Hair Hair Hair - Another question

sweetcorn

Lilylady--One of my co-workers whose hair is naturally wavy, did not have chemo curls.  Another co-worker, whose hair is naturally straight, had the curls.  I met a woman at the local Komen race Saturday who had very curly hair and lots of it.  Her last chemo was this year in January.

Mine seems to be curly on top and straight on the back and sides, although like you, it is short.  Maybe a half inch at its longest.

Jane

MamaV

My hair was curly before chemo and now between 3/4" and 1" long - not a curl in sight!  Hmmmm.

deniseday

I'm new on here.  I just finished Taxol on Sept 17, 2011.  What is PFC???

EmmaC

Deniseday, post final chemo.  CONGRATS!!!!!

deniseday

EmmaC, Thank you so much. 

pasmithx2

lilylady--I'm about 13 weeks PFC and on herceptin. My hair is not looking all that curly right now either. The back and sides are definitely straight. The top is still standing up, more or less. I had the hairdresser nip off all the longer threads that stuck out all over which tidied it up a lot. I think it's pretty grey but the hairdresser said the colour was great. She has a peroxide/ammonia-free cream colour that she said we could try in Nov when I get back from my university residency.



I got fed up with the wig a couple of weeks ago and wore a hat last week. Today I decided that I had enough hair to call it a really short haircut and went with nothing on my head. The wig is not coming with me to the residency next week. I'll bring a hat but I am beyond worrying about it. I have hair.

Racy

I have chemo 'kinks'. I can comb it flatish or poof it.

Judy_63

I went topless to work today. Sure does feel good not having to wear my wig even though I didn't have any problems in wearing it. I had so many compliments on it. But my wig was starting to become itchy since my hair is getting longer underneath it. I will be 12 weeks PFC tomorrow.

PSU222

Today is 14 weeks PFC and I still need the wig.   Maybe a clean up trim will help.  It just looks so pathetic.  

I don't see any curls or kinks.  I will take whatever at this point.  Just so it continues to grow.

stlcardsfan

Mine started out straight. then I noticed it started to get the wavy look. Then as it got a little longer the curls started. 18 months PFC - Bangs have been cut a few times and have lost the curl. Sides, and back still curly, but not so much as before. It seems the longer it grows, the less curl I have. I got my drivers license picture taken again - looks so much better now. The previous one was from this past May when my hair was sticking up every which way and my ears were still showing. 

KiwiMum

Ladies I am 2 hours PFC.  Yippee!  Come on hair ... I'm ready.

jackifp

Survivor11 - surgery, as in today? Just caught it catching up on posts. Good wishes for a fast recovery going your way; we need you and that wicked sense of humor!

jackifp

Survivor11 - surgery, as in today? Just caught it catching up on posts. Good wishes for a fast recovery going your way; we need you and that wicked sense of humor!

Racy

Congrats Kiwimum!

bcisnofun

okay, I know I am obsessing, but I can't help it.  This Thursday I will be 6 weeks PFC DD AC and still nothing in terms of hair but what I've had all along - little itty bitty stubbles that I can only see on the magnifying side of the mirror.  I'm scared that the hair loss is permanent.  I want to cry!  I don't care how it comes in, but I want some sign that I won't be bald the rest of my life. 

ah2bthin

It sure is COLD with no hair!!!  I have had longish hair forever and now that it has gotten colder going out with only a hat on doesn't keep me as warm as my hair did! Come on hair!!!!

Jules59

EmmaC, pictures please!  And what brand of henna did you use?  Was it easy to do?  I remember using henna once when I was young, and it didn't do much at the time.  I swore that I wasn't going to color my hair, at least for a while, but I'm having second thoughts.  Today, I'm 16 weeks pfc, and I still haven't gone topless yet.  I have good coverage of salt and pepper hair, but it's still very short.  But what bothers me most is the hair above my temples is almost white, making me appear as though I have a male pattern receding hairline.

On a happy note, today is my 33rd and final radiation treatment. Yay!

LuvRVing

Woohoo Kiwimum!  And the race is on... (I am 6 days PFC) so we can compare notes!

ah2bthin  -  yes, I am also noticing the chill on the back of the neck.  I never wore neck scarves because my neck is short and I felt like they were always up around my chin.  I might rethink that strategy until I have some coverage back there.  This is where the wig comes in handy.  With fall in the air, I may have to keep in mind our destination when deciding whether I go bare, with a cap, or don my wig for full protection from the elements.

