Hair Hair Hair - Another question

DivineMrsM

myleftboob, I so well remember last year getting into a hot car with the wig on and it really was the worst!  Wow, what a memory.  

EmmaC

camillegal

Thanks Smithy for the tip I can't believe I never heard of that one---I'll check it out.

I worked the first summer I had chemo and a wig was just to hot, so I wore either simmer hats or scarves wrapped (I thought cute) always had my make-up on and big earrings (sparkly) I got more compliments from people cuz everything matched and I was much more comfortable. The 2nd summer I had chemo (the next yr) I wasn't working and I really didn't care LOL

Momine

I am giggling about the hair porn, but knock yourselves out, ladies.

Silvia, I had really long hair too, always. It was nice hair too, to the point that my hair dresser wouldn't give me a short cut.

To my pleasant surprise, I am loving the new short hair. I hope you will too once it comes in. Besides, you are young and beautiful, so you are bound to look great with it. 

schatzi14

I am almost 16 weeks PFC...

MLB...your hair should be long enough in about 4 more weeks that you will feel comfortable going "topless". I wear big gold hoop earrings and I feel great. I haven't noticed anyone even giving me a second look and believe me I CHECK!

As for the eyes..am sure it was the teary eyes from chemo that causes the crust..mine is gone now...eyebrows are almost in...just growing wherever they feel like it...I pluck more than I used to before BC.\

Camillegal...I feel your pain about the peach fuzz...I used to just have a few coarse hairs on my chin...now I have white fuzzy stuff like a little beard. Altho the stach seems to have disappeared and seems like it was before...those I can pluck. I almost took a razor to my fuzz but was scared that would thicken it so I left it...I check it 3 times a day...it really bugs me. I also have fine hairs sticking on my nose...I asked my DD could she see them but she said "nope but ya got a real beard there Ma...ya need to get that waxed"! I hadn't really noticed it up till then. Two steps ahead, one step back. *sigh*

MamaV

Let's just hang in there together ladies ... no one understands this but us, so lean on each other to share our sadness and frustration, but more importantly, to lift each other up!  We are strong!  We are beautiful!

lbrewer

crusty eyes can be a sign of an eye infection. You should have an eye doctor check. Its not an uncommon side effect of chemo and no eyelashes.

dechi

5 o'clock eyebrow shadow!!!!  

MamaV

Dechi - YES! YES! YES!  My brows were in a week after the shadow!  Soon baby soon!

Myleftboob

My friends just invited me to meet them at our local patio.  I said if I go, it won't be until after the sun goes down, can't stand sitting out in the sun in my wig!   Looks like I'll save a fortune in money and calories this summer!!  But you know what, I'm down 5 pounds!

herstrong

On the eye crustiness. I was worried that it might be an eye infection but my eyes are clear and there is no redness. It is getting better now anyways. I thought it was wierd to have that symptom now that I've been off Taxotere for 10 weeks and the only thing going on is all my new eyelashes are poking thru at once. Thanks!

schatzi14

herstrong...bet it's just the new lashes poking the crud out of the way....lemme thru!!!!!!!

camillegal

Eyelashes already--herstrong ?? u lucky duck

herstrong

And you better believe I somehow managed to get mascara on everyone of those suckers

borntosurvive

I actually USED shampoo this morning in the shower.  I have a 5 o'clock shadow all over my head.  My hair is coming in dark.  It's as soft as a gund teddy bear.  I also have the 5 o'clock eyebrow shadow and my eyelashes are coming in.  HURRAY!!!!!  Another few weeks and I might even have bed head. 

schatzi14

robo...don't despair...I had no crown and bald spots on top...it's all covered now and I am 16 weeks PFC...it arrived almost overnight...DH noticed it because I had quit looking...too depressing!

