Donating to 'Locks of Love"

sherria49
sherria49 Member Posts: 126
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Everyone!!

I am 49 years young....and awaiting my surgery date for my double mastectomy w/expanders. Should be within the next couple of weeks. Anxiety, sad, excitement, scared, etc.....Been going through all of these emotions. Just done with all the waiting.....

Anyway, I have a decided to donate my hair to 'Locks of Love', and was wondering....I will be having chemo after surgery. How long does it take for your hair to start to fall out? Do I need to cut it prior to any chemo??? I have very long, thick, naturally curly hair, and I'm sure some little girl will be very happy with mine. I will be able to donate an easy 15" to them. Personally, I have also decided to go the 'bald route'. I will just accessorize with a bandana & baseball cap.

PS. I have been reading alot of the discussion boards on here about breast cancer, the surgeries, reconstructions, chemo, recovery, etc...and have gotten more info from this site than anywhere else on the net. Everyone on here is so caring and helpful. My doctors were amazed at how knowledgeable I have become in such a short time frame.

A BIG THANKS to everyone here! You have helped me make decisions, made a down day a happy one, and have given me strength & wisdom. Sherri

Comments

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
    Hi, Sherri -
    What a great attitude and spirit you have! We're lucky to have you with us here.

    The average time for hair loss to start is about 14 days after your first treatment. I've heard women here say anywhere from 12 to 16 days. Mine started falling out on day 12 -- just not on my head! It was about day 15 before it started falling out on my head.

    I think most women who have long hair decide to cut it short before chemo. You wouldn't believe how messy it is when it starts to fall out, even if it's very short. I cut my hair even shorter than you see in my picture before chemo, and it was just EVERYWHERE when it started to fall out -- all over the floor, in my food, even! I can't imagine having long hair when that starts to happen.

    Also -- I don't know if other women experienced this -- once I started chemo, my hair got dry, dull, and brittle, really ugly. So, if you're planning to donate it, I think you would want to cut it while it's in beautiful condition. What a lucky little girl the recipient will be!

    Please keep sharing your questions and your journey with us!

    Traci
  • sherria49
    sherria49 Member Posts: 126
    #3
    TraciInLA said:

    Hi, Sherri -
    What a great attitude and spirit you have! We're lucky to have you with us here.

    The average time for hair loss to start is about 14 days after your first treatment. I've heard women here say anywhere from 12 to 16 days. Mine started falling out on day 12 -- just not on my head! It was about day 15 before it started falling out on my head.

    I think most women who have long hair decide to cut it short before chemo. You wouldn't believe how messy it is when it starts to fall out, even if it's very short. I cut my hair even shorter than you see in my picture before chemo, and it was just EVERYWHERE when it started to fall out -- all over the floor, in my food, even! I can't imagine having long hair when that starts to happen.

    Also -- I don't know if other women experienced this -- once I started chemo, my hair got dry, dull, and brittle, really ugly. So, if you're planning to donate it, I think you would want to cut it while it's in beautiful condition. What a lucky little girl the recipient will be!

    Please keep sharing your questions and your journey with us!

    Traci

    Thanks
    Traci! I do have a great attitude, so far!! lol I am also wondering if 'Locks of Love' has any restrictions. Can we donate hair after out first treatment? I want to keep mine as long as I can. But, also don't want to lose the opportunity to donate it if I've had even 1 chemo treatment.

    Thanks again!
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    #4
    sherria49 said:

    Thanks
    Traci! I do have a great attitude, so far!! lol I am also wondering if 'Locks of Love' has any restrictions. Can we donate hair after out first treatment? I want to keep mine as long as I can. But, also don't want to lose the opportunity to donate it if I've had even 1 chemo treatment.

    Thanks again!

