Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Carrol2

My onc office recommended b complex for low immunity no ida about hair growth though.

Anonymous

I sent away for it from Puritan's Pride. I have seen biotin at CVS and Rite Aide. Most pharmacies will have it.

SKD

I am from Canada though (western part) so unfortunely we do not have CVS and Rite Aide =(

cc4npg

I wanted to let you all in on something you might not be aware of in terms of coloring, conditioning, AND making hair appear thicker.  It's henna, and it's natural.  The downsides of this are... it's messy... and it tends to leave somewhat of a red tint (because henna is naturally red anyway).  I use Light Mountain, which comes in different colors.  Now keep in mind I haven't had chemo yet or lost hair, but I wonder if it might help tame down the hair and I know it'll make it thicker. 

DiDel

Hey All I was just reading and catching up...For those interested in flat irons for their short Mia Farrow hairdo...I found a 1/2 inch wide Flat Iron at a Sally's Beauty Supply store. It was $15 and works perfectly so you can run the flat iron through your hair so it doesn't stick straight up you can smooth it out and down!! Also, I found that Clairol Natural Instinct worked great. It is a rinse so it only last 28 washes BUT it completely covered the grey..which is key. It is very gentle and inexpensive.

Happy Hair growing!!

Di

Deen

Hi everyone,

I started this thread almost 3 years ago with my little questions about hair.  I can't believe how many people have posted, and what a great resource it has become.  

Happy hair thoughts to all,

Deen 

Nodapearl

Deen - i have wondered about you and how you are doing.  Love this thread you started.  It has helped me more than you will ever know.  Thank you.

Carrol2

I wold also like to thank you for starting this thread. I am in the middle of hair loss and t helps to rad about all the hair growing back. gives me hope, but prepares me for the journey.

LtotheK

Nancy, you may be my hair fairy!  Yesterday, everyone was going on and on about how it's coming in.  It's still dark peach fuzz, but it's encouraging to hear that people are noticing without my having to ask (and then getting the hilarious , "uh, yeah, I can see it...")

Thank you all for the awesome info on brow stuff!  I wrote it all down and plan to go shopping this weekend.  I ask my husband how things look, he's definitely super-supportive, but honest and smart, too.  He won't let me crazy lady it too much.

In_cognito, whaddup, gurl??  I hope all is well by you!

nikola

SKD,

You can buy Biotin in health stores in Canada.

MHP70

I tried to put my pictures but no success, would try again. I have fuzzy hair, too. Today is my week 7 out of chemo. I am taking pictures every week and although is still fuzzy one can see difference from week to week.

I just developed both knee pains when trying to bend, I am fine standing. Apparently T is still in our bodies.

I just noticed that I lost half of my right bottom eyelashes. I could swear they were there yesterday.

In_cognito did You start with hormonal therapy. I have clotting problems and he put me on Zolodex inj, but I also have pituitary tumor (had it 12 years ago) so I am considering ovary removal.

By the end of all this I would be without half of my body parts.

joan888

I haven't posted in a while but I have been trying to keep up on this thread. Just checking in.  Seems like alot of us are still anxious to get some real hair coverage.  I am now 10 weeks PFC and my VERY short hair is getting thicker and darker. I have read somewhere that dandruff shampoo helped with hair growth because it contains zinc.  So I used Head and Shoulders the past week Yesterday I received a shampoo and conditioner called Boost that i ordered online from World of Hair and tried that this morning.  It supposedly stimulates your hair follicles.  I guess that it does as I could really feel a bit of a sting, especially with the conditioner. But I had noticed that with the Head and Shoulders also.  Now I got an email from World of Hair advertising a new Biotin shampoo.

Boy, this hair thing is confusing... but I am really getting obsessed with it now that I finished chemo and rads.  Our son is getting married on Dec 11th and I guess that I will be wearing my wig!  Good luck to everyone.  

cc4npg

Deen:  Yes, I agree with the others... thank you for starting this thread!  I plan on reading the majority of it.. eventually.  It's very helpful to us!

LtotheK

I am the LUSH girl, there are a few products of theirs I swear by.  Never thought of that exfoliating the head, brilliant, my friend!  Will try!  Did you guys get fuzz, then dark fuzz, then real growth?  My fuzz has turned darker.  I can see the outline of my hairline! I hope it will continue.  I'm at 9.5 weeks and so ready to roll.

MBJ

Deen:  Thanks for checking in and giving us this great thread!

cc4npg:  NO BLACK HENNA--ONLY NATURAL HENNA WITH HENNA PLANT AND NATURAL OILS!   

cc4npg

MBJ:  Please explain what you mean.  Is Light Mountain not good to use??  Have I been doing something wrong?  What is black henna?  I'm not certain any of that is in what I've used.  Used it for years now, and it's the Light Mountain Cover the Gray.  It's a two step process, first step changes all your new gray growth bright orange, and second step turns it dark reddish brown.  I use distilled water to mix step one and day old very strong black coffee made with distilled water for step two.  However, Light Mountain does come in different "colors" (I think they all turn it reddish though).  I've used light brown mixed with dark brown, but didn't really occur to me that the colors come from other additives.  My sig other HATES helping me with it (mud... poop colored, smelly mud is what he calls it). 

joan888

Just FYI.  If you are considering ordering that new Biotin shampoo from World of Hair, you can get 15% off if you use BIOTINOFF code when checking out.

