Hair Hair Hair - Another question

one-L

Sherri, yes the sides and back are longer than the crown.  Not by a lot, but the top didn't start coming back in for about two weeks after the sides and back.  I went to work bare today and everyone liked it.  Now they all know what I have been through, so they were all very encouraging.  I am beginning to like it more and more.  It is really easy to take care of.

Marion and weety here are my instructions to post pictures.  I posted mine to Facebook first.  Started an album and uploaded the pictures.  Then once it is on Facebook, go to the picture you want to post and do a CTRL C to copy or click right on the mouse and copy the picture.  Then come over to the thread that you want to post to and click right on the mouse and paste the picture.  You could probably do it from another application, but I could not copy directly from my  computer.  At least not as far as I know.  Good luck.

MaryNY, I bought some skull caps to wear under my scarves, which kept my head from looking so flat.  I ordered them on-line, but I don't remember where.  But if you look for scarves on-line, you will probably be able to find a cap.  Mine are terrycloth.

Treadsoftly, your pictures are beautiful.  You  have a lovely shaped head.    I am 13 weeks PFC, last tx on 12/24.

Good luck to you cary, hope all goes well.

Lilah, it does seem that once it starts growing it fills in pretty fast.  Mine doesn't seem to have any chemo ends, it lays flat, at least for now.  Maybe when it grows a little more, it will spike.  My DH really likes it this short and is encouraging me to keep it short.  My hair has always been very hard to take care of, spending lots of time curling, drying and straightening.  I might just keep it short for a while.

gillyone, I am getting the same kinds  of  compliments.  Now days,there are so many different styles, most people would just think that you got it cut that short and nothing more.  Good luck.

Juannelle

EngTchr

MaryNY, this is the website for the American Cancer Society's catalog.  I wore a lot of scarves and they sell a thing (I can't think what they call it!) that you put on your head before you put on the scarf to give it some height.  I loved it and it made the scarves look a lot more fasionable.  www.tlcdirect.org

Good luck!  Becky

charmainejensenvoisine

Hello Ladies,

I have a question about eye lashes to ask you all.

Just now I went into the washroom to take a look at my face to see how many brow hairs are coming in and to see if any of my eye lashes from the bottom are coming back yet and lo and behold I noticed that I am losing more of my eye lashes on top... hmmm and in fact on both eyes I have only like about 3 eye lashes...    heck last week I had like about maybe 10 or more...  I am like nearly 8 weeks post chemo.  Have any of you lost more of your eye lashes up to 8 weeks post chemo - as I thought they would start to be coming back at this time and not lose more of what I already have?

Thanks so much, Charmaine

MarieK

Mary I read somewhere that if you have any old shoulder pads around you can use that to "lift" your scarf!  Kind of like a "bump it" that you put under your hair to give you a poof!

Treadsolfty & Juanelle - thanks for sharing your hair photos!  It's great to see how everyone is progressing.

Without hair I think that people are forced to focus on our smiles and eyes more and realize just how beautiful we all are!  That's what I think!

Charmaine I do worry about my eyelashes too because they are coming in so nice and thick now but their fallout cycle will be out of whack since I lost them all initially.  I'm afraid that I'll go from thick to bare all over again.  How do you reset your eyelash cycle I wonder?

Here's my hair status - I am 10 weeks PFC and my hair doesn't seem like it's growing anymore.  It feels like it's getting thicker and filling in but I don't really see any change in length.  Like Juanelle's it's laying flat now.  The hair down the back of my neck needs trimming and maybe around my ears too.  Right now it looks like it doesn't really have a style except SHORT!  I'll give it a bit longer and then maybe go to my hairdresser for a teeny tiny trim.

As I said my eyelashes are coming in nicely and today I had to pluck my eyebrows - they were getting a bit unruly!  Not Andy Rooney or anything but much thicker than I've gotten used to!

Happy hair growing to you ALL!

Marie

susu1976

Charmaine, that's exactly when I lost all my eyelashes...about 8 weeks PFC.  They took a couple of weeks to start to grow back, and even now at 7 months PFC they are still not as thick or long as they used to be.  But at least I can apply mascara.  I didn't lose my brows completely, but they are very sparse now and I have to use eyebrow pencil in order to make them show up (they used to be dark brown and are now some weird kind of gray/white combo).

Marion

Hello Charmaine,

I did not lose my eyelashes and eyebrows during chemo, and people were always surprised: "well at least you've got your eyelashes and eyebrows!" was a recurring comment.

