Sorry if this has already been covered
Comments
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Wait
Elm, If your hair hasn't started to fall out I would wait to shave it. Mine came out in clumps after about 18 days or so. I thought it would be hard to shave it off but it was harder to have it come out in clumps in the shower. I have a nice wig and pretty scarves so I was all set. I found a great site on E-Bay of a women who make scarves for people on chemo. She has great selection and is very reasonable priced. The sellers name is "English Traditions". Check her out! Good Luck to You!! Diane0 -
Minechickad52 said:Wait
Elm, If your hair hasn't started to fall out I would wait to shave it. Mine came out in clumps after about 18 days or so. I thought it would be hard to shave it off but it was harder to have it come out in clumps in the shower. I have a nice wig and pretty scarves so I was all set. I found a great site on E-Bay of a women who make scarves for people on chemo. She has great selection and is very reasonable priced. The sellers name is "English Traditions". Check her out! Good Luck to You!! Diane
Mine fell out day 15--clumps in the shower and on day 16 I shaved my head. I already had my hair cut short before this.0 -
I think the average seems totommaseena said:Mine
Mine fell out day 15--clumps in the shower and on day 16 I shaved my head. I already had my hair cut short before this.
I think the average seems to be about two weeks after your first chemo treatment. Mine came out by the handfull on day 14, and my husband shaved my head for me. We both cried through the process, and then laughed because I still had more hair than him. You will know when it "let's go", and can make your decision about letting it all fall out, or shave it. Personally, it was kind of a fun memory in my journey. I had always wanted to know what shape my head was, and I found out with the shave. I passed the "okay it isn't that awful" stage, and found the right head coverings to match the weather....i.e. wig in winter, scarf or hats in spring, and then the bold but beautiful "first time naked in public" stage. Whatever you choose, it is what it is, and you make the best of the phases you go through. I chose to do it with a smile, and count it as something else I had no control over. Hope it goes well for you. Hugs.
Judy0 -
Hairelm3544 said:thanks
Thank you all for your replies. I guess its better to wait. What concerns me is having it happen while I'm at work or somewhere out in public. At lest if I shave it off, I won't take the chance of being embarassed.
You don't ever have any reason to be embarrassed, Bald is beautiful!!!!!!!! If your concerned that if my start falling out while your out in public just carry a cute hat or scarf with you. Then you can cover it if you feel the need. Personaly I did not bother covering my head except when it was cold and seeing as I live in Florida that was rare.
Once again if or when it falls out you have no reason to be embarrassed.
Good Luck
Tjhay0 -
I can't comment on that aselm3544 said:thanks
Thank you all for your replies. I guess its better to wait. What concerns me is having it happen while I'm at work or somewhere out in public. At lest if I shave it off, I won't take the chance of being embarassed.
I can't comment on that as I'm going to be finding out Saturday what my treatment will be...which I'm sure will be chemo, so I'll be right behind you. I am 2 weeks out from a mastectomy. Still healing.
I am also in Phoenix. I live in Surprise. Where are you going to chemo? I'll be headed for Pale Verde Oncology on Saturday.
Maryann0 -
Public Fallout
My hair was fine as i got ready for work..showered, washed my hair, blew it dry, etc., then an hour later at work while reading something on my PC, i ran my hair through my hair in frustration, and behold, hair. I just sat there in shock...and of course, had to repeat the motion just to make sure it was realy happening. I walked over to my coworkers office, hair still in my fingers and just looked at her...and of course started crying. Everyone at work was wonderful, i made a point NOT to touch my hair for the rest of the day...a very hard thing to do!, and then had a head shaving party that night where everyone else wore skull caps so we'd all be bald...then we took a picture together with caps off, and me in my wig dancing to music. Made the most fun out of it as possible. And, it was right around the 15 day mark
Jeanne0 -
Palo Verde Oncologymaryannrogers said:I can't comment on that as
I can't comment on that as I'm going to be finding out Saturday what my treatment will be...which I'm sure will be chemo, so I'll be right behind you. I am 2 weeks out from a mastectomy. Still healing.
I am also in Phoenix. I live in Surprise. Where are you going to chemo? I'll be headed for Pale Verde Oncology on Saturday.
