Hair Hair Hair - Another question

lago

bdavis wow your hair is growing. I just cut mine again and I swear your's is longer than mine on the sides and back. (Yeah I had it buzzed. I wanted it that short)

LtotheK

You all look like you are doing great!  Many are much faster than my growth.  You'll have full heads in no time.

I'd love to hear from anyone experiencing a receding hairline.  I am really quite alarmed (funny how we pay attention to some things and not others)--my new highlights really, well, highlight the issue!

Rosemary oil? Biotin?  Help.  The hair on top of my head also feels finer than the hair around the sides.  I am 10 months PFC.

Eyebrows are still about 1/3 what I used to have, eyelashes are short and yucky.  Boo hiss!

sweetcorn

Hi TexasKaren,  I was on Cytoxan/Abraxane and lost my hair.  Started wearing my wig almost three weeks after the first treatment of C and A, and then two weeks of Abraxane only.  It really started coming out after two weeks of the first treatment.  Cytoxan and Abraxane is a double whammy, both are supposed to cause hair loss.  Maybe you will be luckier this time around?  By the way, I am in Lubbock, not far from you.

Jane

sandymess

Hi everyone. Haven't posted in a while and thought I'd share my progression. Hope it helps someone! Here I am at 14 weeks:

And about 17 weeks:

And about 20 weeks:

And this week at 22 weeks:

My hair was always straight, but now it's wavy on the sides, curls under in front and is straight in the back. Very strange, but I'm not complaining. It's hair! Oh, and I've colored it about 4 times so far. I've discovered L'Oreal Healthy Look temporary color and it works pretty darned good. Nothing else lasted very long.

bdavis

So I was a bit worried the coloring would make it orange, but for one thing, I only left it in for about 10 minutes... I just wanted to get rid of the white hair (which was the first hair to come in)... the overall look is similar to the original color just all one color, not mixed with the white, so I am pleased... It is a little lighter (hard to match the color) and so I think it looks like less hair, but I know its all there... and I am more likely to go in public without the two-toned color.

Brows are coming back, but the tail isn't really there much, and still very light in color.

Lashes, never left... lost a few, but for the most part kept the lashes, so I guess the brian joseph gel worked!!

bdavis

sandy... looks good

SpecialK

I'll say it again - totally jealous.

DivineMrsM

Totally love all the hair photos!!!!

sweetcorn

I will be one week PFC on Wednesday.  I will be at the beauty salon for a pedi.  I was thinking about also having my eyebrows dyed, since they are still there but thinned out some.  But the brows that are still there are almost colorless.  Should I get them dyed?  They do look fine with just pencilling them in.

Thanks, jane

lago

sweetcorn powder them in. It looks better than pencil. That's what I did although mine came in black. Mine thinned again (actually thinner than when I was on chemo). I still powder them in.

ksmatthews

sandymess- awesome!  Looks great!!!!!

LtotheK

Totally forgot to mention---yes!  Have your brows dyed.  I didn't even think of it, it was my stylist's idea. It really helped a great deal, I can go without powdering them if I want. And sometimes, I am just plain ol lazy.

TexasKaren

Sweecorn... yes you're just up the road from me!  You getting treated in Lubbock?  Would like to know your experience there.  

I noticed today that I'm shedding a little bit more... will see what time does after this first cycle, but my hair has never been a big priority.  I was content being bald actually in 2007 the first time, except it was winter and danged COLD!  LOL  It's so hot that my super short hair now feels good, and bald will be nice and cool now!

kathleen1966

My hair is ugly as hell at the moment.  Even my husband says its horrible.  And my hair used to be one of my best features.....I have no idea what to do with it.  I used to have thick straight-ish reddish hair.  Now I have hair that sticks straight up, and has horrbile color, texture, etc....It has now been six months since my last chemo.  It has grown maybe an inch......Still I am just glad to have hair.....tired of my husband telling me how horrible it is though...sometimes he is a bit clueless.  Yes, I can say it is horrible.  But you.....no......

My avatar is the haircut I got right before chemo.....I have to put a lot of product in it just to tame the dried out these are not curls what are they mess.....

sweetbean

oh girl, i see that you are Her2 +.  Are you done with Herceptin yet?  I bet your hair will get better once that is out of your system.  My hair is taking forever to grow - I am 17 weeks PFC and still need a freaking scarf.  Grrr....

slcst12

Sandy:
Love your hair...I think there's such a huge diff b/t 17 and 22 weeks...I am hoping that it is the same for me.

BDavis:
Your hair looks great too!

