Hair Hair Hair - Another question

marthah

Judy, I'm with you. Fall is settling into the midwest, and we are seeing below average highs. I'm not quite ready to go topless, but it definitely is going to be a chilly winter! Brrrrrrrrrr!

ksmatthews

Judy can you post a pic?

survivor11

I totally agree with the weather comments, Brr is right. Wear a hat if a chilly day, but other than that I've been going mostly topless. Am 10wks PFC and just can't stand scarves or wigs anymore. Have quite a bit of hairgrowth, but can still see scalp. It appears semi straight on back and sides and getting alot of wave at the top-should be really fun taming that stuff-but I'm not complaining.

KiwiMum

Today I shaved my head again. I'm 2 wks PFC and was looking odd due to hair growth during Taxol. The hair only grew on the sides, it was about an inch long on the sides and back and nothing on top.



In the last 2 days I can see fuzz on top (yippee) so decided to shave again in the hope it will come back evenly. Also think I have some eyelash stubble. I've always loved eyelashes and can't wait to have some again.

survivor11

Kiwimom-your brave. I probably should have done the same thing, but could't bring myself to do it.Hope it comes back more evenly for you. I get ya about eyelashes, mine are coming back and fast, should be able to wear mascara again soon-yippe!

mccrimmon324

KiwiMum, I will most likely buzz my head again when I start to see some real growth.  Not short enough to touch the new growth but to even out the stubble I've got left.  I think it would look too shabby growing if I don't. 

I'm only 3 weeks PFC so eyelashes, brows are spotty and have on tiny, tiny bit of peach fuzz on the sides of my head and I can't stop staring at it in the mirror willing it to grow. 

KiwiMum

mccrimmon324 - not only do I spend lots of time staring in the mirror willing my hair to grow, I spend equally the same amount of time rubbing my head to see if I can feel any stubble. I'm obsessed! lol

I also keep asking my DH and DD's, "can you see anything".  "There's something there". "Look harder"

KiwiMum

Survivor11 - yay for eyelashes.  I dream of mascara. Let us know when you get enough to mascara. How many weeks PFC will you be?

dutchgirl6

KiwiMum, when my hair started growing back, it was so soft that I couldn't stop touching it.  My DH liked to rub it too. It reminded me of baby hair.

marjie

My DH was always rubbing my bald head, and now he's still rubbing my hair....I swear I feel like a puppy somedays!

lago

Marjie my husband does the same although now he rubs more on the  sides and back because I buzz it there. On top I have real hair. Even my hair dresser said Monday that my hair no longer feels like fur. The strands are getting a bit thicker and courser like they should be.

Racy

Once you have about half an inch of hair, running your fingers through it feels soooo good.

sweetcorn

I am now 14 weeks PFC and got my hair colored yesterday.  I still wear the wig to work, but I think I will take it off when I see the breast surgeon today, for my followup.  I mean, why not?  I also wear a cap when I go out when I'm not working.

 Next week when I'm on vacation with family, I will not wear the wig and I hope I can ditch it completely when I come back to work.

By the way, the color turned out great.  I went from salt and pepper to a dark blonde.  

Jane

sweetcorn

By the way, my hair stylist claims that she has clients who cut their hair as short as mine....I'm not sure I believe it!

Jane

Terry71

I had hair down past my butt and now my cousins new baby has more hair than me LOL Although I have 2 treatments left and it looks to me like its starting to come back, maybe its just me hoping seeing as every time I look in the mirror I will it to GROW DAMMIT haha gonna be another 20 years before I have it back to where it was Grrrrrrrr Hope all is well ladies and have a great day 

bikenyc

Foiled!  I thought for sure I had avoided the dreaded chemo curls and it was coming back in fairly straight (my hair has always been stick-straight). But now at 18 weeks, the texture seems to be changing and it's starting to get a wave. Dammit. 

But I did go for my first "barbershop" trim.  I needed it trimmed up around the ears and back and such and it seemed like a waste to go to my usual lady.  So I wandered down to the local barbershop and they gave me a "fade."  20 bucks.  Can't beat that.

 

survivor11

bikenyc-great pics.

Kiwimom-I'm 10 wks PFC.

 I know all about being obsessed with looking in the mirror and feeling like a puppy most days. My 7 year old son loves to sit on the couch and rub my head. It feels really strange to me. Feels like a teddybears fur ontop and straight on sides and back.

ksmatthews

bikenyc looks great!! Do you go topless all the time?  I am 14 weeks and have what you have, but I just cant do it.  I do other than work. 