Maryann
Maryann,
That is where I am having my treatment! I see Dr. Volk there. Today was my follow up from my first treatment. My next one is July 20th. Everyone in the chemo room is so nice and they have snacks and drinks for you, too. There is a TV and there is a "quiet" area. I went to Arizona Center for Cancer Care for brachy and will also go there for external radiation. I just had my follow up with them yesterday. Good luck to you!
Thank you everyone for your responses! I feel better about it now. Whatever happens, happens.0 -
I had my first chemo on June
I had my first chemo on June 22 and about a week later my head also got itchy and prickly and I thought I would start losing hair but I didn't. I am now on day 16 and I noticed this morning after I combed my hair that I was shedding a little more than usual but no clumps of hair came out. I'm also noticing the top of my head hurts a little now so I think it will start falling soon.
Bev0 -
lost email pagemaryannrogers said:I can't comment on that as
I can't comment on that as I'm going to be finding out Saturday what my treatment will be...which I'm sure will be chemo, so I'll be right behind you. I am 2 weeks out from a mastectomy. Still healing.
I am also in Phoenix. I live in Surprise. Where are you going to chemo? I'll be headed for Pale Verde Oncology on Saturday.
Maryann
I can't find that private message page again. I didn't get your email address. Also wanted to tell you Palo Verde Oncology has the Look Good Feel Better program. I plan to go to one. They give you a bag of cosmetics and help you learn to apply makeup, style wigs, etc. It sounds fun and you can bring a friend!0 -
Thank you! I am definitelytjhay said:Hair
You don't ever have any reason to be embarrassed, Bald is beautiful!!!!!!!! If your concerned that if my start falling out while your out in public just carry a cute hat or scarf with you. Then you can cover it if you feel the need. Personaly I did not bother covering my head except when it was cold and seeing as I live in Florida that was rare.
Once again if or when it falls out you have no reason to be embarrassed.
Good Luck
Tjhay
Thank you! I am definitely going to keep a hat or scarf with me just in case. I thought of that before but haven't put one in my purse or car. I just don't want to have big clumps coming out and not knowing what to do! If I notice the signs before it happens then its getting shaved.0 -
Just go the CSN homepage.elm3544 said:lost email page
I can't find that private message page again. I didn't get your email address. Also wanted to tell you Palo Verde Oncology has the Look Good Feel Better program. I plan to go to one. They give you a bag of cosmetics and help you learn to apply makeup, style wigs, etc. It sounds fun and you can bring a friend!
Just go the CSN homepage. You can click on it at the top of this page. Then, there in the middle of the page it says communicate or something and CSN mail. You can open your private messages there and send them. I hope I explained that right.0 -
Head shaving partyj916 said:Public Fallout
My hair was fine as i got ready for work..showered, washed my hair, blew it dry, etc., then an hour later at work while reading something on my PC, i ran my hair through my hair in frustration, and behold, hair. I just sat there in shock...and of course, had to repeat the motion just to make sure it was realy happening. I walked over to my coworkers office, hair still in my fingers and just looked at her...and of course started crying. Everyone at work was wonderful, i made a point NOT to touch my hair for the rest of the day...a very hard thing to do!, and then had a head shaving party that night where everyone else wore skull caps so we'd all be bald...then we took a picture together with caps off, and me in my wig dancing to music. Made the most fun out of it as possible. And, it was right around the 15 day mark
Jeanne
My husband wants to do that too. He is going to shave his head along with me. He wanted to do it last weekend but I wasn't ready. I wanted to wait till I noticed some kind of a sign that it is going to start, like the tingling I have heard about. It already feels itchy but it feels like its firmly in place. My fear has been to have happen to me what you described so I am grateful for your sharing.0 -
Awesome. Think I'll seeelm3544 said:lost email page
I can't find that private message page again. I didn't get your email address. Also wanted to tell you Palo Verde Oncology has the Look Good Feel Better program. I plan to go to one. They give you a bag of cosmetics and help you learn to apply makeup, style wigs, etc. It sounds fun and you can bring a friend!
