Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Boobytrap

Could someone tell me if this salt and pepper look is temporary or permanent? has anyone had the silver disappear. I don't think I had any before chemo, but have highlighted it for years, so can't be sure. Also, my growth is about 2cm at present, but still like bum fluff. Will i still get curley hir or is this it. My hair before was fine and I was kind of looking forward to curls

AEM47

Borntosurvive - BEAUTIFUL

Kelloggs

Boobytrap - "bum fluff"....I love it!  I am about 13 wks PFC and mine is coming in salt and pepper, too.  I colored my hair for years prior to BC so I guess this is what I would have had...I'm 45.  Haven't decided on whether or not I want to color again.  Hang in there, only time will tell.

vickilind61

janet, so when I finally lose my hair, there is a chance it won't come back?  SCORE!!!  There is the upside.

lago

OMG 3Jays I am soooo excited for you. This is wonderful news.

Boobytrap my hair turned black and gray. I always had some gray (not sure how much because I had been dying for 10 years). I do believe I have more gray now but my hair seems more like my old hair now both in color and texture. The black is gone back to the dark brown… but I still color it.

Chemocurls. I didn't get them but my hair was wavier for sure. I did find that blow drying what little hair I had at the time helped. Also Moroccan oil really helps too. Sally beauty supply has a product that works just as well and not as $$. If you use a flattening iron do not use one that is too wide. They are just to hard to handle. Go for the slim ones. Also if your hair is that short go for the mini ones. I purchased a mini one for my bangs. The can curl a bit on humid days. Much easier to use and you can get closer to your scalp without burning yourself.

Hikergal

Born, gorgeous pics.  I really like the one with boxing gloves!  Went for a shorter cut prior to chemo and my stylist gave me a card with pink boxing gloves on the front.  Told her I will look at it everyday knowing that I am doing my best to kick cancer's butt!

I really think all the bald head pics on this site are beautiful!   

Love all the great advice and sharing of stories on this site!  I started chemo yesterday and feel better about it after reading everyone's posts, athough that Taxotere is scary still. Glad I was loaded up with meds and did not react  Seems like everyone's hair return is on a different schedule, but I hope we all end up with a pretty head of hair again.  

Thanks Carrol2 for your advice on supplements.  I can see that they probably won't help much thru chemo but to start them after as a jumpstart for the poor hair follicles.

shore1

Bought a mini flat iron tonight. Don't know wth I was thinking - hair is nowhere near long enough to grip it, even with a tiny iron

onvacation

Shore - you will be ready when your hair is!

DivineMrsM

shore1, I had done the same thing, bought the small flat iron but still couldn't use it when my hair was so short. Now I have about 3 1/2 inches of hair and I use the small flat iron every day.  I have a bit of wave to my hair, so I use the iron to bend the hair back and to flatten out my bangs.  Works really nice and more effective than the larger iron I used before chemo.

LuvRVing

It's hot and humid here, and I am spending time in the lake.  So I'm mostly just going with the chemo curls.  I'm having my roots touched up today and I'm going to have my stylist blow dry my hair straight, so I can see what it looks like and how long it really is.  If I pull on my bangs, they are down to my eyelids.  I'll post a picture later - I'll be 9 months PFC on 6/28.  My hair grows fast, especially this time of year.

The only supplement I took during or after chemo was a prenatal vitamin, more to help with the iron levels than to help with hair growth.  I know many of you try all these supplements and potions, some of them pricey.  I guess I'm just lucky to have good hair genes. 

schatzi14

luvRVing...I see you had 3 different DXs...did you have chemo all 3 times? If so, did you lose your hair each time?

LuvRVing

Schatzi - For my first diagnosis, I had a lumpectomy and Mammosite radiation followed by a few months of Femara.  For my second diagnosis, I had DD AC/T and lost all my hair.  I also had external radiation.  For my most recent situation, I am on Xeloda and it doesn't usually cause hair loss.  Being stage IV, I suspect there will come a time when I'll lose it again - there are a host of chemos that cause hair loss and I've just barely scratched the surface.  But for now, I've got a nice full head of curls.

Gemmie

God Bless you LuvRVing, you've certainly had some time of it. Hats off to your fighting spirit. Keep it up!

First the first time (9 days out from tx 1)  I'm feeling a slight tingling sensation on the crown and back of my head. Am wondering if this is the precurser to hair loss coming up in a week or so?

schatzi14

LuVRing...good gawd...you have been thru a lot. Has it always appeared on the same side? I hope I am not getting too personal. I sure hope that no more treatments will be necessary but if they are, that they are gentle. It amazes me that anyone survives DD/AC, it put me in a wheelchair after the 3rd dose. I admire your attitude...I can only wish you the best in your treatments.

schatzi14

Gemmie...it could well be...I started to lose hair about my second treatment of DD/AC.

Hikergal

LuvRVing, I have always had such straight hair.  It will be interesting to see if I end up with Chemocurls.    I just want hair once I am done!  You have a great attitude as schatzi14 mentioned.  Thanks for the tips on the prenatal vitamins.  I bought some and wondered if I should take them during chemo.  

Gemmie, the anticipation of our hair loss is aweful isn't it?  I am just 3 days out from first treatment and already looking at my eyebrows, etc.  I don't know if it will work but I am going wash my hair less often to give it a break.