Fitz33

I didn't go without a wig until I was 6 mos. PFC and then my hair was scraggly and so short but I just couldn't take the wig anymore..that was last September.  Had my first haircut mid-March and now I'm ready for another one.  I think my hair has grown much faster since I finished the Herceptin not quite 2 mos. ago.  My first haircut I wouldn't let the stylist take off hardly anything I had waited so long for each hair and as she was trying to even it up I kept cringing that more was coming off.  Now that I'm ready for the second cut I will be an easier customer to deal with, much to my hairdresser's delight.  Her mother had BC and she had never told me that before that day so she was really easy on my hair.  You'll all get there but it's an awful journey.  If a mirror could be worn out mine would have been, one side regular and the other close-up.  I used it constantly.  lol

Rockym

I'm 6 months PFC and I probably have between 2 to 2.5 inches.  The first time I colored my hair it was about an inch long and I used a wash-out in 28 Clariol product.  Unfortunately, my hair turned orange and I ended up buzzing it back down to nothing.  It seemed easier than trying to fix it and I was still wearing my wig most of the time anyway.  When it got to about an inch again, I went to a professional so it would be done right.  It looked okay and now I am back to using my Clariol product and all is well.... except....

I MISS MY LONG HAIR!!

I can't stop looking at every lady with long hair and almost feeling angry.  It's very difficult :-(.  My hair had been long since 6th grade and was always my pride and joy.  I had no problem losing it, but I had no idea that I was going to go through this while it was growing it back.  I assumed it would be no big deal... who knew.  I just wish I could be happy to be alive and not so envious.

WaveWhisperer

Rockym, I feel the same way. When I first learned I had BC and would have to have chemo, I told the doctor that I could stand any of the SE except nausea, and she assured me that they had good drugs for that. I knew I would lose my long hair -- like you, long since high school -- but I had no idea it would take this long to grow back and that these stages would be so awkward. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had had the gumption to use the cold caps.

I look at the hair of every woman I see.

Before BC, I had thick hair, highlighted; long, thick eyelashes; was trim and fit. Even my doctors thought I was 10-15 years younger than my years. Now I look in the mirror and see an old, pudgy woman with no lashes, almost no brows and a thin pellet of gray hair stuck to my head. I look more like my grandfather than the woman I used to be.

I am VERY thankful to be alive. I just wish I looked well.

schatzi14

I never had long hair since I was a kid but I had very manageable hair. Now it has a life of its own. Last night we went to dinner with long time friends we hadn't seen in 2 years. She always had short short greyish hair. I used to think she looked older than her years. She is about 5 years older than I am. Well last night we looked like twins...even the waiter asked if we were sisters. I am very fond of her but was kinda shocked at the question. Although I am happy with the hair regrowth, not sure about the colour and until last night, I thot of my "do" as a sexy short shag...now, not too sure. But I am NOT complaining...was just a little surprised. SHE loved my new look!

Janet_M

Everybody loved my new look too. Really!? An inch of gray hair is better than a swinging brown bob? But my partner loved it, as did my friends. However, I ran into a guy who worked at my hair salon, and when I showed him what was under my hat he said I was in need of bangs and a bit of colour.

I tried to stay gray - but I couldn't, and had my hair 'organically' dyed last week. The reviews are mixed. Some of my friends love the short brunette, but some preferred the gray. My partner ( who I trust implicitly as my 'stylist') was dissapointed. He found the gray more authentic, and he like the hint of vulnerability. 

Deepdown I'm very grateful to be heatlhy and to have hair (etc etc etc) but closer to the surface, I REALLY misss feeling carefree about my appearence.  

shore1

Rockym - you described exactly how im feeling! Waiting for it to grow back is much harder for me than losing it was. I think its because then, I was ready for the battle of chemo, and now, I just want to put it behind me as much as possible & look like my old self. Making progress tho -- 16 weeks pfc and full coverage.

