Post Chemo Hair
I haven't posted in awhile...now finding I need some advice. My last chemo was in December and my hair is growing in at a normal pace, but rather stangely. It's two different textures. On the back of my head the hair is curly and same texture as my pre-chemo hair, but the top and crown are frizzy and straight. I went to the hairdresser's she colored it (chemo turned it all grey) tried to style it, but I left feeling like I looked like a little old lady (I'm not there yet!) I don't know what to do with it, so I have retreated to the safety of my wig.
Has anyone had a similar experience with your hair and what did you do? My onc said I need to give it more time to grow out.
I'm frustrated. ACD
Comments
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Hurry up hair!!!
i just finished my chemo 2.5 weeks ago, and am ready for a head full of hair, thank you very much! I'm tired of walking around with hair envy! LOL I used to walk around looking at womens figures, wishing i could look like that in a pair of jeans...look like that in heels, etc...but all i see now are lush locks of hair... LOL
My hair is growing in different too. It started growing back in during taxol. The back is thicker, and a little curly, but was the same color as my previous hair (at least i think, since i always had it colored a beautiful blond, and it's coming in mousey brown lol), but the top....whew, whole different story! Part of it is fuzzy, and sort of feels course, some of it is curyly, and some of it is still just barely coming in. It did come in white...not grey, but pure snow white...so i finally picked up a bottle of miss clairol and dyed it (amazing how easy it is to dye barely there hair), and i feel much better about it. Now at least i can see the hair that is there!
I do use Nixxon and i do think it is helping. I use the one for extreme thinning hair on the top and sides, and the foam for noticably thinning hair all over, twice a day..and i have seen a diffrence since i started using it. I can't wait until i can plant my wig in my garden on top of a statue or something...but i, like you, still grab it to hide under sometimes, but have gotten much better at just grabbing a hat. On the weekends, my favorite hat is tan, and in small pink letters on the front is says "F*ck Cancer"....but the u is there.
That just is my way of defiance....my license plate frame also says, in bright pink...cancer sucks......
keep us informed how your hair goes...i especially will be watching, and am curious what lies ahead for me too!
jeanne0 -
hair
please be careful dying your new hair. It is very succeptible to damage because it is new growth. Mine did come in very shiny white to begin with, then changed to the normal grey I have had for almost twenty years. The top is thinner, and I am now trying out short hair styles, when I never went above my shoulders before. Mine has been growing now for almost two years, and the thinning on top is still there, so I figure it is permanent. The hair is curly in the beginning because if its newness, but when it gets more length and regular hair, it usually is back to what you had before.
Hope you love it no matter what.
Cat0 -
Hair's Looking at you!
Hair...sigh~ as if cancer isn't humbling enough, we are reminded by the state of our hair! I say I went from cue ball to baby chick to newborn, to Chia-pet to finger-in-light-socket to FINALLY a semblance of my pre-Beast hair! The curly was the worst...I had chemo/age induced menopause, and the growing in frizzy frizzy frizzy bangs looked and acted like wet brillo pads during a hotflash! As frustrating as it all was, with not much to be done about it, I can't really remember it now. It, like all of the treatment simply fades into the background of our memories in time. And no one has ever reminded me of how awful or funny my hair looked. I DO remember constantly rubbing my head feeling the new growth and smiling!
I know this isn't much help, but there it is!
Hugs,
Claudia0 -
LOL Claudiachenheart said:Hair's Looking at you!
Hair...sigh~ as if cancer isn't humbling enough, we are reminded by the state of our hair! I say I went from cue ball to baby chick to newborn, to Chia-pet to finger-in-light-socket to FINALLY a semblance of my pre-Beast hair! The curly was the worst...I had chemo/age induced menopause, and the growing in frizzy frizzy frizzy bangs looked and acted like wet brillo pads during a hotflash! As frustrating as it all was, with not much to be done about it, I can't really remember it now. It, like all of the treatment simply fades into the background of our memories in time. And no one has ever reminded me of how awful or funny my hair looked. I DO remember constantly rubbing my head feeling the new growth and smiling!
I know this isn't much help, but there it is!
Hugs,
Claudia
I love it when 'Himself' tells me my hair is a mess. Yahooooooooooo!!!!!
It's nice to have hair again to be messy.
I may go mad and take a trip to the hairdresser for a trim next week..What a milestone THAT will be! Eh?
Wish me luck, it years since I went to the hairdresser apart from my ultra short cut after 1st chemo...They scare the cr-ap out of me. Even worse than Snakes and DentistsLOL
Hugs Jxxxxxx & Jxxxxxxxxxxxxx0 -
Tasha and Jamietasha_111 said:LOL Claudia
I love it when 'Himself' tells me my hair is a mess. Yahooooooooooo!!!!!
It's nice to have hair again to be messy.
I may go mad and take a trip to the hairdresser for a trim next week..What a milestone THAT will be! Eh?
