Hair Hair Hair - Another question

sandymess

Marybe, I am like you. Never got over that Hitchcock movie and am terrified of birds! I would have screamed my fool head off and probably had a stroke. But Lago, you really painted a hilarious picture. hee hee I thought you were going to say that the bird pooped on your head. Yes, definitely wear a hat next time!

lago

No I had a bird poop on my leg/jeans power walking on the otherside of that same lagoon in the park 2 months ago.

bdavis

hmmm... are you part bird??

Carrol2

yeah not a bird fan either. I noticed there are lots of hawks in Kansas City kind of freaks me out a little. That's why my indoor cats will stay indoors. I sometimes think I have a lot in common with my cats lol. 

Lago seems like the birds have a good chance of hitting a target in the bigger cities watch out! 

christine47

great thing about not having hair, if a bird poops on my hat, wig or scarf, I can take it off.

bdavis

Either way, hair or no hair, not into birds pooping on me... yuck.

carberry

Hi everyone,  Love the bird story Lago!  I wonder if guys with short or no hair have this problem?

Yesterday my DH and i worked so hard all day out in the yard, cleaned tthe boat etc.... and we had to be at a dinner with relatives from out of town, well we kind of lost track of time and literally had 15min to get to the restaurant, and the great thing was I could shower, do makeup, and grabbed my hair (wig) and was out the door in 10min!  couldnt do that with my real hair, maybe I should be careful with what I wish for.LOL

Carrol2

carberry yes i was able to get ready pretty quick when i lost my hair, sometimes it took longer to pick out a hat for an outfit. Now that my hair is pretty much back it's still too short to do anything with it so still goes quick. But I can see as it grows it's getting curly so it will take more time to do soon AND I look forward to it.

sandymess

carberry, so true. The other day we had to get ready to go somewhere and my hubby said, "You go first. It takes you longer." I had to remind him that it doesn't take me long at all anymore. Although, I do have to shave the legs and pits more often these days. And I don't mind at all.

mbwilson

For anyone out there who is as worried as I was about my hair starting to grow, I want to let you know that I saw no hair regrowth until 11 weeks post chemo!  I was so worried and searched and searched these and other boards for anyone with that slow of growth but to no avail.  I had 6 rounds of carboplatin and taxotere ending January 28, 2011, with weekly herceptin.  I had a mastectomy February 23 and then 5 weeks of radiation, which ended 2-1/2 weeks ago, and I'm continuing herceptin every three weeks.  At 11 weeks I started noticing a small 5 o'clock shadow, and now, at 16 weeks, my hair is starting to fill in all over my head and is about 1/4 to 1/2" long.  I am just very thankful that it is starting to grow, and I hope if anyone else out there is waiting and waiting for hair to get going that my experience will give you some hope and comfort.  Oh, yeah, the leg hair is definitely growing!

nora_az

first picture is at 6 weeks, second picture at 10 weeks post TCH (well still doing the herceptin so post TC) OMG I am gray!!!!!!!!!!

lago

Wow Nora that's a lot of growth in 4 weeks. Yes all this new gray stinks. Just to warn you it's harder to cover. My hairdresser changed products this time around and had me sit under the dryer 15 minutes longer than usual. My "Paulie Walnuts wings" are still a little lighter than the hair in the back.

mbwilson glad your hair has finally started. I know I would have been every concerned too.

christine47

mbwilson, thanks for the info, I am just 3 1/2 weeks out and looking frantically everday for hair, guess I should just relax.  I am glad you are getting your hair back,  we are all so different, guess hair growth is no different.  Also looks like you had alot going on post chemo(surgery, rads, etc), maybe that was part of the delay.

Did notice some new fine hair growth on my legs today, very soft, like a babys hair, hardly visible.  Guess that is a good sign.

Carrol2

christine47 I suggest that you take pictures once a month of your hair. You will see the progress better that way. Otherwise it never seems like it is growing. I post mine online but you could just use them for yourself if you don't want them online.

christine47

Carrol2, that is a good idea, I have totally avoided the camera since surgery, hair loss, etc.  Went to Costco yesterday and my card would not work anymore.  Had to have new picture with wig for my card, just about panicked.  I know this is crazy.  I will have my DH or one of my sons take a photo of my on Thursday (4 weeks PFC). 