Carrol2

I don;t hear anyone talking about nioxin has anyone tried that ?

ladym13

carrol12- I SWEAR by nioxin..I always used it for years and used it all through Chemo when I was bald...now my hairs about 2 inches and coming in nicely, I still use it, shampoo, condinioner and a follicle booster spray.

Carrol2

ladym i am still on treatment 3 of 4. I still have some hair, i never shaved it. it's mostly gone just some on the sides and back so it looks ok in a hat. I guess it will all come out eventually. 

when it first started to come out day 18 of treatment one i got pimples on my head and the nioxin irritated it. so now using a gentle shampoo that a local place here sells for chemo Brian joseph which feels good on my head.

perhaps when chemo is over i should switch back to teh nioxin.

anyone want to comment? 

SKD

Ok.. I found Biotin at Walmart today!! yay!

I have been using Nioxin before chemo, during and now after. My hair is coming in nicely (I am 9 weeks PFC).. although it did take about 6 weeks to start seeing hair but it is there!! I would recommend, especially because it has a cooling effect in it. 

LtotheK

I'm ready to try Nioxin.  It seems like every stage I get, my hair stalls for at least two weeks!!  I have dense-ish fuzz, and it seems darker than before.  But come on, some real hair, please!!!  I'm 9.5 weeks pfc.  Still have worries in the back of my mind.

Nioxin has parabens and other preservatives in it. I chose to use Biafine during radiation, but it is something to consider.  A lot more European companies are paraben-free, which leads me to wonder about what European studies might have yielded about the safety of these preservatives.

That said, I'm really tempted!!

Resting

MHP 70 - I have same problem. My hair grows a bit then stalls -- what's that?

MelBell07

ECT - so glad you did it!! Doesn't it feel great?

Question to those with curls: When did your hair start to show signs of curling? Right away, or did it take some time and/or a few inches before it happened? 

stlcardsfan

7 1/4 months PFC here. Never got the curls, but did get the waves. Still have them. Hair growing in various directions, some sticking straight up, some straight out. I call them my mini wings. As it continues to get longer, it is started to lay down a bit. Still no real haircuts yet, but DH did two mini trims on the neck line hairs and around the ears. 

I did use biotin for two months, and stopped after the head was covered. I was noticing a lot more facial hair than I had before. Plus I was having to shave my legs every day. That is why I stopped the biotin, but feel it did its part to kick start the hair.

I too am thankful for the person who started this thread. I referred back to it often during chemo, and when I was done to help compare hair re-growth.

I continue to use shampoo and conditioner for extremely dry hair, and just bought a 3 minute hair mask that I use every few days. All stuff you can buy at Walmart or Target.

Two more herceptins to me, and then expect the hair to really start growing! 

kittycat

I'm 3 1/2 weeks post chemo.  My hair is about an inch long (I actually measured it).  I dyed to dark brown 2 weeks ago and I already have about 1/4 inch of gray new growth.  Most of my hair is getting really curly.  I'm still wearing my wigs and plan to for a while.  I don't really look that good with short hair.  I can't wait until I get lashes and brows.  My lashes are starting to grow in, but are short and stubby. You can't see them yet. 

kittycat

For those of you who are dyeing your own hair, what products are you using?  I got a color and developer from Sally Beauty.  I can't remember the brand name.  It worked okay, but I see a little fading.  I was really gray on top (more so than in the back and on the sides).  I wish my hair was shinier.  Any thoughts???

LtotheK

Okay, guys, what do you think:  I'm coming up on 10 weeks pfc, and I all I have is dark fuzz that looks like a motheaten rug.  Should I try Nioxin?

Claire82

I didn't ditch the wig until 4 months after my last chemo. I haven't used anything to enhance growth. I'm 7 months now and have about 3 inches of thick curly hair.

ozzyfish

Hello again;

Has anyone tried Minoxidil? (Women's Rogaine) I keep getting conflicting stories and thought I should ask some experts!  (you know...women who have tried it)

My Chemo ended a year November 30 and I still have few eyebrows and a good sized bald spot on the back of my head, and sparse hair on top, few bangs.  It's been a frustrating wait, but others have said it's the Tamoxifen that's slowing it down.  Has anyone else heard about this?  I don't have any recent pictures, but the picture I am now using is what my hair use to be.  I guess it's time to get use to the new normal!

in_cognito

I'm sure you ladies have all seen this thread of pictures of hair re-growth.  Each square represents one week.  I go to this site frequently to compare mine with hers.

http://www.karinstack.com/images/hair/HS_grid.jpg