MamaV

great pics!

ksmatthews - I am right there with you.  I just can't do it!

Terry71

I have NO hair and I go out in just a ball cap..... Doesnt bother me in any way...... Im me and Im bald and im still BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and so are all the ladies here hair or NO hair xo

MamaV

You are awesome Terry!  I am close, but not quite there! 

dragonfly1

Ksmatthews and MamaV It's so hard to make the decision to go topless all the time. I finally went for it at about 4 months PFC (I had already been going topless on days off for several weeks but never at work). The problem for me is that I hate the attention and I had worked hard to keep my life and appearance as normal as possible up to that point and I felt like when I finally did it I would be a walking cancer survivor advertisement (sorry, but that's how it felt and I didn't want any sympathy). Well, initially there were lots of comments on the new look and everyone has been very nice (I still hate the attention) . I feel like I've come out of the closet about my BC to the whole world in a sense. I absolutely love not wearing the wig anymore-it feels much better. The funniest thing has been the complete honesty of some people. I work with veterans in a hospital and I often interview young returning combat vets. I'm 42 but they make me feel old:) Several have looked at my ID (shoulder length blonde hair) then looked at me and said "why did you do that?" why, indeed?  My hair is really weird right now-no real style and fuzzy/frizzy all over where it seems to be attempting to curl-it has a mind of its own. But I just smile and laugh-a few month ago I would have been mortified. I am so glad that I can share here because there just isn't any other place where people truly understand!

LtotheK

Am I the only one with a receding hairline on each side of the middle?  My friend here who went through 4 rounds of TC and is on Arimidex has it, so it makes me feel like it's not that uncommon.  Though, no one else seems to be experiencing it here when I've asked.  I'm just really curious about recommendations.  It may just be my experience, but all the gals I know on Tamoxifen have about 1/3 the amount of hair they did before 4 years on the medication.  Would love to figure something out, especially considering the texture is finer and there is less hair in the locations the hair took the longest to fill in. (Monk cap spot in back, two sides as described)

Robyn6463

I'm only 6 days PFC, so no regrowth yet, but you guys are giving me hope! I had a dream last night that I was getting married, bridal gown and all, and waist length curly dark GORGEOUS hair. And a beautifully thin pixie face. Big sigh...maybe someday!

LuvRVing

I am 3 weeks PFC and I have about 1/2 inch of hair.  DH and I are on vacation in Florida and I left my wigs at home.  I have gotten a few questions, but that's OK.  It's breast cancer awareness month and I am doing my part to show what it really looks like.  And other than our friends here (she is also a BC survivor) I'll never see these people again.  I wear a ball cap when my head is cold.  Otherwise, I'm now going to be topless.  And oh, I wanted to look like a breast cancer patient when I went through airport security, hoping I would get no hassles.  I think it worked.

Michelle

ksmatthews

Dragonfly you are awesome!  I really hope I can ditch the wig soon at work.  The thing is I work in a bank and most of our customers know me outside of work and have already saw me without the wig.  It's just the few customers that know, but haven't saw me.  I keep telling myself I can do it!  I think soon I will, but right now just cant...

sewingnut

The eyelashes are coming in and are about 1/8" long.  So......What mascara do you think I should use? The long and lush stuff that shows how sparse they are or the plump them up stuff to plump up the shortness? Input anyone?

Kay_G

Looking great Bikenyc!!!

achpurple

Everybody has to go with what is comfortable to them as far as going topless.  There is no right and wrong, just listen to yourself and do what is right for you at the time.

It never bothered me in the least to have no hair and no one looked at or treated me like a cancer patient.  I tried to go on with life as normal to be a role model for my kids as to never be ashamed of who I was.    I always said "This is who I am right now and that's okay with me."  To be honest, other than when I got out of the shower in the morning I really never even remembered I had no hair (except when my head was cold because I started chemo in February.)

SpecialK

sewingnut - I just bought some mascara that is volumizing and lengthening.  I actually gave my 2 or 3 long bottom lashes a "haircut" so they would match the new tiny ones.  I still have some long ones on the top mixed with the new short ones.  My bottom lashes are thicker and more uniform but they also fell out first.  The tops are just starting.  The mascara I bought is Covergirl Lashblast Volume in black.  I also got a freebie from Sephora that is a Smashbox one but have not tried it yet.