Hair Hair Hair - Another question

LtotheK

In_cognito, howdy.  I have read that Karin's documents weeks 6 weeks AFTER PFC.  That is more accurate for me, I only have peach fuzz.  I know it depends on where you were caught in the cycle, it's just hard to justify when you are on the losing end, which I seem to be!!

Resting

Today marks on year since I got the news about BC - my positive results. Wow, what a year. 

MHP - hang in there. My hair is barely an inch and I'm post chemo 16 weeks and rads 6 weeks. I do think the Tamox slows the growth because mine was growing a lot faster before I started the Tamox (two & 1/2 weeks post rads). Anyway, it's still pretty straight, no curls, just a bit of a wave. Looks a lot like MelBell's. And I have the grey too!

I went out Saturday to a surprise b'day party my husband threw me. Anyway, it was mostly family so I went out w/o the wig --- YES! MelBell it felt great! But I wore the wig to Church today, need just a bit more. It seems to stick to close to my head, esp on the sides. I don't know if it's just to short or why it has no 'umph'. Guess I'm going to have to use the gel stuff????

Well, I'm going to Austin, Texas to be with my two boys for Thksgvg. (For a week - YAY) One son's doing all the dinner stuff. First time for that. Soooo, I won't be on the boards till next week.  Wishing all of you a Happy HappyThanksgiving!!!!!

  Blessings, Carolyn

kittycat

My hair is stuck to my head all over.  No style to it at all.  Of course, it's only about an inch long.  I saw a pic of myself with hair today.  I sure miss it.  I really am thinking about going brunette for sure. 

ebann

I get confusing stories on using the drugs Abraxane/Avastin. My onc says I will lose all my hair again. Some women have said they have just thinning. So I am not sure about shaving it or cutting it real short. Which I do not want to do either. I just do not want to have to be pulling my hair out in clumps. So what has happened to you on these drugs? Any suggestions!

kittycat

My hair is still growing in almost all gray.  I wonder when it's going to be dark or it it will be dark again????

Firni

ozzyfish, your hair growth sounds just like mine.  I'm now 18 months PFC and my hair is still "see thru" thin.  You can see the male pattern baldness quite well.  My sides and lower back of my hair has returned to it's original thickness.  But the crown and top...  well, it's all comb over.  I did use women's rogaine.  I got stubble but it fell out.  While I was using the rogaine.  So, I know I can grow the hair, it just won't stay.  I have tried everything suggested in this thread over the past 18 months.  My next step is to see a endocrinologist after the holidays.  I have sparse lashes that look ok with mascara and no eyebrows.  I'll get lash enhancement and brow tattoos done next year.  It really does suck.  My onc said MAYBE its the tamoxifen.  I quit taking it for 3 months to see what would happen with my hair.  Nothing happened.  So, I'm back on it.  I'm blaming Taxotere for my hair non-re-growth.  There seems to be quite a few of us with sparse re-growth.  I just keep my hair boy short now and use Toppik to cover the shine and build up the hair that I do have.

LtotheK

Nancy, I'm so grateful for your post, it means so much to me.  I'm frustrated like crazy, have my pregnant SIL coming to town today, and have moth-eaten eyebrows.  I realize every day how lucky I am!  I have a nice looking head, didn't gain weight, and am still young enough that occasionally this looks like a fashion statement.  It still is brutalizing on my self-esteem.  I'm a strong, pro-feminist kind of girl, and I never thought this was going to be the case!!

I am traveling in January to Europe to see my friends, and with every day that goes by, I am getting a little more upset about what my hair is going to be like.  If you think a woman's looks matter here, in Europe, it's practically everything.  My friends are giving lip service to the "don't worry" stuff, but come on, I'm not really buying it, and I'm definitely not buying it about being out on the street. So I think I'm off to buy some Nioxin!

Nancy, I also picked up your rosemary and almond oil, too--I should try that more as well.

Hugs to a group of great people!

DiDel

Kittycat I use Moroccan Oil to add shine and vitamins to my hair. It is a thick oil treatment you put in your wet hair. I think it makes all the difference. I colored my hair with a rinse that nicely covered the greys. I used Clairol's Natural Instincts which last 28 washes...and tends to bleed a little on my white pillow cases when I sweat..

I have my fuzzball hair dark brown which is my natural color but my wig is blond which I've been for the last 8 years. I figure I will be wearing the wig for work and events for another month or so. Thankfully most people I work with remember what I looked like 10 years ago so they won't be too shocked. I've been every color under the sun.

Hope everyone has a great THANKSGIVING!!!