Carrol2

I had to get a new ID card at the gym they took the pic with my hat on. It's odd every time I take ti out now I remember working out all through chemo and have to wonder if I slow down now that it is over.

tracie23

chirstine.... the baby fine growth on your legs will turn on you very soon.... I swear I could shave twice a day ..... the hair on my head is growing very fast as well.... and I have eye lashes again  I am so happy to not look like a mannequin head anymore. Before you know it you are going to have so much hair and you won't know what to do with it.

sundermom

32 days PFC and what started as fuzz last week is actually now visible strands of hair about 1/8 of an inch long.  My hair was well below my shoulders before BC so I've got quite a ways to go.  My eyelashes have also sprouted, though the eyebrows continue to fall out   If I lose anymore eyebrows I'm just going to stop trying to fill them in because it's going to be more powder than hair.  LOL  I start radiation tomorrow - oh joy!  33 days of praying the beautiful work of my PS doesn't get wrecked! 

We had our 2nd 80+ degree day here and wearing a hat/scarf is so annoying when it's that hot.  I can't wait to be rid of these!!!

Tammy

Char2010

Lago - love the button :-)

sandymess

Lago, you made me laugh out loud with your Paulie Walnuts reference. I can relate. Though I was thinking I looked more like Grandpa Adams cuz my eyebrows, though not thick, are spread out and loooong like his. I do pluck and trim though...someone should have suggested that to him.

sandymess

By the way, my avatar shows me at 14 weeks PFC. It's slowly getting to look like something--very slowly.

lago

@ sandyness He He too funny

carberry

sandymess  LOL wonder what his armpit and leg hair looks like?

slcst12

Hi ladies!

I had my port out on Friday (it was on the same side as my cancer and the RO didn't want it in there for Rads).
I started rads today. So far so good, but I'm bruised a good bit where the port came out.

Like Christine, I'm 3 wks and 4 days PFC (which was April 28th).

Still no hair. I'm starting to panic of course but should probably just relax. There's more to life than hair...right?

I'm also getting anxious for hair b/c of the warmer weather (Philly area), it's supposed to be 92 on Wed and Thurs...scarves are getting to be rather warm. Plus--I'm in a chemo-pause and the hot flashes are the WORST.

Take care ladies, and keep posting pics...I look at the pics several times a day to envision/imagine my own hair growth!  I live vicariously through you all and your wonderful hair growth!!

dawn31337

LOL bad info sucks.

Let's all remember the info you read here are opinions.  Lots of them good, some of them not so much.  Don't replace your medical professionals' opinions with one girl's experience. Seriously.

Carrol2

sicst12 give your hair time to grow mine did not begin to sprout until about 2 months PFC.

thegood5

I finally did it....went to my daughter's middle school orchestra concert topless tonight...knew I would be seeing a lot of people that I knew and was pretty panicked about it...even sat in the front row where I couldn't hide.  Felt naked, but so glad I got it done and over with...still not sure I will do it full time yet...

lago

3 wks and 4 days PFC… I couldn't even tell you if I had hair because I wasn't even looking. Too early. No need to panic.

charlottesmama

Hi everyone. I've lurked here for a while. I did A/C starting in February. 4 sessions 2 weeks apart. I cut my hair short when I was diagnosed. 3 weeks after first A/C it all came out in clumps in the shower. I was freaked out, but pulled myself together and got my head shaved that morning. It was inevitable, so I didn't let it upset me more than that.

Yeah, I got real tired of the bald look. Not a wig grrrl, so I stuck with just baseball caps (which I hated until I needed them!). 

So, almost immediately after my last A/C session my hair started growing. And it's been growing like gangbusters ever since! My eyebrows and lashes have all filled in too. Unfortunately, I have to do a round of Taxol now (had uni MX and recon May 3). So, looks like I'll be a hairless rat again.

ANyone else go through a similar routine?

Cheers,

Michelle 

baf4292

christine47 - I will just add to the chorus of "don't worrry, it will grow."  I didn't see any growth for about 6 or 7 weeks, but once it finally started, it is coming in pretty steadily.  Did you have Taxotere like me?  I am beginning to wonder whether the type of chemo affects when the hair reappears.  Sort of seems like the AC ladies like charlottesmama see it come back faster...