another hair question

ohilly
ohilly Member Posts: 441
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am still very, very unhappy with my hair which has been regrowing for 6 months now. Pre-chemo, it was thick and fast-growing. Now it has thin spots. My appt. with the dermatologist is next Friday, but I still have a few more questions:

-how long did it take for your hair to reach its pre-chemo state, if it ever did reach it? And if it didn't, how long did it take before you knew that this is ultimately how it's going to be?

Also, what can a dermatologist do for me besides prescribe Rogaine, which I am not inclined to use? Can they tell me what are the chances for the thin spots filling in?

I have a plan now to get a hairpiece in 6 months if things do not drastically improve. I am still pretty depressed and avoid looking in the mirror as much as possible.

Ohilly

Comments

  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #2
    I checked my records and
    I checked my records and pictures and I ended chemo April 2004 and the first picture without hats or coverings was November 2004. My hair wasn't looking too good as it was sticking all over the place but it was hair. It wasn't real long but it was there. It started growing just as fast as it did before chemo. I kept cutting it and kept it short at first. Now it is exactly like it was before chemo. I didn't look at it that closely so can't tell if I had thin spots at first or not. I don't have any answers for you. Wish I did.
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #3
    Ohilly, I was just looking
    Ohilly, I was just looking at old photos of when my hair was 8 mos old. It started growing during the taxotere tx. It was hard to tell if there was thinning cause it was so darn short but I've posted 2 pic of front and back for you on my "expressions" page. My hair was never thick, always fine, but I think it is a little thinner on the sides but it's hard to tell as I have it styled now whereas before it was just long and fairly straight. Your dermatologist will probably have some good answers for you. By the way the gray disappears, thank God.

    Good luck to you
    love
    jan
  • ohilly
    ohilly Member Posts: 441
    #4
    phoenixrising said:

    Ohilly, I was just looking
    Ohilly, I was just looking at old photos of when my hair was 8 mos old. It started growing during the taxotere tx. It was hard to tell if there was thinning cause it was so darn short but I've posted 2 pic of front and back for you on my "expressions" page. My hair was never thick, always fine, but I think it is a little thinner on the sides but it's hard to tell as I have it styled now whereas before it was just long and fairly straight. Your dermatologist will probably have some good answers for you. By the way the gray disappears, thank God.

    Good luck to you
    love
    jan

    thanks, Phoenix rising
    Thanks for posting the pictures. You're right, it is a little hard to tell if it's thinner because it was so short. However, I have been posting another site and many members told me it took 2 years for the hair to get back to looking like it did pre-chemo, so I guess there's hope. I know I must have some real control issues about my body. I have become obsessed with my appearance and hair, and have started seeing a therapist about this. I do have a plan, though: in 6 months if it does not thicken up, I will get a hairpiece.

    Thanks.

    Ohilly
  • ACD57
    ACD57 Member Posts: 9
    #5
    ohilly said:

    thanks, Phoenix rising
    Thanks for posting the pictures. You're right, it is a little hard to tell if it's thinner because it was so short. However, I have been posting another site and many members told me it took 2 years for the hair to get back to looking like it did pre-chemo, so I guess there's hope. I know I must have some real control issues about my body. I have become obsessed with my appearance and hair, and have started seeing a therapist about this. I do have a plan, though: in 6 months if it does not thicken up, I will get a hairpiece.

    Thanks.

    Ohilly

    Try a Nutritionist?
    I had my last chemo treatment with Taxol on Dec. 4th and my hair is still really short and grey, but it is coming in thick except for the sides. I have been seeing a nutristionist who has really helped me through 8 rounds of chemo. She recommended some capsules called RegeneMax (Silicon). It helps your hair, nails, and bones. I started taking it about a month after my last chemo and have really noticed a difference in my nails, they are stronger than before chemo and my hair seems to be thicker. You might want to consult a nutritionist to see if that would be of some help to you. Hang in there.A
  • ohilly
    ohilly Member Posts: 441
    #6
    ACD57 said:

    Try a Nutritionist?
    I had my last chemo treatment with Taxol on Dec. 4th and my hair is still really short and grey, but it is coming in thick except for the sides. I have been seeing a nutristionist who has really helped me through 8 rounds of chemo. She recommended some capsules called RegeneMax (Silicon). It helps your hair, nails, and bones. I started taking it about a month after my last chemo and have really noticed a difference in my nails, they are stronger than before chemo and my hair seems to be thicker. You might want to consult a nutritionist to see if that would be of some help to you. Hang in there.A

    thanks
    I know everyone is trying to help me. I cannot tell you how distraught I am about my hair. I especially feel bad because it seems like no one else had this thinning problem (I used to have beautiful, thick hair before chemo). I am now in the process of researching hairpieces in case I have to do this (am going to wait six months). Has anyone else gone this route, and what were their experiences?

    Ohilly
  • ohilly
    ohilly Member Posts: 441
    #7
    ACD57 said:

    Try a Nutritionist?
    I had my last chemo treatment with Taxol on Dec. 4th and my hair is still really short and grey, but it is coming in thick except for the sides. I have been seeing a nutristionist who has really helped me through 8 rounds of chemo. She recommended some capsules called RegeneMax (Silicon). It helps your hair, nails, and bones. I started taking it about a month after my last chemo and have really noticed a difference in my nails, they are stronger than before chemo and my hair seems to be thicker. You might want to consult a nutritionist to see if that would be of some help to you. Hang in there.A

    where do you get it
    Where can you buy the Silicon?

    Ohilly
  • ACD57
    ACD57 Member Posts: 9
    #8
    ohilly said:

    where do you get it
    Where can you buy the Silicon?

    Ohilly

    Silicon
    I got mine through my nutritionist. It's called RegeneMax. The brand name is XymOGen EP. She perscribed 1 capsule in the morning and 1 in the evening.
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #9
    Ohilly, I am thinking back
    Ohilly, I am thinking back and I finished chemo in November 06 and in February 07 I had about 1/2 inch or a bit more and stopped wearing my wig. After that it grew a little slower than before the chemo and came in very curly. I got my first haircut in October 07 (and every 5 weeks after that).From that point on it grew normally---thick and coarse. It stayed very curly for over a year and now it is very wavy.

    My heart goes out to you because I know how discouraging and upsetting this must be for you. I remember how impatient I was and how I looked forward to my hair growing back. I hope that the dermatologist can help you. My sister had alopacia in a few spots on her scalp. One of the spots was the size of a gilf ball. Her dermatologist injected the spots with something and it stimulated the hair follicle and made the hair grow back in.

    Hopefully your doc will be able to do the same. Good luck and keep us posted. Eil
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #10
    Also have you tried Nioxin?
    Also have you tried Nioxin? I used it for a few months. I don't know how my hair would have grown without it......but can't hurt.
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #11
    ohilly said:

    where do you get it
    Where can you buy the Silicon?

    Ohilly

    You can probably get silicon
    You can probably get silicon at your local health food store as we can here in Canada.
  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    #12
    O'hily...here is another
    O'hily...here is another thought. You say that your hair was thick before. Mine was thin before. So if it came in thin at first it is not such a change. And it is thin, curly, but thin. Like always. A pony tail of my hair is about a crayon in diameter. So for me it wasn't so noticable that it was thin. For you who is used to ponytails like, well, ponies' tails, you are bound to notice that as the hair starts coming back it is baby hair at first. Come to think of it, a lot of babies have curls at first and lose those too, just like us chemo girls. Did you end up lightening your hair?
    love, Joyce

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