Wish me luck, it years since I went to the hairdresser apart from my ultra short cut after 1st chemo...They scare the cr-ap out of me. Even worse than Snakes and DentistsLOL
Hugs Jxxxxxx & Jxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I saw that, posting for both of you! I loved the hair when it was short and fuzzy, and all the time I was bald I had people rubbing my head, they continued to do so until I had real hair grow in, my avatar is actual my first cut and color after treatment. It was in November 2008, and my hair had started growing in around September of 2007. Now I'm actually thinking of cutting it again. Who knew! I never liked short hair before.
Having fun with Jamie???
Cat0 -
wow cat!cats_toy said:Tasha and Jamie
I saw that, posting for both of you! I loved the hair when it was short and fuzzy, and all the time I was bald I had people rubbing my head, they continued to do so until I had real hair grow in, my avatar is actual my first cut and color after treatment. It was in November 2008, and my hair had started growing in around September of 2007. Now I'm actually thinking of cutting it again. Who knew! I never liked short hair before.
Having fun with Jamie???
Cat
I figured that pic was "pre-cancer"! That is beautiful hair! I myself don't have to worry about hair... ¾ of mine is gone already and what is left is salt-n-pepper!! It was quite a shock when I saw a photo of me from a "backward, over head angle and saw my bald spot (at that time LOL)It seems I have several advantages over most of you... no reconstruction after mast, no hysterectomy, no worries about hair!0 -
my experience
Hopefully, this is just MY experience (although actually I did do a lot of research and know that many other women have experienced the same thing): my hair did NOT grow back the way it was before. I used to have fast-growing, extremely thick hair. Now I have hair that's thick in the back, and thin on the top and sides. For a long time I was really, really upset about this, and after much research, my own conclusion is that it's the Femara, which can have a side effect of thinning the hair. I dealt with it by going to a stylist who styled it to camouflage the thinning, and I also use a product called Toppik which you sprinkle on your hair and it covers the thinning areas (go to www.toppik.com or you can buy at Sally's Beauty Supply). I do use Nioxin, but can't say I have noticed any difference from this. I am 99% grateful to my breast surgeon and oncologist for helping me with the cancer, but I do have a 1% resentment that no one told me this could happen to my hair: I still would have chosen to have chemo and do everything I did, but at least I would have known.
I hope your hair fares better than mine did.
Best of luck,
Ohilly0 -
1% - quit bragging!The1percen said:wow cat!
I figured that pic was "pre-cancer"! That is beautiful hair! I myself don't have to worry about hair... ¾ of mine is gone already and what is left is salt-n-pepper!! It was quite a shock when I saw a photo of me from a "backward, over head angle and saw my bald spot (at that time LOL)It seems I have several advantages over most of you... no reconstruction after mast, no hysterectomy, no worries about hair!
no worries about hair, reconstruct, etc. Wow are you the lucky one. Kidding. But thanks for the compliment, if you want to see my bald head, I have it on my expressions page. I was never bothered about being bald, and went nekkid all the time. Had some odd looks, and one mother running away from me with her child in a store, but I didn't care. I hated anything on my head and would only cover it if I got cold.
And yes, it is good that you can look at some of the bright sides of BC, like meeting all of us! And please keep us up to date on your progress.
=^..^=0 -
Chemo Hairohilly said:my experience
Hopefully, this is just MY experience (although actually I did do a lot of research and know that many other women have experienced the same thing): my hair did NOT grow back the way it was before. I used to have fast-growing, extremely thick hair. Now I have hair that's thick in the back, and thin on the top and sides. For a long time I was really, really upset about this, and after much research, my own conclusion is that it's the Femara, which can have a side effect of thinning the hair. I dealt with it by going to a stylist who styled it to camouflage the thinning, and I also use a product called Toppik which you sprinkle on your hair and it covers the thinning areas (go to www.toppik.com or you can buy at Sally's Beauty Supply). I do use Nioxin, but can't say I have noticed any difference from this. I am 99% grateful to my breast surgeon and oncologist for helping me with the cancer, but I do have a 1% resentment that no one told me this could happen to my hair: I still would have chosen to have chemo and do everything I did, but at least I would have known.
I hope your hair fares better than mine did.
Best of luck,
Ohilly
Thank you all for your comments and support. It makes me feel so much better just talking about it! It seems like such a trivial thing after everything we've been through, but I feel your hair is part of your personality. This chemo hair just isn't me. :@ I have natually curly hair and was worried that it would come back looking like an afro; never dreamed it would be half curly and half frizzy-straight. I will look into some of your suggestions and try to be more patient. Thank you~ACD0 -
Chemo Hairchenheart said:Hair's Looking at you!
Hair...sigh~ as if cancer isn't humbling enough, we are reminded by the state of our hair! I say I went from cue ball to baby chick to newborn, to Chia-pet to finger-in-light-socket to FINALLY a semblance of my pre-Beast hair! The curly was the worst...I had chemo/age induced menopause, and the growing in frizzy frizzy frizzy bangs looked and acted like wet brillo pads during a hotflash! As frustrating as it all was, with not much to be done about it, I can't really remember it now. It, like all of the treatment simply fades into the background of our memories in time. And no one has ever reminded me of how awful or funny my hair looked. I DO remember constantly rubbing my head feeling the new growth and smiling!
