Awaiting Hair Loss

skt48
skt48 Member Posts: 19
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I started my treatment almost two weeks ago and I am wondering how long I have before my hair comes out? Can anyone help me!

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    hi sk, I know the prospect of losing your hair is a tough one but you'll see, it won't be so bad and before you know it you'll start to see new growth. My hair started to fall out about 3 weeks after my first treatment. I had cut it short so it would not be so noticable at first to others. Some people shave their heads and I should have. I was constantly vacuuming and sweeping up hair all over the house and after a couple of weeks of this, I took my husband's razor and shaved off what was left. I wore bandanas and caps at home and at night to keep my head warm and when I went out I most always wore wigs. I found some cute ones and actually received many compliments from strangers on my cute "haircut"! Within 3 months of finishing chemo I had enough regrowth to go without the wig(about1/2 inch). I would have waited longer but my head started to sweat...All in all, being vald was not as bad as I thought it would be. I had always had straight hair and it grew in super curly and still is(2 yr anniv. next month). They say that some people's hair never straightens back out. ok with me-I actually like the new look! So, sk, you will see that you will be ok and losing your hair will be different but you can make the best of it. Best of luck to you, Eileen.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    Oh I forgot, your hair will start to come back in within a few weeks of falling out in the form of peachfuzz and stay that way for the rest of treatments. Its not much but it will atleast make you feel a little more normal:0)
  • redrosesplz
    redrosesplz Member Posts: 11
    #4
    unknown said:

    Oh I forgot, your hair will start to come back in within a few weeks of falling out in the form of peachfuzz and stay that way for the rest of treatments. Its not much but it will atleast make you feel a little more normal:0)

    I started my chemo last Thursday and my nurse told me it would be about 14 days for me to lose mine...I had long hair and had it cut short. I still miss my hair but gettin used to the short hair cut. My friends at work tell me I should wear it short when I comes back... I may lol.. LOTS OF LUCK Love Martha
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
    I lost mine about three weeks after starting A/C. It hurts a little when it falls out, you will know it is time. I didn't shave it but cut it real short. Almost all fell out, but the ones that didn't continued to grow. Now I have itsy bitsy new growth (just finished chemo) alongside the stray two inch hairs that never fell out. Even for a chemo girl, sister, I got ugly hair! But today I took my scarf off for a while outside in the back yard and felt the breeze lift my 12 pieces of hair and warm my scalp and it was BEAUTIFUL! Love, Joyce
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #6
    I think it depends on which drugs you're getting. I had dose dense A/C first and it was gone withing 2 treatments. After 8 weeks of that, I then went to Taxol for 12 weeks. A few weeks into Taxol I started to develop some peach fuzz. I had thick long (and if I say so myself, fabulous) hair but it really wasn't that bad - I think the period when you dread loosing it is worse than actually loosing it. I now have thick really curly (chemo curls) short hair and its kind of fun letting it grow and see what it does. I got used to being bald pretty fast and gave up the wig - way too hot and annoying - lots of scarves!!
    Take care.
  • survivor51
    survivor51 Member Posts: 276
    #7
    Mine came out between week 3 and 4 and it came out all at once. I noticed on Wednesday that it started to fall on my shoulders. By Thursday, more was falling so I called my sister and she massaged my head and all my hair was in the sink in about 20 minutes. We cried and then laughed...it was devastating even though I knew what to expect. The same thing happened with my mom and I massaged her head and it was gone in a flash. I remember that when my husband entered her room she said, "I think my head is prettier than yours" he has always had a bald head. When David got home, he looked at me "Finally, I have more hair than you." It is hard but it does get better. I found some great scarves at the craft store, many colors. It does grow back and I love the new change. It is quite curly and so easy to take care. We are here for you. Angela
  • skt48
    skt48 Member Posts: 19
    #8
    survivor51 said:

    Mine came out between week 3 and 4 and it came out all at once. I noticed on Wednesday that it started to fall on my shoulders. By Thursday, more was falling so I called my sister and she massaged my head and all my hair was in the sink in about 20 minutes. We cried and then laughed...it was devastating even though I knew what to expect. The same thing happened with my mom and I massaged her head and it was gone in a flash. I remember that when my husband entered her room she said, "I think my head is prettier than yours" he has always had a bald head. When David got home, he looked at me "Finally, I have more hair than you." It is hard but it does get better. I found some great scarves at the craft store, many colors. It does grow back and I love the new change. It is quite curly and so easy to take care. We are here for you. Angela

