Six weeks post chemo: Hair report
Ok..I have about 1/4 of inch of fuzz all over my head. It's white and soft, but I can feel stubble that is also growing in that I think is darker. It appears to growing in at a consistent length, so I guess that's good. Although, I have noticed about a dozen hairs that are approaching 1 inch, I don't dare cut them off!
Also, just noticed yesterday, eyelash stubble!!!After I washed my face, it looked like some eyeliner was left, so I washed again and it didn't wash off. I looked closer and saw little baby eyelashes growing! About the size of an apostrophe in 12 point font! lol
Can't wait to start mascara again, I made an eye appointment for two weeks from now for contact lenses!
In addition to eyelash stubble, when I turned my head sideways, I noticed the light glinting off of fine white hairs on my EYEBROWS! Not sure if I'll have the courage to get those bad boys waxed again, will wait and see how they grow in!
My legs no longer feel "baby bottom smooth" but no discernible hair growth there either. Nothing under the arms, and for those of you who were here for my dad's question..no, the twitchy is still hairless as well.
Ok...that's the hair growth report for this week. Stay tuned for more updates! (I'd update my picture, but there's nothing to see yet!)
Hugs,
Leesa
Comments
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Smiles for Stubbies!
I had to smile at your post. So well I remember waiting for the first signs of 'plant' life again. I used to look at my head with a cosmetic mirror in the mornings when I woke up. My daughter started calling me 'mama-chia pet' and advanced it to 'kitten-head' because my hair re-growth became so soft. I was dissapointed that my prior Loreal color did not permeate my hair follicles prior to chemo. It's been fun managing the short hair and playing around with color. I did not have the chemo curls after all which I was kind of looking forward to. It grew back board straight, just like before. I always had long hair so it's taken some getting used to. Everyone says they like the short look on me now, but one of my friends said it reminded her of my sons hair when he was about five. My husband is losing his hair now due to his chemo, but he knows that it will come back- I've set the standard in the family.Once again, happy happy stubble fuzz days to come - Ellen1 -
I have a similar story,
I have a similar story, Leesa. Mine is different lengths and when it first started coming back in, there were a couple of spots that were so sparse, I was afraid they might be forever hairless.
Mine started out white, as well. But a really strange, almost translucent white. Except for the back, which is dark - and curly. The texture is like cotton candy. Maybe I should color it pink!
The Taxol that I am getting monthly means that my hair won't grow back in as quickly as yours, but I have eyelash stubbies, too. No leg, underarm, or twitchy hair, though. By the way, my friend who had breast cancer said her pubic hair grew back in Lucille Ball red, at first. And she was a brunette.
I tried using mascara on the stubby eyelashes and it was a disaster.
I am so accustomed to my wig now, the hair thing is almost a non-event.
Carlene0 -
Hi Leesa
Glad to hear the
Hi Leesa
Glad to hear the hair is coming back. Have you noticed any on your face yet??? I had a LOT of peach coloured hair like a beard - I was too scared to shave it off or have it waxed but luckily it fell out after a few months. My eyelashes have not come back properly and I finished chemo 17 months ago..
Keep us informed
Jenny0 -
Thought I would comment tooTasgirl said:Hi Leesa
Glad to hear the
Hi Leesa
Glad to hear the hair is coming back. Have you noticed any on your face yet??? I had a LOT of peach coloured hair like a beard - I was too scared to shave it off or have it waxed but luckily it fell out after a few months. My eyelashes have not come back properly and I finished chemo 17 months ago..
Keep us informed
Jenny
My hair was a big deal for me. However I am post 4 months chemo and my hair is now a good inch - 2 inches long all over my head. It has come back exactly the same as my natural colour with a smattering of greyness at my temples. The texture is strange though. It isn't curly but LOOKS slightly afro in texture. It doesn't shine. As for the eye lashes - I am so blessed. I never had long eyelashes before but now they have come back much longer. It was also like they sprouted overnight. My eye brows are great too. Body hair ie legs and underarms seem to have a life of there own. I am having to shave every other day. As for my "twitchy" before I had pale, ginger pubic hair, now it is very black.
So I am just waiting for my hair to grow now. My friends tell me that they see a difference in my within days. My profile picture was taken 4 weeks ago and my hair has grown since then.
Tina0 -
Congrats!!!Tina Brown said:Thought I would comment too
My hair was a big deal for me. However I am post 4 months chemo and my hair is now a good inch - 2 inches long all over my head. It has come back exactly the same as my natural colour with a smattering of greyness at my temples. The texture is strange though. It isn't curly but LOOKS slightly afro in texture. It doesn't shine. As for the eye lashes - I am so blessed. I never had long eyelashes before but now they have come back much longer. It was also like they sprouted overnight. My eye brows are great too. Body hair ie legs and underarms seem to have a life of there own. I am having to shave every other day. As for my "twitchy" before I had pale, ginger pubic hair, now it is very black.