I know this isn't much help, but there it is!
Hugs,
Claudia
Claudia, I loved your description of the stages of your hair growth. It made me LOL; I can SO relate to it. ACD0 -
I agree...
With other posts here. You probably need to just give it more time. I was warned that the initial "flush" of growth might NOT be permanent. Kinda like a "false start"...
I eventually got back the same hair I had pre-chemo, just with even more gray. Not surprising!
Kind regards, Susan0 -
I agree...Christmas Girl said:I agree...
With other posts here. You probably need to just give it more time. I was warned that the initial "flush" of growth might NOT be permanent. Kinda like a "false start"...
I eventually got back the same hair I had pre-chemo, just with even more gray. Not surprising!
Kind regards, Susan
Yeah, I had heard about the "false start", but thought it should have been over with already; it's been almost 6 months since my last chemo and I've had a hair cut as well. My grey roots are begining to show so I'm thinking of trying to find a more natural product to color my hair with, something that won't be so harsh. Thanks, Susan. ACD0 -
still holding my breathACD57 said:Chemo Hair
Thank you all for your comments and support. It makes me feel so much better just talking about it! It seems like such a trivial thing after everything we've been through, but I feel your hair is part of your personality. This chemo hair just isn't me. :@ I have natually curly hair and was worried that it would come back looking like an afro; never dreamed it would be half curly and half frizzy-straight. I will look into some of your suggestions and try to be more patient. Thank you~ACD
Does it really take about a year before you get a full head of hair???????? I am getting so impatient! my back is growing in dark..the top is thin and clear and sticking straight up (porkepine head) I have different textures and colors it is all screwed up. It has been about 2& a half - 3 mo,'s (i've forgotten already) I never dreamed it would take up to a year! oh whoah is me!
I have been using John Frieda root stimulating shampoo..not sure if it's working o not. May our hair grow fast and beautifully!!
love, jackie0 -
Hey Tashtasha_111 said:LOL Claudia
I love it when 'Himself' tells me my hair is a mess. Yahooooooooooo!!!!!
It's nice to have hair again to be messy.
I may go mad and take a trip to the hairdresser for a trim next week..What a milestone THAT will be! Eh?
Wish me luck, it years since I went to the hairdresser apart from my ultra short cut after 1st chemo...They scare the cr-ap out of me. Even worse than Snakes and DentistsLOL
Hugs Jxxxxxx & Jxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Is that a recent pic after chemo? I think your hair is very nice!
hugs, jackie0 -
Ha Ha Claudiachenheart said:Hair's Looking at you!
Hair...sigh~ as if cancer isn't humbling enough, we are reminded by the state of our hair! I say I went from cue ball to baby chick to newborn, to Chia-pet to finger-in-light-socket to FINALLY a semblance of my pre-Beast hair! The curly was the worst...I had chemo/age induced menopause, and the growing in frizzy frizzy frizzy bangs looked and acted like wet brillo pads during a hotflash! As frustrating as it all was, with not much to be done about it, I can't really remember it now. It, like all of the treatment simply fades into the background of our memories in time. And no one has ever reminded me of how awful or funny my hair looked. I DO remember constantly rubbing my head feeling the new growth and smiling!
I know this isn't much help, but there it is!
Hugs,
Claudia
I think you just described how mine is growing in..except no brillo-bangs yet (no bangs at all) I bet you didn't like to start shaving those 40 ft. legs either! lol!
Hugs, Jackie0 -
HairynessACD57 said:I agree...
Yeah, I had heard about the "false start", but thought it should have been over with already; it's been almost 6 months since my last chemo and I've had a hair cut as well. My grey roots are begining to show so I'm thinking of trying to find a more natural product to color my hair with, something that won't be so harsh. Thanks, Susan. ACD
My Hair is way out of control after less than a year.........I bleached it about a month ago.
I tried to colour it when it first came back.... It didn't work
My pic is last week ....... Thanks and Hugs all Jxxxxxxxxxxxx0 -
Gimme a Head of Haircwestbro said:I also completed chemo in
I also completed chemo in Dec. My hair is coming in curly in the back and just wavy on top. My hair use to be stick straight! I don't know what to do with mine either! I'm just happy to have hair!!!
My chemo was over early in March and my hair is just now starting to grow in. Very splotchy, thicker in some spots and very silver. I had thin stringy hair before and spent thousands over the years on perms. I hope if it does come in curly, it stays, but I'm getting the message from all of you that is not to be.
Oh well. At least its growing.
Pat0 -
I hope you get that head ofpadee6339 said:Gimme a Head of Hair
My chemo was over early in March and my hair is just now starting to grow in. Very splotchy, thicker in some spots and very silver. I had thin stringy hair before and spent thousands over the years on perms. I hope if it does come in curly, it stays, but I'm getting the message from all of you that is not to be.
Oh well. At least its growing.
Pat
I hope you get that head of hair that you want Pat! It does seem that a lot have curly hair come in! Good luck!0
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