Hair Hair Hair - Another question

schatzi14

Well I just gave myself the 3rd trim...my mullet was getting out of hand! It seems the more I cut, the darker it gets, except the sides and "bangs"...still look like an old man there. Facial hair hasn't come back yet...been 2 weeks since I shaved it off! Still plucking chin hairs tho.

So goes my life......

Janet_M

Good morning,

I don't post here often, but I love this topic and I read it most mornings with my coffee. My hair started growing in last March and now it is about 1" long, and like Ossa, growing straight up like Don King. Or more like a baby ostrich since it is still very fine and whsipy

I used to be one of those girls with thick beautiful hair, and kept it in long bob forever because I'm a huge chicken. My hair was really my best accessory and I always felt comfortable dressing super casually because my hair made me feel feminine. It was fabulous. When I announced that I'd be shaving my head my friends said that it would be 'free' and 'liberating' and 'fun'. Well it was some days,  and other days I just felt bald. BUT, I'm finally staring to enjoy having really short hair. I really love the the wash 'n go aspect of it, and I like having my neck completely exposed, and I LOVE the feeling of the wind on my tiny ostrich hairs.  I've also started to dress differently, and have gone from very subtle accessories (or none) to earrings that are bolder, and blouses rather than t-shirts.  And cus I have a giant forehead, and no bangs at all, I've started experimenting with hair bands and bandannas. 

All during my chemo, in an effort to look the same,  I wore a wig that was much like my old hair. And now I'm that I'm not trying to look the same anymore (after 40 years) I'm starting to have fun. I never thought I'd get to this point, cus my goal was to 'get back to normal' but since I'm not so anxious to 'get back' to anything anymore, and I'll probably keep it short. (But not quite this short since I still look like a sportcaster)

Anyway, for anyone who is getting discouraged, or impatient, or are big chickens like me, it does get better and can be fun. My eyelashes have all came back, and longer than before, and yesterday I was looking at them sometimes in my rearview mirror, and feel a genuine quiver of excitement. The other drivers must have thought I was crazy, sitting alone in my car, grinning from ear to ear, and no hair to hide behind. I'm so so so so so  grateful for these little things that I took for granted.

Best wishes everybody,

Janet 

schatzi14

Janet ... after all we have been thru, looking on  the bright side is all we can do. There are things we find out that we would never have known otherwise. For instance the REAL colour of our hair for those of us that have coloured it for decades. You finding out you kinda like the "short" look. Buying things like huge earrings and styles of clothing that perhaps before we might have overlooked, kinda makes recovery more exciting.

jpmomof3

Hi Janet, thanks for the words of encouragement!  Glad you are recovering so quickly.  I am impatient to get back to 'normal' not that i have finally finished chemo this past week.  It isnt happening fast enough, but the hair is growing back.  I just cant wait until i can go topless! 

kjiberty

Janet,

Thanks for the encouragement! 

Janet_M

schatz14  - There really IS a bright side, it just chooses its own time to reveal itself. My favorite thing was my moms reaction to my blad head. She cried, then she laughed, and was so happy to see my 'beautiful head' that she hadn't seen since I was a baby.

Also, my work colleagues ( I just went back) think that I am one ballsy broad for cutting off all my hair. I'm not of course, but I'll take the compliment. 

jpmomof3 - Congratulations on finishing chemo!

Kjliberty - You're welcome. Love your scarf. I'm still learning to accessorize.

AEM47

Janet I hear ya on this - there is some giddiness  in watching this stuff grow back !!  Yesterday - 10 weeks PFC I lost my 2nd nail.  Always had long hard nails so I wasn't too thrilled....yet, my hair keeps growing and those eyelashes (altho still short) are coming in by the millions !! There's no doubt, I have many more than before.  Eyebrows just thrill me to death with how they came back and can just lift me right out of depression..lol.  To me the hair is facinating - I've always had long beautiful blond hair....I never would have cut it to this degree, but now it is really neat watching it come in..I might keep it short, or not - but I now can pick my hairstyle and it won't be by looking in a  book for a cut that may look good on me :-)

Janet_M

AEM47 -  I know that you mean about the hair being fascinating. It took me a while to get here, but I totally agree. And 'Giddy' is the perfect word for describing the sight of our new eyelashes!

By the way, my partner loves patting my inch of hair and watching it spring straight back up. He's been having a great time with my head over the last nine months.

MamaV

Looking great KS and way to go Mardibra on the hat head!  No one understands how great that is besides us!

KS  - I've been waiting to see your 1 year pic - since we both finished about the same time.  I will post my 1 year pic on July 7th - that's my one year PFC date and I want as much growth until then before I post!

Love to all my BC sisters ... even though I'm often too busy to post, I do read a lot and pray for all of you!