So I am just waiting for my hair to grow now. My friends tell me that they see a difference in my within days. My profile picture was taken 4 weeks ago and my hair has grown since then.
Tina
Yaaaaaa!!!!!! to the return of Real Hair LOL!!!! I was so tired of wearing my wig (and on occasion false eyelashes) I celebrated every new hair. The best thing is when your eye lashes return. For me - every time I looked at myself I saw someone that RESEMBLED me - but WASN'T me. When my hair was growing back... I was like "Yes, that's the girl I remember" CONGRATULATIONS to you
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Love Your Post
Leesa, love your post. I am so excited for you. I remember when my hair came back in. I didn't get the curls. I kind of wanted them because I have always had straight hair. I had the gray thing going on top and my hair in the back was as dark as could be. I never had dark hair before. But the biggest thing to me was was the eyelashes. Oh I never thought I would be so happy about those little bitty hairs. Funny the things that make us happy. Now I am bald AGAIN. Praying that my last chemo treatment will be on August 17th and I can grow hair back again. I am wondering what it will come it like this time. Such a guessing game. You know what is really funny is that this time I didn't lose all of my eyelashes. But as far as twitchy, I can do without....lol
Keep us posted
Linda0 -
Thanks for the hair report !
Thanks for the news on your hair ! A nurse can tell you info but it means so much more from someone who has been thru it. I buzzed my hair because I couldn't stand the feeling of hair raining down on my arms, but my eyebrows and lashes are still here I've only had two doses of taxol/carboplatin. How long does it take for them to fall out?
My hair was not as much of an issue but the eyelashes will be sure to make me cry !Pretty silly as I haven't really broke down over my cancer diagnosis.
Everyone have a great week-end and thanks for being here for each other
Colleen0 -
Hi Colleen,Cafewoman53 said:Thanks for the hair report !
Thanks for the news on your hair ! A nurse can tell you info but it means so much more from someone who has been thru it. I buzzed my hair because I couldn't stand the feeling of hair raining down on my arms, but my eyebrows and lashes are still here I've only had two doses of taxol/carboplatin. How long does it take for them to fall out?
My hair was not as much of an issue but the eyelashes will be sure to make me cry !Pretty silly as I haven't really broke down over my cancer diagnosis.
Everyone have a great week-end and thanks for being here for each other
Colleen
It's not silly,
Hi Colleen,
It's not silly, I felt the same way about my eyelashes. I felt like I didn't LOOK sick until I lost my eyelashes and my eyebrows. It was about treatment four that I noticed they started thinning and then by five and six, my eyebrows were gone, and I really couldn't wear mascara. At treatment six I had three lonely eyelashes that I finally got tired of looking at and pulled out. Now I have tiny stubbies and it looks like they're going to come in thicker!
One tip I have, I bought Kat Von D Tattoo eyeliner from sephora. It's a very fine felt tip eyeliner that works great and it stays on! I have found that when I line my eyes with a dark brown (Maya) color, top and bottom, my friends tell me that they can't tell I don't have eyelashes. Also, sephora sells eyebrow stencils. I used those at first with brow powder (looks way more natural than a pencil), but then realized that my brow bone is pretty defined so I do it free hand now. A hint for eyebrows: use an eye shadow primer on your brow line to keep your eyebrows from melting
As you can tell by my profile picture, we had a mohawk for a minute party and then shaved my head after my first treatment. We had a great time with no tears and I didn't have to deal with watching my hair go down the drain. My favorite headcoverings are 36inch square silk scarves. I have a wig that I've worn three times. lol
God Bless and Good Luck!
Hugs,
Leesa0 -
I remember almost poking my eye out trying to mascara the stubs!leesag said:Hi Colleen,
It's not silly,
Hi Colleen,
It's not silly, I felt the same way about my eyelashes. I felt like I didn't LOOK sick until I lost my eyelashes and my eyebrows. It was about treatment four that I noticed they started thinning and then by five and six, my eyebrows were gone, and I really couldn't wear mascara. At treatment six I had three lonely eyelashes that I finally got tired of looking at and pulled out. Now I have tiny stubbies and it looks like they're going to come in thicker!
One tip I have, I bought Kat Von D Tattoo eyeliner from sephora. It's a very fine felt tip eyeliner that works great and it stays on! I have found that when I line my eyes with a dark brown (Maya) color, top and bottom, my friends tell me that they can't tell I don't have eyelashes. Also, sephora sells eyebrow stencils. I used those at first with brow powder (looks way more natural than a pencil), but then realized that my brow bone is pretty defined so I do it free hand now. A hint for eyebrows: use an eye shadow primer on your brow line to keep your eyebrows from melting
As you can tell by my profile picture, we had a mohawk for a minute party and then shaved my head after my first treatment. We had a great time with no tears and I didn't have to deal with watching my hair go down the drain. My favorite headcoverings are 36inch square silk scarves. I have a wig that I've worn three times. lol
God Bless and Good Luck!