Di

MBJ

Kittycat:  It took kine about 2 or 3 months before mine was more dark hair then grey hair.  Give it time.

I have been using Nioxin for awhile and it does seem to help.

As for flat hair:  Gel, mouse,mud--whatever it took I used it!

Firni

Nancy, You have a point about questioning our infant hair growth.  I was 2 years old before I had any hair.  So maybe there is still hope???  When my dad came to visit last year, I said something about my lack of hair growth and he reminded me I didn't have any when I was a baby.  He said, "You didn't have hair till you were 2 then, why should your hair come back faster now?"  Thanks for your sympathy.  Happy Thanksgiving to you too.

LtotheK

Well guess what:  bald as a cueball until about 18 months or more myself.  Perhaps we have a pattern here!

Anonymous

I was born with a lot of hair. The nurses would put a bow in it and called me Pebbles (from Flintstones). My hair is taking forever to come back.

Carrol2

I am still watching my hair fall out in tx now but. I had dark hair i hilighted blonde and i seem to recall my mom telling me my hiar was blonde when i was born. That would be funny.

Cindykaw

I had my last chemo on Sept 15 - and I only have very light hair growth so far. I started tamoxifen last week -hope it does not derail what little growth I have.  I see some of you mention Nioxin - is this a pill, shampoo lotion? Sorry for the dumb question but would like to try what ever might help'Have a great Thanksgiving!

dawney

Ok, what is PFC?  I can't figure it out and I just finished chemo and think i might be PFC. 

Firni

PFC is Post Final Chemo.  And yes, you are PFC.  Congrats on that!!!!  A great milestone to reach.

dawney

Thanks.  I actually figured it out on my own.  I was in another forum and typed 8 days post final chemo and then went.....DUH! 

LLL-6500

Cindykaw...

Not a dumb question.  I learned about it from reading on this site.  Nioxin is hair products.  I wish I learned about it sooner.  Just started using it couple weeks ago and I finished  chemo in july.  Am using the shampoo, conditioner and scalp therapy.  Really don't know if it "working" as I don't have anything to compare it to... ya know?  I just hope it is helping it grow faster and thicker, and it makes me feel better !!   Good Luck to us all on more HAIR.....

LtotheK

I'm going to break down and start Nioxin.  My hair is just plain weird.  It is now an almost even covering of dark down.  Where is the real hair???  And I'm supposed to start Tamox, which apparently derails the growth process.

I would not be unhappy with a shaved head, in fact, that would be fun and I welcome it.  What I object to at this point is hair that is clearly cancer-patient hair.  I think about Nancy rooting me on and all the rest of you every day, thank you!  Without your voices encouraging me, I really would feel lost.

I suppose this is for another thread, but is it normal to continue to have hot flashes post-chemo?  I'm 10+ weeks out, and still flashing at least a few times a day.  I guess at age 40, I was really hoping it would stop, I would get my period back, and we'd have some real hair.  Well, I guess we can't all get what we want on this road.

Marion

One year ago, on Black Friday, was my last chemo treatment. Here are pics of what one year of hair regrowth looks like for me. It is a lot curlier than what you can see on the pictures; I tend to use the flat iron quite a lot, but it is not enough to tame those curls! I also do not use any other products (nioxin, biotin), just shampoo and conditioner.

Marion

Marion

nikola

Thank You Marion for posting Your pictures. You look beautiful. Is that Your colour?

LtotheK

Nancy,  you did, and always do make me feel better.  You are my board fairy

Marion

Hello Nikola,

No it is not my natural colour. It initially grew back all grey and I hated it so my hairdresser colored it really blond. It took months before it started growing back to my natural colour (light brown). I used to have highlights in my light brown hair but it was never that blond. My husband likes the blond a lot, and so do I, so I think I might just keep it that way. 

I am still waiting for it to grow back straight...

cc4npg

You have gorgeous hair!  What treatment did you have?

Carrol2

marion you look great. are you on any hormone therapy like tamoxifen?

Basia

Marion, thanks for sharing! you look great!

Marion

Hello cc4npg: I had 4 rounds of taxotere and cytoxan.  

Hello Carrol2: Yes, I am on Tamoxifen and will be on it for 5 years. I have been on it for 11 months. I have heard tamoxifen can affect hair growth... I don't know if it does or not. My hair seems to grow at a normal rate. The thickness has changed though. It initially grew back really thick and now it seems it is not as thick.

LadyinBama

Marion, Thanks for sharing; it gives me hope that I might have some hair for next year's holidays! yours looks great, I like the wave/curl that is in it, it's not too much.