Vicky

ksmatthews

Well mamav I still have a week and a few days before it it officially one year

Gemmie

My new look. Got the buzz yesterday. It feels great in this heat!

KristinFro

While I'm (impatiently) waiting for my hair to start coming back in, I ordered a Buff (a la Survivor). It arrived today, and so far I love it (and all the different ways it can be worn). It's very soft and lightweight and comfy. Wish I would've known about these a lot sooner!

slak

AEM47 - your previous description of your fingernails is exactly what mine look like now.  They are thick in a weird way, and one is separating from the skin/stuff below it.  What do you do when the nail falls off?  Do you cover the nail with a bandaid?  Is there a way to keep the nails from progressing to falling off?  The hair loss is bad enough...this nail stuff is really not fair.

onvacation

slak - my nails are messed up too!  Haven't lost one yet, but no idea how to prevent that or if you can.  I agree, it isn't fair!

lago

I never lost a fingernail but lost several toenails and one toenail had to be removed. Icing didn't work for me. My nails are still lifted and one of the nailbeds on my toes was bumpy (making the nail bumpy) but has flattened out some.

slak

lago - do you do anything for the lifted nails?  Right now I'm just being extra careful not to stress them, but I feel like I should be doing more...

lago

That's exactly what you should be doing. Even banging on computer keys stresses them… granted I still did it. Make sure they stay clean. Mine never got infected but you might want to soak in white vinegar and water. Not sure how much but bacterial and fungus doesn't like vinegar.

Be sure to tell your onc about this. S/he may want you to see a dermatologist or podiatrist (for feet). Mine did.

slak

Lago, your nails are still lifted?  You finished chemo over a year ago, right?  Do you think they'll ever get back to 'normal'?  I can't remember how quickly my nails grow, but I'm hoping mine grow out before they lift all the way off!

stjude10

Congrats jp, and you'll be topless before you know it.

Janet, you may look like a sportscaster, but with my neck I look like a left tackle for the Bears.

I do enjoy shopping for earrings, now that they can be seen.

AEM, I was more excited about the lashes than the hair at first!

Good for you Gemmie, you look great!

kristin, I looove the buff idea, I wish I would've thought of that.

kjiberty

Kristin:  I bought 4 buffs and I love them

jpmomof3

Gemmie you look great! Having little or no hair is kinda nice in this hot weather...



I lost one toenail, likely due to taxol and walking a lot. A couple of my fingernails did that lifting thing you guys are describing- just a few mm at the end. They grew out normally though before it got very far off when my hair started growing back. I agree with the statment above though, I don't really think there is anything to do about it except being gentle to your nails.



What's a Buff? Is it a scarf? Will check it out...

kjiberty

jpmomof3:  Google them up.  

lago

I've been told there is still a possibility they might unlift. I just saw a new dermatologist and we are trying some kind of paint on the nail medication. Actually just picked it up today. She thinks this will get rid of the brittleness but not very positive about the lifting. The pharmacist said the lifting still might go away (as did my podiatrist)… it it's really a crap shoot. I was told I got a very bad case of this nail lifting thing. Be as gentle as you can with your fingers and avoid as much trauma as possible. I obviously was typing too much as you can see.

I don't think I have met anyone yet who's nails haven't grown back OK. I'm just special

ksmatthews

I was so lucky had no nail issues at all!  I did get a white ring across them for each chemo I did.  As they grew the rings disappeared.  I feel sorry for the ones with nail issues.  Like it isn't enough to lose our hair.

LuvRVing

I didn't have any nail issues, either and I didn't ice or do anything considered preventive.  I did get a mani/pedi once a month just before a treatment (so my whites were at their peak) and kept fingernail polish on the whole time.  I had a few toenails that felt funny towards the end, but they never lifted and everything settled down a few weeks after treatment ended. 

allurbaddayswillend

Hi everyone, I googled /buff head wrap\ and I got many different sites. Do you all have some particular recommends? I only ask because I have a limit on my internet usage (rural satellite connection) & it would help me to narrow down my choices a bit. Thanks!

Momine

You guys will be able to appreciate why I am excited today. I just had my first post-chemo hair cut! My poor hair dresser was snipping a quarter inch here and another quarter inch there, but it looks really nice now, although very, very short, lol. It had started to develop the Don King effect, which was not a happening look on me.

LuvRVing

Woohoo, Momine!!!  How about a picture of that new style?

rn4babies

allurbaddayswillend.......I was wondering the same thing about the buffs. The one's I see don't look like they would cover the back of the head. Maybe someone could provide a link to the best website for them?

kjiberty

I have a pink tie-dyed on, red same thing, black with gray woven through it, and another black/gray one.