Dragonfly:
I see growth!!! Hooray!!

As for me:
I'm 12 wk PFC on Thurs.
Tomorrow I have follow up with the MedOnc. It's been well...12 wks since i've seen her. Wonder what she'll say to me. Not much she can do for me at this point, right? I mean, I'm triple negative, so there's no real monitoring that goes on...

Dilemma for me:
I have this dinner tomorrow. It's a networking thing (women in pharma). Anyway...I bought a wig, which I've worn for all of 20 minutes total. Should I wear my scarf (which I normally wear to work), go topless (not sure I'm ready for that), or try the wig. It's 9 million degrees here of course, and I'm trying to decide which would be more distracting for me... I'll take all input

golfergrandma

Hi everyone!  Just joining this topic.  Had my last CMF tx yesterday and have lost lots of my hair - it's very thin.  I do wear a wig when going out and a hat for golf - enough short hair shows under the hat.  Question:  When will my hair begin growing again?  And when can I color it!  Right now it's white, dry and just not good hair at all.  Very depressing!

SpecialK

kathleen1966 - Have you asked your hairdresser about Keratin treatments - it might improve the texture.

slcst12 - your decision will probably depend on how much attention you want to draw to yourself, and how well you know the people.  If your wig is itchy you can wear a liner under (hot, I know!) or cut the leg off a pantyhose above the ankle and use that under the wig.  Makes one feel like robbing a bank, but it works in a pinch.

golfergrandma - Hi!  Haven't seen you for a while!  I am 6 weeks PFC and not much going on with the hair, so can't advise you, but it is good to see you and glad you are done!

DivineMrsM

slcst12,

It sounds like you're most comfortable with wearing a scarf.  Imo, that's what you should wear to the dinner you are going to attend.  I wouldn't use the occasion to go topless for the first time, plus you say you are not sure you're ready to do that  (I'm about 6 weeks PFC with minimum hair growth and waiting for enough hair to feel brave enough to venture out topless, too).  I think going topless would create too much stress right now.  It sounds like you're not too comfortable wearing your wig, so why wear it to the dinner if its something you seldom do.   Good luck with your decision and I hope you enjoy the dinner/occasion!  

Rocket

HI Slcs12,

I colored my hair at 12 weeks pfc and went topless at 13 weeks.  I was really uneasy about it at first.  I actually decided to go topless because we were going to a fancy dinner with some people that I didn't know.  I put on a long sleeveless, black maxi dress with a bright green and black dramatic design around the bottom and the wide shoulder straps.  I wore heels and spiked my hair.  I added big silver earrings and bracelet, and because I have LE in my right arm, I wore my black arm sleeve.  I wore eyeliner and smoky eye shadow to enhance my eyes. I got so many compliments on my hip look.  The people there didn't know that I was recovering from cancer treatments.  It felt very freeing to go without the wig or a hat.  From that point on , I knew there was no turning back for me. 

That was me, but you must do what you feel most comfortable.  If wearing the scarf brings you the least amount of attention and that's what you want, then go for it.  If you want to go topless and make a very confident statement, then try that option.  I am very sympathetic about the heat.  I wore a wig during a brutally hot summer in NC.  It wasn't a picnic, but I was glad to be done with it.  I hope all the best for you and your decision.  No one here will judge you based on what you decide.  It's a very personal decision.  Try the outfit you are going to wear with all three choices and see which one you like best.

thegood5

slcst12~I feel your stress!  My husband and I went to a dinner in DC with a group of friends and I was so tired of wearing scarves (never wore a wig).  I decided to make it my "coming out" moment.  I figured that no one in DC knows me, so why not?  I was so self conscious all night...felt like everyone was looking at me, but then had to stop and think that I was looking around at people too and it didn't mean they were staring at just me.  I worried about it all night, and look back now and realize I made a bigger deal out of it than I needed to.  No matter when  you decide to go topless, you will be second guessing if that was the right time or not.  If you decide to go topless to your dinner, put on a pretty pair of earring's, a pretty smile, and embrace the fact that you are a strong woman...that is very empowering.  Good luck with whatever you decide and have fun!  (when I see women when I'm out and about who have really short hair, I see  strength!)

golfergrandma

I wear my wig when going out and have received many compliments on it.  It's a semi-short, straight style that is very flattering and younger looking.  Would like to wear my real hair this way, but think my it's too curly with many cowlicks.  Maybe my hair stylist will be able to duplicate it.  The color is also better for my complexion - a little darker than the light blond I wore before.  Seeing you all with growing hair is inspiring!  An adventure, but one we wouldn't have choose!