McCrimmon - are you out there?  Hope you are doing OK after your final treatment. 

Jules - congrats on finishing rads! 

Bcisnofun - you know how some babies are born bald and it takes many months before they start to get some real hair, while others are born with a headful and everyone marvels at how much hair they have?  I suspect our hair regrowth is similar, with different rates for everyone.  I was one of those "headful of hair" babies and I already have a headful of peach fuzz, and I am just 6 days PFC.  For some people, it just takes longer.  And remember that the last chemo treatment is in your system for at least a couple of weeks if not longer.  Try not to panic - your hair will come back!  I think many people are finding hair "buds" at about 8 weeks PFC, so it won't be long now.

Michelle

ksmatthews

Kiwi and Jules congrats to both of you!!!

mccrimmon324

LuvRVing, I'm still here, just been relaxing on the last days of chemo.  Can't wait for the weird painfull/numb tounge and horrible taste in my mouth to go away.  I keep running my hands thru my head fuzz in hopes there is something but I know, like you said, it's at least a couple of weeks before this crap gets out of my system.  I think I've got to start my exercising again and today I feel pretty normal so I have to force myself to do some eliptical when I get home from work. 

We live in Florida so I really don't have to worry about getting a cold head, in fact I'm waiting for the weather to cool down enough that I'm not sweating in my wig.  I wear it for work and yesterday I had a lovely hot flash while at work, I ran to the bathroom to whip the darn thing off my head.  Can't wait until these hot flashes go away.

MamaV

Kiwi and Jules - YYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Awesome news!  Let the hair growth begin!

Kay_G

mccrimmon, you're good to be in FL rather than Philly right now.  It was really cold yesterday and today in the morning.  I had to put my heavy jacket on to walk the dog.  I had my wig on yesterday, but it made me hot in the summer, but now it is letting too much air in and I am COLD with it on.  Today, I just used the baseball cap, but that was even worse.  I can't imagine putting a hat on top of the wig?

Survivor, good luck with your surgery today!  Kiwimom, congrats on being PFC!!!

cider8

Michelle, what an interesting theory re: hair growth as babies.  If it's true, it will be quite a while for my growth to start.  I was a bald baby and so were my kids: they both did not get their first hair cut until after age 2, and that was just to cut off the 'mullet.'

Congrats, newly PFC-ers! 

missy_111

I am 8 1/2months out, and only have 3"  of hair.  I really believe the Herceptin slows the growth.

I'm starting to look like Marge Simpson...it's getting the mullet look, super curly ...lol (growing straight up) not down, like I wish it would.  I should have it trimmed, but I really don't want my hair touched.

lago - have you noticed your hair growth picking up since you finished Herceptin?

lago

Missy it really hasn't been that long since that last H (Sept 16th). Only a few weeks past the cycle. I think it will take a bit more time to notice anything. I'll try and take a photo tomorrow.

bcisnofun

Michelle - thanks so much for the kind words.  I really needed that.  Is it correct that some people are 8 weeks out before buds and not even on herceptin?  I'd feel better if I didn't think I were the only one with nothing - not even fuzz and almost at 6 weeks.  I'm absolutely willing to wait, just very upset at the idea this could be permanent. 

Missy - the stright up look made me laugh! 

mikimmon - I totally remember that horrible taste.  It will be gone before you know it and then ahhh, so much better. 

mammalou

bisisnofun:  Don't worry.  I was also DD AC and it was 2-3 months before my hair really started growing.  It's growing now (5 months PFC) and it is so curly it is ridiculus.  I'll probably be wearing a wig until at least the new year.

GrinAndBearIt

I had fun when my hair started coming back in after my chemo. Once a week I would ask my husband if it was long enough to go out without my wig.
YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!
You may find that your hair grows in like wildfire! I hope you do. Enjoy this time and discovery what color and texture you are going to get when it does grow back in.

YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!

NanaSusie

I am now 11 weeks PFC and still no new hair.  I started Femara today and one of the SEs that might happen is hair thinning.  Sure hope that doesn't happen since the 10% of hair I had left after chemo can't stand to get any thinner. 

Racy

bcisnofun and NanaSusie, I started to see a 5 o'clock shadow between 7 and 8 weeks pfc. I did have sparse peach fuzz before that in the front but don't know about the back as I couldn't see it.



I had TAC chemo. What type did you ladies have?

I take Femara and haven't noticed any thinning. Growth in length is painfully slow but normal I think. I still have barely an inch 23 weeks pfc.