003. I am taking Tamoxifen. After a few months I realized, and my doctors agreed, that I must have female pattern baldness. I have been using Rogaine, actually the Walmart version, with some success. Nioxin didn't help the thin hair that I do have. In the summer of 2004 I finally stopped wearing a wig. I decided that "I am what I am." I got a permanent so that curls would help it look fuller and colored it so it would be one color instead of 3 or 4. Just recently though, it has started to thicken up. So there's hope yet!

    I finished my chemo treatments on 10/03. I stopped wearing my wigs in April of '04. My hair came back very curly and darker. Now it is wavey. I did colored my hair because I did have lighter hair before Breast Cancer.
    Kathy
  • cleva
    cleva Member Posts: 6
    #7
    Hi ever1
    Never will I complain about a bad hair day again! I finished radiation on October 31, 2003 -- when I'd leave work for my radiation appt. I'd remove the wig and keep it off until the next morning. It was before Thanksgiving that I had enough hair to have my hair dresser even it out...it was sort of a buzz cut but my head was covered with hair. That is when I decided to put the wig away. I was told not to color my hair for a couple of years as it's like baby hair. It did come in curly and a completely different color than what I had prior to chemo and radiation (I used to be a natural strawberry blonde) -- it was almost colorless. Well now I have my hair completely back the length I want and I colored it to be strawberry blonde!!!

    Think happy thoughts.
  • sallyride01
    sallyride01 Member Posts: 1
    #8
    I finished chemo in Sept. and now taking radiation. I too am waiting for my hair to come back. So ever - we are on the same time length.I have heard that it will possibly come back completly different so I am looking forward to that (i think ) We just have to be patient and hope that will be all of our problems. If our hair is all we have to worry about - we have it made ! But, yes ever I have wondered the same thing. When it does come - we will have something else to be thankful for! All the best to you!

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