Rocket

I am now 15 mths PFC and my hair has relaxed just a bit.  It's still quite curly and can be very frizzy in the humid weather.  I found a terrific hair spray at a salon called Hemp Organics.  I spray just a little on my hair near the roots before I blow dry with a diffuser and then spray more on it when I'm done drying it.  It holds my hair in place all day long.  I use heated rollers or a small 1/2" barrel curling iron to handle some of the crazy curl and it helps to keep it from looking too frizzy.  My hair grew back in softer on the sides and wiry in the back - go figure!  It is still that way at 15 mths. PFC.  GRRRRR  I'm losing hope that it will ever go back to the straight soft hair that I used to have.  I shouldn't complain - I have hair and I'm verythank ful for it.

carberry

Hi everyone.  had my DD home for the weekend and we could not post pics.  got through all the steps and just got a box with a x in it.  Oh well, if she cant get them to post, I cant either.  Went to a place here in NY that makes hair products and sells them to hairdressers and retail stores, and they were having a big sale that they do twice a year.  You get a big shopping bag and fill it for 10 bucks,  well I got enough, gel ,paste,gum, glue,putty products to last me for 10 years!  My hair is stick straight, thick and sticking out everywhere!  Once I get these products on though and get it to lie down it looks very short, but everyone is loving it and saying I should keep it this way,  dont know about that!  Wish I could share all these products with you ladies, got enough to supply alll of NY

slcst12  I f your uncomfortable going topless, then you should rock your scarf with confidence.  Maybe add some bling to it.  I went to the Look good feel good  class and they added jewelry to the scarf and it really looked dressed up.

christine47

slcst12, Oh I hear you on the head covering decisions.  I have used my wig for my professional life, no need to answer questions from people who do not need to know my personal business.( I am a health care professional).  My wig looks almost like my "real hair" and I have been comfortable with it.  Everywhere else I go it is a ball cap and no hair.  I have gone to several dinner meetings with my partners at work this way, of course they all know that I have cancer.  Only problem with my ball hats is they are not very dressy, but I just never figured out the scarf look.  I think you are slightly ahead of me in the growth, but it won't be long until this is a nonissue and we are rocking our short hair.

sweetcorn

TexasKaren,  I am being treated at the Joe Arrington Center.  I have had good experiences with all the of staff and the doctors.  Since my DH was treated for colon cancer there last year, I knew the ropes pretty well.  Where are you being treated? 

Lago,  What brand of brow powder do you recommend? I do use smashbox Brow Tech in Ash blond to fill in also.

Jane

TexasKaren

I'm fixing to lose my hair for the second time in three years, and to me, it's no big deal.  I have three wigs from my first time in 07', but they are so hot and itchy!  I just decided to 'go with it", and I was amazed when I went "au naturel" the first time at the response I got from caring, compassionate people.  They didn't gawk and stare, but many came up to me and wanted me to know that they lost a loved one to cancer too, and that they were pulling (and praying) for me.  It was so humbling and sweet.  My granddaughters love it because I look like their daddy (my son, who is bald...)  I like to buy some fun 'temporary tattoos' and put them on my little bald head (a little butterfly on the back of the head, or a little dragon crawling up one side) and people love it.  Of course, it's hotter than hades in Texas now, so bald is cool and 'in'.  Just have to wear lots of sunscreen !    When it started growing back in and I looked like a fuzzy duckling, it was strange, but so soft and silver, I didn't mind.  I did wait 6 months before coloring it back to my 'redhead' status again, because my hairdresser advised that the new cortical of the hair could become damaged from the chemicals, even the gentle ones. 

I see many around me at my cancer center and you know what?  We are all very beautiful women, hair or no hair or any stage in between.  I see shining eyes and hearts and souls full of life... I don't see bald or fuzzy.

If you haven't listened to it in awhile, remember India Arie's song.."I Am Not My Hair"  (with lyrics)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mop9csVOF6E

Very uplifting for those "bad hair" days !!!

mammalou

I've been reading on here about peach fuzz on the face.  I didn't understand, but then I noticed I had little white hairs all over my face today.  I'm 11 weeks PFC.  Is this what you guys were talking about?  Will it go away?

lago

Yes that's the peach stuff. I also have it on my back upper arms and neck. My onc says it will go away. I forgot to ask when.

dawn31337

I used scissors to trim the peach fuzz on my face.  After a few trims I never had the 'problem' again.  Although hair growing anywhere wasn't really a problem!!