camillegal

Well if anyone else read all of this they'd think we're crazy complainin about hair when we/'ve been dealing with cancer---but it's so true---Before bein DX I was in my early 60's and I guess I didn't look it. My skin was eventoned, just some crows feet nohing else-thick but fixed eybrows and long lashes and altho I didn't have great hair my dgtr kept it styled for the times. Then it all changed--my head has a very thin area on top, my skin is not the same (even the feel of it) eybrows that look silly, and hardly any lashes And that's as good as it gets and no one says a thing about my age anymore cuz I look older I know, it's all right--but it happened quickly (to me) My dgtr cuts my hair to cover that crazy area, but it has to be short otherwise it pulls open hahaha.

herstrong

So I have about a half an inch of hair and I feel like I'm at the ugliest point - worse than when my hair started falling out, worse than when I was bald. I just want to climb into a hole until I can comb it. Going from long blond hair to looking like an old army soldier has been really hard. I know I'm on my way back to having my hair back, but I'm having a hard time with the grey buzz cut.

Janet_M

Herstrong,

An old army soldier? Perfect! I'm just past that stage and had my hair dyed, and now I look like a Ken Doll, circa 1967.

herstrong

OMG Janet, you made me laugh so hard! I guess it will be years before I'm back to the old me. A friend the other day said to spike it and enjoy it. So once it gets a little longer I'll try that. Never been into the spiked look, but I'll give it a shot. I wonder how long it has to be before highlights can be done to avoid the Ken doll do.



My BF calls me a different name for every stage I'm in. They are mostly names of people that only he knows who have hair that is similar to mine. Since I don't know who they are, it's hard to get offended, even though he's just standing there laughing his head off. He's such a dork sometimes.

Janet_M

Herstorng - You made me laugh too. I'm a bit obsessed with hair, or lack of it, and I've been writing about it since I it since the big shave last October. Oh, and there's  other fun stuff too, like radiation and chemo (but nothing scarey)

http://balderdish.blogspot.ca/ 

By the way -I've got the same dorky bodyfriend. He has a million familiar nicknames for me, (none of which are flattering) but he makes me laugh, and he has a bald spot. For a while we looked like brother and sister.  Actually, more like brothers. 

Janet 

DivineMrsM

Girls, it's been almost one year since my last chemo.  My hair is now about 3 inches long.  

Several months ago I started getting that hair envy.  It seemed no matter what I did, where I went or who I saw, I looked at lots and lots of women's hair styles and envied them.

Guess what?  It only lasted maybe a month or two.  So I am suggesting that what some of you are feeling now is very normal, and after awhile you won't have those feelings.

I never had long hair, but I was always one to cut, color, highlight, curl (and back in the day 'perm') my own hair.  I always loved finding the right hair products that would make my hair look its best.  I always said it didn't matter if I was wearing a potato sack, as long as I was having a good hair day, I felt great.  

I think since I can fuss with my hair a bit now, I don't mourn over its loss anymore or envy others.  Between me & my teenage son, we have a plethora of hair products: wax, gel, paste, putty, clay, and spray.  I try different combos all the time to see what kind of look I get. 

At any rate, any of you would be able to get hair extensions at some point in the not-so-distant future if you really want to get that long hair experience back a bit sooner. 

Carrol2

I agree with thedivinemrsM I looked at long hair with envy for a while and as asoon as I could blow out my hair and use products I felt better. I still get envious at time but not as much. I work with a young woman with very long beautiful blonde hair and she is the only one right now I really envy. Plus she is very thin so it's a double whammy for me. But I don't hate her for it, or the way I look. I am at peace with it, it happened, I lost my hair, it grew back.

herstrong

Janet - I love your blog! Although you haven't seen it on BCO, you and I write similarly, but you're much better. What a great outlet. Thank god the BF got a haircut with a number one or two blade and now my hair is longer than his. Some of my dating rules are he must be taller than me, weigh more than me (aka not a good seesaw partner), and have a bigger waist than mine. Now I can add that their hair must be shorter than mine.



Mrs M & Carol - Now that you mention it, I do have bouts of hair envy *sigh*. glad to know it will pass soon enough. My hair is between 1/2 and 1 inch long but it won't spike for nothing. Any suggestions on type of products? I'm on a bit of a budget and gel does nothing.