Sissydi

Hello ladies, I can finally post here! Im on my 5th treatment of Taxol, and I have a 5 o'clock shadow! Ive spent days reading through most of this thread, and appreciate everybody's input and pictures!

Been using Nioxin 4 shampoo, cond., and scalp treatment.......don't know if it's working, but it feels good to know I'm doing all I can to promote growth! My eyebrows are coming back; I also rub just a bit of the scalp treatment on my brows as well.



Shatzi14, that A/C almost landed me in a wheelchair too....darn close. Needed fluids all the time...so glad it's over.

jpmomof3

Hey Sissydi that's awesome!.  its coming back early, you will be going out with out a head cover before long!

Elizabeth1889

DivineMrsM, I love the picture of your cat. I have a calico cat, too. She is the sweetest, but nevertheless, most demanding cat on earth.

schatzi14

sissydi...sorry AC hit you like that too...I had no strength in my legs at all plus I was always out of breath and it was a pulmonary embolism..6 months of blood thinner shots fixed that (so far). My MO wouldn't let me take the 4th dose of DD/AC and I went straight to Taxol which was fine.

I had lotsa fuzz during Taxol too.

Sissydi

Thanks jpmom! It may be a while before "the unveiling", lol! If I can get it grown out to an inch or so, I might

jpmomof3

Sissdi- yeah, i saw my MO this week and I was talking about being able to go topless in a month or so, she was a bit more pessimistic- but usually is.  I have surprised her in other ways though.  she didnt even want me working, but i didnt listen.  It might be longer than that but I just cant freaking wait to get my hair back! I am looking forward to sunday when I do my weekly update photo, that's when I can see a difference in my hair.  it is hard to tell looking at it day by day...

LuvRVing

Wow, you gals are having a tough time with AC.  While it was unpleasant, my experience was not nearly as bad as what you all are describing.  I did keep well hydrated - at least 96 ounces a day and sometimes more.  And I ate watermelon almost every day.  It always tasted good when nothing else was appealing.

Hikergal - I took the pre-natals during Taxol after my hemaglobin count was getting low.  It helped.  Talk to your doc, but I'm pretty sure they're safe.  Be sure to get one that has both folic acid and iron; otherwise, the iron isn't absorbed properly.

Gemmie - yes, I'm afraid your hair loss is coming soon.  Try to think of it as a "redo" and you'll be OK.  And thanks, it's my nature to be optimistic; and as long as I look good and feel good, it's not so hard to maintain a positive attitude.

Schatzie - your question is not too personal...the first time was a 1.7 cm lump on the left side, the second was the same breast, located near my biopsy scar(4.6 cm lesion), plus I had several axillary and intermammary nodes involved.  This time I have small mets in both lungs to accompany the mets in my supra-clavicle nodes (which had been radiated!!!), one deep axillary node, and one posterior (back) mediastinum node.  Everything is tiny and I feel perfectly fine at the moment. 

Just got back from the hairstylist...the grey is gone and she trimmed and thinned a bit.  I have a lot of hair, always did for that matter. 

The curly curly hair with my adorable granddaughter who likes to paddle me around the lake and...

Freshly colored with my stylist's valiant attempt at giving me a straight style.  I'll be 9 months PFC on 6/28 and this is my third "trim" - she thinned a lot because the sides and back were out of sync with the top. I'm wearing the sunglasses because I have a ridiculous raccoon face.  I've been out in the sun a lot - you can tell a little from the lines on my neck

Kelloggs

LuvRVing - you look fabulous, and so much hair!  I always get raccoon eyes...except this year I haven't been out enough yet.  Your granddaughter is adorable!  Thanks for sharing.

shore1

Luvrving, you look great. Your hair is a real style and doesn't even look post chemo.



Divine, how many months pfc were you when you had 3 inches or enough to grip with the flat iron?

KSteve

LuvRVing - That lake picture is awesome!  You look great and it looks like so much fun with your granddaughter.  Perfect for a day that's supposed to reach 100 here in Colorado!  I feel cooler just looking at it ...

Kathy

jpmomof3

LuvRVing, Those photos are great!  That lake and you look fabulous!  that looks like the life! Beautiful granddaughter.

Gemmie

Hikergal and others,

I just received two scarves today in the mail from the "Cover Your Hair" (I know, for many of you, it's "what hair??") website recommended on the "Tips for Chemo" thread. They are really pretty and weren't too expensive. I've been experimenting with trying different ways to head wrap. These scarves are long and colorful so kind of fun that way.

  I know, in 6 months I'll hate scarves but for now it's rather fun to play around..... In a couple of weeks I think the scarf thing and wigs will be more a necessity than a novelty.

LuvRVing, your granddaughter is adorable, that lake looks quite inviting, and you look great. Where do you RV? My DH and spend winters in Cape Coral, Fl. Lots of RVs there!

Vickilynn, yes, I have a wedding this weekend too. (I think that was on the other thread, but hey I'm here now and I know you do both threads as I do)  Mine not quite so fancy as yours, I think. But we will have fun I'm sure.

Good weekend to all, and for those still in chemo, wishing you little to no side effects!

Can somebody tell me how to post pictures on a post like LuvRVing did? Or where to go to find out?

kjiberty

LuvRving:  Beautiful pic!

JoanQuilts

At five weeks PFC, the top of my scalp is starting to look "busy."  If I stick my head right under the lamp and use two mirrors and an electron microscope I think I can see some little hairs starting to think about growing....