    I appreciate everyones support. Losing the hair has been hard for me to deal with. Sometimes I wish it would hurry and come out so I could deal with it and be done. But I am not brave enough to shave it early. Thanks
    Sheila
  • mgm42
    mgm42 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #9
    Hey, skt. I starting losing my hair on the 14th day and finished on or about the 18th day. By the 15th day, I cut it very short and by day 18, I buzzed it all off. My head is cold - not doubt about it. But, I already have 5:00 o'clock shadow. And its in my color/s - salt and pepper. I even think there's a little more pepper this time than salt. It's strange, but you do get used to it. I've become comfortable with my baldness and there are times, when I'm not freezing, that I take off my cap and go bareheaded. There is also a plus side to being bald. Now when I take a shower, I just lather up the wash cloth and swish it over my "dome," and my "hair" is done. No blow drying, no mousse, no fuss. Not bad. I look forward to a full head of hair again, but this phase is like a badge of bravery and its okay. Marilynn
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #10
    I started one round of chemo May 2007. My hairloss was gradual and I had a few hairs left all along. I cut mine very short beforehand. I was off chemo for about a month for surgery. It started growing back thicker, but fine, like baby fuzz, and dirty-grey color. I am on chemo again and it has come out nearly completely. I got a wig, but have never used it. I have become a "hat lady". I agree that it is really not as bad as the fear of it. I think we notice it much more than folks around us do.

    Best wishes, seof
  • kbc4869
    kbc4869 Member Posts: 159
    #11
    I started to lose mine 15 days after treatment. Beforehand, my head started to burn and itch, so I knew it was coming. Seeing it come out in clumps and in the drain was very distressing to me, so I shaved it all off almost immediately. It was almost a relief.

    My insurance covered wigs, so I got two or three very pretty ones, which I wound up never wearing and donating to the ACS. I wore bandanas and hats mostly. I was always so worried that the wigs weren't on straight and they were hot, so I chose to go without them. It just felt more honest to me. I had this fear that I looked like a person wearing a wig. I can see now that that was my own personal hangup. Not to mention, my cats thought the wigs were new pets and would attack them! What a mess that was!

    When it came back in, it was curly. Four years later, it's a little wavy. The color is different. I used to have very blonde hair -- now it is ash blond, which is a huge disappointment to me because getting highlights is very expensive. I'm actually just letting it grow out right now. I hate spending the time and money to get it back to what it was. It's gone. I do get pleasure in seeing that my 2 year old daughter has my old hair though. When she was born with a full head of that golden blonde hair, I thought, "So, THAT'S where you went!"

    Losing your hair is very difficult. It kind of invites the world into your private life and let's them all know that you have cancer. I really hated that. In fact, if I could have kept my hair through treatment, I think I would have been fine. It's kind of silly that the prospect of losing my hair was more devastating to me than possibly losing my life. But I was admitably very vain! Can't wait for the day that they find drugs that don't make you lose your hair!

    Hang in there!

    Kim
  • skt48
    skt48 Member Posts: 19
    #12
    kbc4869 said:

    I started to lose mine 15 days after treatment. Beforehand, my head started to burn and itch, so I knew it was coming. Seeing it come out in clumps and in the drain was very distressing to me, so I shaved it all off almost immediately. It was almost a relief.

    My insurance covered wigs, so I got two or three very pretty ones, which I wound up never wearing and donating to the ACS. I wore bandanas and hats mostly. I was always so worried that the wigs weren't on straight and they were hot, so I chose to go without them. It just felt more honest to me. I had this fear that I looked like a person wearing a wig. I can see now that that was my own personal hangup. Not to mention, my cats thought the wigs were new pets and would attack them! What a mess that was!

    When it came back in, it was curly. Four years later, it's a little wavy. The color is different. I used to have very blonde hair -- now it is ash blond, which is a huge disappointment to me because getting highlights is very expensive. I'm actually just letting it grow out right now. I hate spending the time and money to get it back to what it was. It's gone. I do get pleasure in seeing that my 2 year old daughter has my old hair though. When she was born with a full head of that golden blonde hair, I thought, "So, THAT'S where you went!"

    Losing your hair is very difficult. It kind of invites the world into your private life and let's them all know that you have cancer. I really hated that. In fact, if I could have kept my hair through treatment, I think I would have been fine. It's kind of silly that the prospect of losing my hair was more devastating to me than possibly losing my life. But I was admitably very vain! Can't wait for the day that they find drugs that don't make you lose your hair!

    Hang in there!

    Kim

    Thanks Kim your message did help. Noone mentioned my head my itch or hurt. My head has really been sore like I hit it on something in the back of my head do you think its just a sign?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #13
    skt48 said:

    Thanks Kim your message did help. Noone mentioned my head my itch or hurt. My head has really been sore like I hit it on something in the back of my head do you think its just a sign?

    Its probably almost time. My scalp was quite sore for the first few weeks that it was falling out. It just felt like my whole head was bruised. But it went away.
  • imnee211
    imnee211 Member Posts: 6
    #14
    skt48 said:

    Thanks Kim your message did help. Noone mentioned my head my itch or hurt. My head has really been sore like I hit it on something in the back of my head do you think its just a sign?

    Your head being sore is a sign it will happen soon. Mine started coming out in handfuls the day I got my second chemo treatment [2 weeks after the first treatment]. I came home and had my husband shave my head. I wanted to be in control of something in this journey!!! Losing your hair isn't that bad. I never wore a wig, just bandanas. Now it is coming back, and it is very soft and lighter than before. Good luck with your treatments. Hugs!

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