    Sherria
    You can go to Locksoflove.com and it will tell you what the requirements are and get a form to send in with your donation. I would say do it before Chemo for the reasons Traci had stated. I also had very long hair & donated it. I just made up my mind one day to just go chop it off. No regrets. I love my short hair (for now)as it is sooo much easier to deal with! Wash & comb-that's it! I hadn't been able to get a comb in my hair for over 20 years!
    Hugz,
    Cathy
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #5
    Hi Sherri
    Welcome. I didn't have to go through chemo, but wanted to share a story with you about donating your hair.
    My daughter woke up early one morning and had an urgency to find a hair dresser, that day, to get her hair cut. She had hair down to her waist. She said she was very uneasy about not finding someone to do it, as she met rejection after rejection on the phone. Finally one hair dresser said "run right over, I'll squeeze you in". Thinking it was going to be just a trim, the hairdresser was shocked when she learned my daughter wanted to cut it all off to donate to locks of love. She had no clue why she had this urgency, but knew she had to follow through.
    She stopped by our house on her way home to show us what she had done. I was just diagnosed that morning with BC, which she had no idea about, because we didn't tell the children what was going on, so as not to scare them needlessly. Talk about the Lord moving in our lives! He so helped me to break the news to her!
    I just also turned 49 years old. I think attitude plays a huge role in our recovery. Even if I had to "fake it", it helped me alot to stay positive during the down times. Knowledge is power, so keep discovering. Post often and we will be here to walk through your journey with you.
    ♥Pammy
  • aztec45
    aztec45 Member Posts: 757
    #6
    Hi Sherria
    Welcome to the site. I donated my hair to Locks for Love PRIOR to chemo. You want to do this because as someone mentioned, after chemo, your hair becomes dry-brittle-dead and the charity will not be able to use it. I think the minimum length they will accept is 11 inches. I had a lot of hair so I think maybe they could make a couple of wigs out of it for the kids. Even though you cut it, brace yourself for the shock of losing it. I mourned the loss of my hair for several days. I think it was the hardest part of having chemo for me.

    Welcome.

    P
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #7
    Welcome, Sherria
    I just wanted to welcome you to this site. You are correct in your statement that this is is an amazing group. Keep up the positive attitude and we'll get through this together. Take care.
  • sherria49
    sherria49 Member Posts: 126
    #8
    MyTurnNow said:

    Welcome, Sherria
    I just wanted to welcome you to this site. You are correct in your statement that this is is an amazing group. Keep up the positive attitude and we'll get through this together. Take care.

    Thanks!
    to everyone for their input. I know that most on here have been riding this road alot longer than myself. My doctor confirmed my diagnoses mid-August this year.

    I do not know any of you personally, but feel a closeness to all. I will continue to post questions & progress throughout my journey.

    THANKS AGAIN!!
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537
    #9
    Hi Sherria
    I dont know much about locks of love. Personally my hair was thin and short and very fine. I sometimes joke that I look better bald then I did when I had my hair!! But seriously, it was a pretty hard week when my hair started falling out. My thin fine hair just came out in clumps in the shower and when I looked at the back of my head I had bald spots where my head was on the pillow not to mention hair all over. If your hair is as beautiful as it sounds, I am not sure I would wait and go thru that. It may be better to take control yourself and get yourself a cute short hairstyle that wont be as traumatic when it does go.

    One thing though...check to be sure that the type of chemo you get causes hair loss. You dont want to cut your hair then find out the chemo wouldnt have affected it.

    By the way...this is the best support group ever. People on this side really care and you can be sure we all GET IT. We are all here for each other and I personally feel like everyone here is my friend even though I havent met any of them.

    Hang in there

    LInda T
  • ruthielaine
    ruthielaine Member Posts: 59
    #10
    sherria49 said:

    Thanks
    Traci! I do have a great attitude, so far!! lol I am also wondering if 'Locks of Love' has any restrictions. Can we donate hair after out first treatment? I want to keep mine as long as I can. But, also don't want to lose the opportunity to donate it if I've had even 1 chemo treatment.

    Thanks again!

    no bleached hair
    Good for you to think of doing something positive for someone else while you're going through your own ordeal. I actually researched this because I wanted to donate mine - it needs to be at least 8" long and it can be color treated but not lightened, bleached or highlighted so that left mine out. I would cut it now before any more treatments - God Bless you for helping someone else in your time of trial.

    Ruthies

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