hair loss question

ever1 · April 2005

Hi Everyone, I had my first chemo treatment 10 days ago & was wondering about hair loss. Does it just get thinner and thinner or does it come out all at one time? Thanks for your support in the past weeks.

lindatn · April 2005

By the time you have the second treatment it will just all fall out. I did keep the bangs and around the bottom until I was nearly finished with four rounds of A/C which is all I had. I also never lost my eyebrows or eye lashes. They thinned but since they were really thick it wasn't to bad. Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing. I am three years out as of May 6th Rest when you can think good thoughts, eat well and correctly and you will be fine. God Bless

SusanAnne · April 2005

Hi ever1,

I guess toward the end of week two I started really noticing a lot more hair in the shower drain and in the brush (I had treatment every 3 wks). During the third week it just got so thin I said what's the use. My best friend came over (she's a hairdresser) and buzzed the rest off. I couldn't stand the feeling so then she shaved it smooth. From then on I shaved my head in the shower every morning until one day the stubble felt baby soft. That's when I let it start to grow in. That was probably 4 months after chemo started. I had enough hair to go wigless/hatless five months later. Best of luck!

Susan

tlmac · April 2005

Hi ever1, About 2 weeks after my first round of AC I found myself cleaning the tub drain so water would empty and running the vacuum attachments on my bed. The texture felt like dried straw and when I grabbed a handful, it would just come out in my fingers. It got to where I couldn't comb or brush it without losing chunks. There was no feeling of pain. I couldn't stand the half gone look so I buzzed it then shaved my head with an electric razor. Mine also came back in as baby soft fuzz. I lost all of my eyelashes and most of my eyebrows, along with leg and underarm hair. That was the best, not having to shave during the summer of 2003! I finished chemo in early May and needed my first official beauty shop "trim" by fall. I anticipated the hair loss would be the hardest thing to bear but it really wasn't that bad for me. I'll be thinking of you and hoping you get through the experience as easily as I did. Best of luck with your treatment.
terri

inkblot · April 2005

Hi ever1:

My experience was quite similar to SusanAnne's.

My onc. told me that my hair would likely begin to fall around 14 days after the first treatment.
Right on schedule that's what happened. I surprised myself by not being very upset about it! I have thick hair and needless to say I had tons of hair in my brush beginning around day 14! What a sight to behold. When that happened we buzzed it all off. I didn't know how much hair may remain rooted, but it wasn't looking like it would be very much, so for me, it was preferable to have it all gone at once.

SusanAnne had a great idea with shaving her head every morning! If I'd felt condifdent that I could do that without also relieving myself of parts of my scalp, I'd have done the same thing! LOL

I had several wigs, several of the ACS ballcaps (the ones from their catalog) several turbans, a myriad of colorful doo-rags, sleep caps and hats but wore them little actually. I mostly went bald while at home. Just what was comfortable for me.

You will find the most comfy approach for you and there's such an array of head gear out there from which to choose. Have fun with the options!

RE the rest of my body hair: Leg/arm hair disappeared about the same time as my head. (Nice bonus was no need to shave that whole summer!) Underarm and pubic after the 2nd treatment. Brows and lashes hung in till the last of 4 AC treatments, at which time both began to thin but never lost all brows/lashes...about half I'd say. (my treatments were every 3 weeks)

Love, light and laughter,
Ink

Kathy1108 · April 2005

inkblot said:
Hi ever1:

My experience was quite similar to SusanAnne's.

My onc. told me that my hair would likely begin to fall around 14 days after the first treatment.
Right on schedule that's what happened. I surprised myself by not being very upset about it! I have thick hair and needless to say I had tons of hair in my brush beginning around day 14! What a sight to behold. When that happened we buzzed it all off. I didn't know how much hair may remain rooted, but it wasn't looking like it would be very much, so for me, it was preferable to have it all gone at once.

SusanAnne had a great idea with shaving her head every morning! If I'd felt condifdent that I could do that without also relieving myself of parts of my scalp, I'd have done the same thing! LOL

I had several wigs, several of the ACS ballcaps (the ones from their catalog) several turbans, a myriad of colorful doo-rags, sleep caps and hats but wore them little actually. I mostly went bald while at home. Just what was comfortable for me.

You will find the most comfy approach for you and there's such an array of head gear out there from which to choose. Have fun with the options!

RE the rest of my body hair: Leg/arm hair disappeared about the same time as my head. (Nice bonus was no need to shave that whole summer!) Underarm and pubic after the 2nd treatment. Brows and lashes hung in till the last of 4 AC treatments, at which time both began to thin but never lost all brows/lashes...about half I'd say. (my treatments were every 3 weeks)

Love, light and laughter,
Ink

Hi ever1
I too lost my hair around 2 weeks into my treatments. I was out to dinner with my husband when I started to feel that there was something going on with my hair. I touched it and some hair came out. That is when I decided to get my hair cut before it would fall out. I had my neighbor/hair stylist give me a very short hair at first. But then I had my husband shaved the rest of the hair off. That was the hardest part for me. I never saw myself when I was bald. When I went out I would use my wigs. Inside I always worn a turbans, I even slept with it on. I also lose my eyebrows and lashes.When my hair started to grow back I would not wear my turbans in the house to help my hair to grow, but I did still wear my wigs when I went out. But I still never looked at myself. My hair is now back and it came back darker and curly. Best of luck.
Kathy

Ladyrose · April 2005

I was told my hair would fall out on the 14-15th day and it did! It started feeling really weird sort of like porcupine quills in my scalp! It hurt a little. Then it started to fall out gradually, not all at once. I had my hair stylist shave my head and it felt much better. I had a wig to wear that looked just like my natural hair! People didn't even know I had lost my hair. I wore some of the cute hats when I was at home. I found several colors and styles. Some were better for sleeping in than others.
My first 4 chemo treatments were adriamycin/cytox and I lost all body hair, except eyebrows and eyelashes. Then I did 4 treatments of taxitere and my eyebrows/lashes fell out just as I was finishing my treatments.
I found eyebrow pencil can cover quite well and hide "No brows". You will get through this and life will get back to normal! Best of luck to you.

tylermurphy · April 2005

Mine was sort of like shedding for a few days. Day 13 was the bad one as it came out in large clumps, and I had huge bald spots. Day 14 I had my daughter come over and shave the rest, just seemed less traumatic to get it all over with. I also lost my eye brows and lashes. I quit wearing wigs and scarves the end of October 2004 before my hair had even grown in that much, but I was just so proud of it, almost like I wanted to show it off! Hang in there, it's an ordeal but one you can get through and when you look back some day, you'll realize it wasn't so bad after all.

SweetSue · April 2005

It helped when I just got all of it shaven.
It grew back rthicker and more beautiful.
Good luck.

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