But just like susu1976, the eyelashes all fell out around 8 weeks PFC. They grew back instantly but it took a couple of weeks for them to be long again. I was never really "bald" there. Same thing for eyebrows, they never all fell out, I always had some. They became sparse around 8 weeks PFC but grew back instantly.

enjoylife

I also lost most of my eyelashes then got them back so long they interfered with my glasses so now 18 months past chemo they are scant and eyebrows are worst but those can be fixed with perement brows and the hair is very skimpy after all this time there is more hair there than 6 months ago but its so thin and it looks shaggy. I have it shaped up ever 4-5 weeks but its still unruley so what ever hope I dont have a summer of base ball caps but very bald around the crown.

Maura

Sherri_V

My oncologist said loosing my hair during this 2nd round (took a break for surgery, lumpectomy & total hysterectomy) was 50/50.  Well, on the 17th day, this past Saturday, it started coming out in clumps so my husband went ahead and shaved it for me.  I fought it a bit more last time, hoping it would just thin out but since I knew the eventual outcome, I went with the flow

Going in for my next to the last chemo treatment tomorrow.  The last one is scheduled for April 21st...then on to radiation.  Is there a break between chemo & radiation?

charmainejensenvoisine

Hello Sherri V.

As for your question re break from chemo to radiation... I had a months break before starting radiation therapy... Charmaine

ccbaby

You can start 4 to 8 weeks after chemo to start radiation. Mine started 7 weeks after.

Sugar77

SherriV - hi, I had 6 weeks in between chemo and radiation.

Sherri 

Sherri_V

I'm feeling hopeful...I need 7 weeks due to a business event so 6-8 weeks is a perfect timeline!

Thanks, ladies

hrf

Today I went for a consult to a place that advertises that they have all kinds of solutions for thin hair. However, all he wanted to do was sell me another wig.  He said I could get a custom made hair piece instead of a wig but he wasn't keen on that. He said that in order to get extensions, my hair needs to be longish. Then he went on and on about how my hair doesn't look healthy (of course it doesn't look healthy ..... I've had chemo 2 times in the past 5 years). He suggested I could try their laser treatment (2 x a week for 6 months or I could buy a unit) which he said would improve the health of my hair but he didn't think it would fix the bald spots. All in all, he charges big bucks for any of these solutions and he was arrogant and made me feel even worse about my hair (of lack of).

anniebford

Oh hrf, I'm sorry your experience with the hair guy was unpleasant and not helpful. I am also follicularly challenged(my made up term for almost bald on top). I've followed your posts and have been hoping that you would find a solution. I have used the nioxin, vitamins, rogaine and have not had hair growth that will cover my scalp on top I finished chemo in Dec 09. All the women I have met had their hair grow back. I'm so tired of head coverings and wigs. I don't know what to try next. Are you still using rogaine?

Annie

hrf

Hi Annie   I finished chemo in June 2009 and I am so tired and discouraged by all of this. I'm still using the minoxodil as the derm told me it takes 4 - 6 months to see real results and I'm only about 6 weeks in. I'm going through that "shed" phase where I have actually lost more hair from it but apparently that is a sign that it is working. I'm still hoping that it will help with the bald spots.  but I think I have to give up the dream of ever having my hair grow back the way it was. This is just so hard. No one ever said my hair might not grow back. I really don't know what to do next. The weather is warming up and I can't keep wearing the hats I have. I need a miracle at this stage. I'm still so upset from yesterday I want to cry. Maybe I should explore that laser - if it would make the hair I do have grow, then I could have extensions but it is soooo expensive. I should have asked the guy to give me some references for that treatment ... but I didn't like him at all so maybe there is another place in the city that does that.

Nodapearl

Try joseph mullen.  There were some postes earlier abut him.  He has been dooing some work with color and chemo hair.  I think he may have a website, and I know he has a facebook page.

Nodapearl

That was for FridaKahlo.

Lilah

hrf -- give the minoxidil time to work before you do anything else... it DOES sound like something good is happening there.  That guy you saw -- his entire business is based on making women feel badly enough to spend lots of money on what he has to sell.  You feel bad because he wanted you to.  I really don't think you want to give your good money to someone who makes you feel worse.  Just my two cents.

JudyNaomi

Helen - so sorry that he upset you at your consul. Thinking of you as always!