Hugs,
Leesa
I think all of us can relate to the thrill of seeing those tiny eyelash stubs. I remember running down to show my husband and him saying "I can't see anything". (MEN!) But I took his finger and made him FEEL them. Wait until they really come in; it's like MAGIC; you wake up one morning and they're suddenly THERE almost full length,....any day now, soon, soon SOON! My lashes and brows came in thicker and longer than they'd ever been, so thrilling! I think they are initially so long and lush because they are 'virgin' lashes that have yet to be subjected to mascara and makeup remover and sun and wind and rain,....and yet I couldn't WAIT to start playing with them with the mascara wand!!
I am 6 rounds into this weekly taxol protocol for my 2nd recurrence and my brows and lashes are almost gone again, and I have 'old man's hair', almost totally bald on top with a ring of thin 1" left-over chemo curls on the sides and back. Looks okay when I have a baseball hat on; absolutely HORRIFYING uncovered. My husband and I am going to see "Kansas" in concert tonight ("Dust in the Wind"; "Point of No Return"), and it is thankfully cool enough this evening at a local winery, and I may break out a wig to wear, something I haven't done all summer. I just want to look pretty again, even if it's fake.
Enjoy those lashes & the new hair! The healthier LOOK matches the healthier FEEL of being in remission and off the chemo! Live it with JOY!1 -
Leesaleesag said:Hi Colleen,
It's not silly,
Hi Colleen,
It's not silly, I felt the same way about my eyelashes. I felt like I didn't LOOK sick until I lost my eyelashes and my eyebrows. It was about treatment four that I noticed they started thinning and then by five and six, my eyebrows were gone, and I really couldn't wear mascara. At treatment six I had three lonely eyelashes that I finally got tired of looking at and pulled out. Now I have tiny stubbies and it looks like they're going to come in thicker!
One tip I have, I bought Kat Von D Tattoo eyeliner from sephora. It's a very fine felt tip eyeliner that works great and it stays on! I have found that when I line my eyes with a dark brown (Maya) color, top and bottom, my friends tell me that they can't tell I don't have eyelashes. Also, sephora sells eyebrow stencils. I used those at first with brow powder (looks way more natural than a pencil), but then realized that my brow bone is pretty defined so I do it free hand now. A hint for eyebrows: use an eye shadow primer on your brow line to keep your eyebrows from melting
As you can tell by my profile picture, we had a mohawk for a minute party and then shaved my head after my first treatment. We had a great time with no tears and I didn't have to deal with watching my hair go down the drain. My favorite headcoverings are 36inch square silk scarves. I have a wig that I've worn three times. lol
God Bless and Good Luck!
Hugs,
Leesa
Thanks for the advice on the eye make-up. I too did the mohawk for a minute and it was fun !0 -
Darker!
OkeyDokey,
Approximately 72 hours since my first update, the hair on my head has definitely gotten darker--all over. My eyelash stubbies are growing in nicely (and i think much thicker than before). But the big news is the color is no longer white--happened almost overnight!
The hair at my nape is long enough to lay flat already!
Hugs to all!
Leesa0 -
Mohawkleesag said:Darker!
OkeyDokey,
Approximately 72 hours since my first update, the hair on my head has definitely gotten darker--all over. My eyelash stubbies are growing in nicely (and i think much thicker than before). But the big news is the color is no longer white--happened almost overnight!
The hair at my nape is long enough to lay flat already!
Hugs to all!
Leesa
my hair reminds me of a mohawk, it is longer on the very top than anywhere else. I too have face hair, and my lashes and brows have come back in again, but the lashes hardly have any on the bottom, they are very sparace, but btter than none.
Funny how things we used to take for granted now is a great thing to us. We can all say we will never have another bad hair day again, I am just so thankful to ahve hair1 -
I was so proud of my eyebrows and my lashes. They stayed there almost to the end. But… at chemo # 10/11 they just ‘left the building’. I was applying mascara and noticed there was nothing there to grab that magical black look. Same with the eyebrows. It really gives you the sick look. I started using an eyeliner on my eyes (so I could see them!) and drawing my eyebrows with pencil. It kind of put your face back, if you know what I mean. I still have 3 more taxol treatments to go. So it’s going to be a while until I get to see ME again.
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Hi Ladies: I’m at my chemo halfway point - 3 done, 3 to go, and have been using a cold cap during infusions. It does work! I have a receding hairline in front and thinning hair, but it’s not very noticeable. My hair is short and curly so that helps hide the thinning. Eye brows, lashes, twitchy (love that one), legs, etc are all bald now or nearly so. The cold cap is painfully cold at first, then ok, and adds about 3 hours to a chemo day. Insurance should cover the cost, although I have not figured out how to submit yet (Medicare). Just an FYI, in case anyone is interested as I think this is a fairly new thing.
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