Hair growth

rmkbrad
rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
How long does it take for the hair on my head to grow back? I finished up chemo and still have to do the radiation, but winter in northern Nevada with no hair is just cold. Thanks to loops for love for there donation of stocking caps. Anyway I was just wondering how long it took before others got their hair back.

Brad

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi Brad
    I have some areas that the hair never did come back on, but for the most part a lot of it all started coming back in a few months
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Hair Growth
    For me having nine (three week cycles) weeks of chemo, then seven weeks of concurrent weekly chemo and rads.

    I think I started losing all of my body hair during the second three week cycle. Can't remember when I started getting it back, but it was coming back well before the end of rads.

    Like Hondo said though, not all of it came back. As most I have about the last 1 - 1 1/2" on the nape of my neck which is still bare. Also, hardly any beard below my chin on either side (which isn't a bad thing).

    One thing that I did notice...those PITA old gray hairs that grow in places you'd rather not, were some of the tough bass turds that chose to come back first....

    JG
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Skiffin16 said:

    Hair Growth
    For me having nine (three week cycles) weeks of chemo, then seven weeks of concurrent weekly chemo and rads.

    I think I started losing all of my body hair during the second three week cycle. Can't remember when I started getting it back, but it was coming back well before the end of rads.

    Like Hondo said though, not all of it came back. As most I have about the last 1 - 1 1/2" on the nape of my neck which is still bare. Also, hardly any beard below my chin on either side (which isn't a bad thing).

    One thing that I did notice...those PITA old gray hairs that grow in places you'd rather not, were some of the tough bass turds that chose to come back first....

    JG

    old gray hairs
    Very well said
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    #5
    Hondo said:

    old gray hairs
    Very well said

    about hair on face
    I am still young yet but I started to grow facial hair before my cancer treatments but after treatments was done it took me about 3 months before I can grow back my side burns and some other facial hair.
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #6
    Mine Started Quickly
    Very soon after induction chemo ended, my hair started growing back. It was slow, but I could feel it (and it felt GREAT - I spent lots of time petting my own head). It started growing very soon after I stopped getting the taxotere, even though I was on carboplatin. I was bald last winter, so I know what you mean about the cold head. I've given some away, and still have lots of hats (not ball caps, though). I didn't get the dark, curly hair - it was all gray with body, though. Now it's back to "normal" - a little more gray than before treatment, but it's amazing how little I complain about my hair after being bald. I did best in the cold by layering hats. A year later, I still have my radiation bald swath - my doc said it would be permanent, but a man I know who did the treatment three years ago told me ALL his hair came back in (he didn't go bald - just lost hair to radiation). Stay warm.
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #7
    Pam M said:

    Mine Started Quickly
    Very soon after induction chemo ended, my hair started growing back. It was slow, but I could feel it (and it felt GREAT - I spent lots of time petting my own head). It started growing very soon after I stopped getting the taxotere, even though I was on carboplatin. I was bald last winter, so I know what you mean about the cold head. I've given some away, and still have lots of hats (not ball caps, though). I didn't get the dark, curly hair - it was all gray with body, though. Now it's back to "normal" - a little more gray than before treatment, but it's amazing how little I complain about my hair after being bald. I did best in the cold by layering hats. A year later, I still have my radiation bald swath - my doc said it would be permanent, but a man I know who did the treatment three years ago told me ALL his hair came back in (he didn't go bald - just lost hair to radiation). Stay warm.

    Radiation hair lossq
    I lost some hair the first time I went through chemo and radiation, no hair loss from that chemo but did loose some from the IMRT radiation, funny this time is the hair that grew back after the radiation was the toughest. I had to shave it off, completley bald with a little mullet on the back of my head where the radiation hair grew back. My wife said it looked like I had a small go tee on the back of my head. Anyway this chemo took it off and the internal radiation that I will be going through should not effect my hair, 15 degrees this morning, brrr. I just hope I have some hair by May, wife is going to New Orleans for a conference and I would like to go along. As long as I feel good and treatment is over.


    Brad
  • adventurebob
    adventurebob Member Posts: 691
    #8
    rmkbrad said:

    Radiation hair lossq
    I lost some hair the first time I went through chemo and radiation, no hair loss from that chemo but did loose some from the IMRT radiation, funny this time is the hair that grew back after the radiation was the toughest. I had to shave it off, completley bald with a little mullet on the back of my head where the radiation hair grew back. My wife said it looked like I had a small go tee on the back of my head. Anyway this chemo took it off and the internal radiation that I will be going through should not effect my hair, 15 degrees this morning, brrr. I just hope I have some hair by May, wife is going to New Orleans for a conference and I would like to go along. As long as I feel good and treatment is over.


    Brad

    Hair today, gone tomorrow
    Hey Brad,
    Nice to see you on here. I was looking for you a couple weeks back as you hadn't posted for awhile and I was thinking of you.
    I didn't really lose any to chemo though it changed color and thinned a little but radiation really put Supercuts to shame.I'm 5 weeks post treatment now and started getting some facial hair back in the last couple weeks. It's spotty and grows at different speeds but it's coming in. I've got a clear cut on the bottom 4-5 inches of my neck though that hasn't shown any signs of new growth. Apparently it looks kinda strange but fortunately I can't see it. My doc says I should grow my hair long to cover it up but that means either a mullet or full on hippie. I've done both over the years and I suppose I'm leaning toward hippie. Maybe it'll have a Samson effect and get me some strength back.

    Bob
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #9
    adventurebob said:

    Hair today, gone tomorrow
    Hey Brad,
    Nice to see you on here. I was looking for you a couple weeks back as you hadn't posted for awhile and I was thinking of you.
    I didn't really lose any to chemo though it changed color and thinned a little but radiation really put Supercuts to shame.I'm 5 weeks post treatment now and started getting some facial hair back in the last couple weeks. It's spotty and grows at different speeds but it's coming in. I've got a clear cut on the bottom 4-5 inches of my neck though that hasn't shown any signs of new growth. Apparently it looks kinda strange but fortunately I can't see it. My doc says I should grow my hair long to cover it up but that means either a mullet or full on hippie. I've done both over the years and I suppose I'm leaning toward hippie. Maybe it'll have a Samson effect and get me some strength back.

    Bob

    Comb over
    I guess that would be the opposite of the famous comb over, maybe just call it the hang over doo. I have stuble growth on top of my head but the sides and back are still baby smooth. I should not complain, as I have had a full thick head of hair all my life and alot of my friends and family are bald or close to it. I didn't post on here for a while during chemo, didn't feel so hot and not much interest at that time typing. Anyway thanks for your concern.

    Brad

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