Hugs to all, Judy xxx

anniebford

hrf,

I agree with Lilah- stay away from that hair sales guy. His tactics speak volumes about his business. Minoxidil might be having an effect but it takes time. I read on the rogaine bottle that full results take up to 3 months. If you try something else now, you will muddy the waters and not know if minoxidil worked or not. I am using a hair product that covers the bald spots so I don't have to wear a hat all the time. It's a hassle and is not a permanent solution but people say they can't tell it's not my hair. It's basically a keratin powder that sticks to my hair thickening it and covering the skin. It does not make hair grow. There are a few different kinds available. You can pm me if you want to know more. <<<hugs>>>.

Annie

hrf

Annie, Lilah & Judy.... thanks so much. You make me feel better and you give me a perspective on that idiot. It took all my energy not to cry in front of him. I think you are 100% right. So today I stopped in to see a hairdresser that I used to go to from time to time. She is from Egypt and runs a local salon which is anything but fancy (an understatement) She is a very sweet woman and has started becoming interested in helping women with hair loss/extensions. She is in the middle of taking her courses. Anyway I needed to see someone who would be kind so I just stopped in and she was so sweet and happy to see me. She said she has very gentle colour which she could use to cover the grey and she suggested a little trim to make things look neater. She also said I should be patient with the minoxidil and that she is sure that before the wedding in June she can help me to make my hair look fuller. You are such a wonderful group of women. Thanks for your support.

Lilah

Aw hrf -- that is SO wonderful to hear!  I love your hairdress now  

Sugar77

hrf - I agree with the other ladies...he's a salesman so please don't take it personally and I'm so glad to hear your hairdresser is taking care of you. If you are ever interested, there is a salon at Credit Valley Hospital called Capila by Truly You. They also have a salon in Streetsville (a part of Mississauga).  Anyway, they specialize in all kinds of hair loss, including chemotherapy related any many other conditions.  Heather is the manager at Credit Valley location and Amalia is the owner, who I think primarily works out of the Streetsville location.  They are absolutely wonderful, very kind and discreet. They carry great products and are extremely knowledgeable about different conditions. I've dealt with them for my wig, buzz cut, scalp treatment and also took my 10-year-old daughter to them when she was experiencing dandruff.  They put her on a special program and everything is fine now. Once I have some hair, I will be going to them for a while as they know all about colour after chemo, etc. Please let me know if you have any questions. ((hugs))

http://www.trulyyou.ca/ 

Sherri 

thegoodfight

I don't remember any discussion at the time about a waiting period between chemo and radiation.  I just looked up my end chemo and start rads dates and I started my 35 sessions of rads just 17 days after completing chemo.  Two weeks ago was my one year anniversary of finishing rads and so far so good................................Caren

hrf

Sherri. Thanks for the information about Capila. Interesting that the place I went to yesterday also has a branch at the cancer centre at Sunnybrook. That's why I expected sympathy. Today when I saw the psychologist at the hospital I told her what happened and she will follow up. I may just follow up with Capila but will give the minoxidil a chance to work and will go back to Eva (the nice hairdresser from Egypt) to let her try to do a trim and colour.

hrf

I had no waiting period between chemo and rads. The chemo was on a 3 week cycle so the rads began exactly at the 3 week mark

suzieq60

Can anyone tell me the correct Nioxin System to use to promote hair growth?

NavyMom

Suepen:  I have been using Nioxin #2 in this order: Cleanser(shampoo), conditioner, follicle booster, scalp activating treatment  I am 4 months PFC and my hair is about 3/4 inch long and covers my scalp.  I am still wearing a ball cap when out in public but hope to have the courage to be rid of it by summer.  Before BC my hair was blonde, straight, fine and very slow growing.  Now it is mousey brown, straight and growing slowly.  Good Luck to you.

HRF:  Glad that Eva was nice to you.  Hugs

Navy

MaryNY

Suepen: I had been considering buying Nioxin but it's a bit expensive. Then last month I went to a breast cancer support group for the first time. There were about 20 women in the group. There was a lot of general talk and then they asked me if, as a newcomer, I had any questions. I asked a couple of questions. One of them was whether it was worthwhile to buy any special products, such as Nioxin, to encourage hair growth. They said "NO" in unison. No discussion other than "don't waste your money."

suzieq60

I had very thick hair and only half fell out. I do expect it to come back quite quickly as it has been growing ever since the first treatment. I wasn't sure if you could get Nioxin over here but found you can but they have 7 different systems and I'm not sure which one would suit.