Awesome. Think I'll see about that when I get there.0 -
HairBev1969 said:I had my first chemo on June
I had my first chemo on June 22 and about a week later my head also got itchy and prickly and I thought I would start losing hair but I didn't. I am now on day 16 and I noticed this morning after I combed my hair that I was shedding a little more than usual but no clumps of hair came out. I'm also noticing the top of my head hurts a little now so I think it will start falling soon.
Bev
I might have missed it ... but I didn't see where you said what type of chemo you were having. I know that makes a difference in what happens with your hair. Some chemo causes all of your hair to come out ... over your ENTIRE body. With other chemo treatments you may not lose any hair. I was on taxol/herceptin every week for 12 weeks and the oncologist told me I would NOT lose ALL of my hair ... but my hair would "thin." Well ... in my brain ... I thought that meant a few hairs here ... and few hairs there. I ordered a hat from tlc ... just in case ... but was pretty sure I wouldn't need it. So I thought I was being very smart and had an appointment to get my hair cut very short ... so the thinning would not be so noticeable. I did that on day 13 of chemo. Well ... on day 15 I ran my fingers through my short hair and ended up with a hand full of hair. I did it again ... and another hand full of hair. Seems like my idea of "thinning" was totally different from what was going on ... because is was becoming thinner alright ...but in blobs. I called a friend and told her to grab her clippers because I was on my way over to have her shave my head.
To make a long story longer ... I never really did lose all of my hair ... but it did reach a point where what ever hair I had left just stopped growing ... and nothing new came in. I did shave me head one more time after the initial shaving becaue I was looking like a chia pet ... spots of fuzz here and there ... but certainly not a "head of hair." I finished with taxol/herceptin the end of May and it looks like there's some slow growth going on ... but I still don't think it's spread out evenly. But ... I'll wait and see.
The odd/interesting thing is that my eyelashes started coming out AFTER I finished taxol/herceptin. There's only a few lashes left ... and they are still coming out. I don't think it's the radiation I started a couple of weeks ago ... so it must just be a delayed reaction from the chemo. I always was slow ... but this is crazy ... getting the side effects after something is over.
hugs.
teena0 -
taxotere and cytoxin 3 weekstgf said:Hair
I might have missed it ... but I didn't see where you said what type of chemo you were having. I know that makes a difference in what happens with your hair. Some chemo causes all of your hair to come out ... over your ENTIRE body. With other chemo treatments you may not lose any hair. I was on taxol/herceptin every week for 12 weeks and the oncologist told me I would NOT lose ALL of my hair ... but my hair would "thin." Well ... in my brain ... I thought that meant a few hairs here ... and few hairs there. I ordered a hat from tlc ... just in case ... but was pretty sure I wouldn't need it. So I thought I was being very smart and had an appointment to get my hair cut very short ... so the thinning would not be so noticeable. I did that on day 13 of chemo. Well ... on day 15 I ran my fingers through my short hair and ended up with a hand full of hair. I did it again ... and another hand full of hair. Seems like my idea of "thinning" was totally different from what was going on ... because is was becoming thinner alright ...but in blobs. I called a friend and told her to grab her clippers because I was on my way over to have her shave my head.
To make a long story longer ... I never really did lose all of my hair ... but it did reach a point where what ever hair I had left just stopped growing ... and nothing new came in. I did shave me head one more time after the initial shaving becaue I was looking like a chia pet ... spots of fuzz here and there ... but certainly not a "head of hair." I finished with taxol/herceptin the end of May and it looks like there's some slow growth going on ... but I still don't think it's spread out evenly. But ... I'll wait and see.
The odd/interesting thing is that my eyelashes started coming out AFTER I finished taxol/herceptin. There's only a few lashes left ... and they are still coming out. I don't think it's the radiation I started a couple of weeks ago ... so it must just be a delayed reaction from the chemo. I always was slow ... but this is crazy ... getting the side effects after something is over.
hugs.
teena
taxotere and cytoxin 3 weeks apart 4 times.0 -
covered...hair...funny
I started losing my about day 21, you run your fingers through it and there is a bunch in your hand. You can usually wait til that point to bother shaving because it does take awhile after that for it all to go. I did consider super glue for awhile, but decided that would only be a temporary solution. Everyone handles that differently too, I hated it coming out, but was OK as soon as I had hubby do the buzz cut. So good luck with whatever you decide and with your treatments.
Cat0
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