Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Yvette10052011

hi ladies!! haven't posted for a bit (work has been crazy, trying to keep up on home stuff & dealing with painful Taxol side effects) but wanted to drop in so much action here & loving ALL the pictures!! EACH & EVERYONE of you looks AMAZING!!

just a few random comments about various posts i've read...

1 - do not fear if the top is not filling in - in my experience it fills in very slow. mine looks less full when it's wet & i'm 16wks PFC

2 - nails - i lost 4 fingernails after they lifted & one toenail. i thought it would take 6 months or more to look normal but it only took 3 months. i take Biotin, BioSil & drinks tons of water so that may have helped

3 - hair dye... i dyed my hair ASAP. my ONC said it was safe and i was tired of looking like an old man. i say go for it if your ONC is OK (most are)

4 - i ran (on the treadmill) for the first time Sunday since last October. it was FANTASTIC!! i was really nervous because i still have expanders in but to my delight it didn't hurt a bit. i felt MUCH better after too

happy day to all!!! 

 

Momine

Yvette, do you mean that the nails grew back? I thought thatvif they fell out it was permanent.

Dianarose

I am missing my dam nose hairs right now. Never realized just how important those little buggers were. Nose drips all day long.

Dianefightslikeagirl

Hi everyone

I finished chemo on 7/6 now on to rads. And eagerly awaiting my hair to grow back.. Sigh.. I am sorry if this is a repeat question but has anyone tried applying coconut oil or olive oil to their scalp? I have read this is supposed to stimulate growth. Wondering if anyone has had success with this. I figured it is worth a shot! I also started taking Biotin today..nshould I take once or more daily? Thank you in advance!

PS love all the pics! You all look fabulous!!!

shore1

Dianefights, yes, I've used extra virgin olive oil every night for months after chemo. Im almost 24 weeks pfc now. I think it helps, but I also take biotin, biosil, multi vitamin, folic acid, and use nioxin system and a nioxin follicle booster. So who knows if any of those things making it grow or if it would be the same if I did nothing. I hate it short so im wearing wig still.

Mardibra

Momine - nail loss isnt permanent.  I lost a couple of toe nails and its the new nail growing in that pops off the old one.

Ella_117

Eileen,



I purchased the Purvana at Bunn's Naural Health Food Store in Southampton, PA...in the Philly suburbs. They also discount their products. The pack of Purvana was marked $19.99 but came to around $15.

I see that you are from Ohio? This store has been around forever and has a great reputation. Maybe they have an online store or website where you can order the Purvana. I am the same way about charging online to unknown places.



Dianarose.....I totally sympathize with you about the nose hairs! Of all the places I lost hair,

I missed my nose hairs the most! I know it sounds so funny, but I never knew how much good those little hairs did to stop the runny nose. They do grow back pretty fast....I am about 4 months PFC and they have been back for at least 2 months, so hang in there.

Karen2012

Whatashocker3 - The hair salons usually carry it. What city do you live in?

Momine

Mardi, good to know, thanks. I thought it was permanent, which is why I couldn't understand why people took it so seemingly lightly. I have been terrified of losing my toenail because of this.



Gotta say I still don't understand how the new nail can "stick" if the old nail has lifted.

Mardibra

When i first heard of nails falling off it really gave me the willy's!  But, now thats it happened to me I have discovered that its nothing.  The old nail starts to die.  First it turns yellow'ish then the black spots appear.  The new nail starts growing and as it grows it grows beneath the old nail which is why it one day just pops off.  My new toe nail was teeny tiny but it was enough to pop the old one off.  I thought the nail bed would be very tender and very sore....nope!  So, I had my manicurist/pedicurist add a fake big toe nail.  She took a plastic fake nail and glued it to the ity bity new nail then put acrylic over the top.  And, voila!  A new nail.  For my smaller toe nails, they are all going to eventually pop off but they are so small that by the time they do the new nail is long enough to get by on.

Eileenohio

Thanks Kelly,  I just ordered Biotin.  Ella recommended Purvanna.  I found Purvanna on Amazon. Per Amazon Biotin & Purvanna are usually sold  together so I ordered them both.  The Purvanna is for hair,nails & skin...Hope it works..

 Hope you enjoyed your coffee with the Ohio gals this afternoon..   

Eileenohio

Ella,  I found Purvanna on Amazon. Amazon says that Biotin & Purvanna are usually sold together so I ordered them both. Thanks for the information.   Sure hope it helps..       Eileen

shore1

Ella, do you take Purvana AND Biotin? (Or one or the other?)

onvacation

So read that there is biotin in purvana - so would it be too much to take both?  I have been taking Bioten for a little over a month - no idea if it is working but can't hurt!

ksmatthews

mamav I think you look great!  I have had a few trims, and I color myself.  I have been looking through family photos tonight and boy do I miss my hair!!

Yvette10052011

hi Momine - nails falling off isn't permanent (but very unsightly). i lost both thumb nails, pointer fingers & a baby toe nail!! i heard it takes a year to grow back new nails but not the case for me. it's been four months and all nails are back. some had little small nails starting to grow at the time when the original nails fell off others didn't. i really believe it's all the water, Biotin & Biosil i was taking that helped them grow back so fast

Dianesfight - i rubbed olive oil on my head & where my brows WERE after chemo & it think it helped. i know massage can encourage hair growth so perhaps that did the trick, not sure but my hair came back fast & soft too  

stjude10

jpmom, so glad you are feeling more comfortable going topless.

ella and dianarose, gotta agree with you both. losing my nose hairs drove me crazy!

Momine

Thanks for the nail info. It sounds so strange, but may happen to that one big toe looking particularly ugly.

Carrol2

dventi when i did not have hair i wore bandanas to the gym. A lot of people with hair normally wear them to work out in.

Dianefightslikeagirl

Okay, here's a weird/creepy question. My nails are pulling away from the skin and I have noticed in the last day or so, that a couple of those fingers have a bad odor..ugh. No matter how much I wash them. I see my doc Friday. But has anyone had this happen? What is this a sign of? Besides yuckiness..and embarrassment. (thankfully I'm the only one who notices)

slak

Hi Diane - From what I've read, that's likely a sign of infection.  I would suggest calling the office today and telling them.  They should give you some advice on how to deal with it.  I would not wait until Friday.  I have the lifting going on myself and am nervous about infections but so far am lucky in that regard.  I hope yours gets better!

MamaV

KS - thanks, I miss my long hair sooo sooo much.  Still say, I'm NEVER cutting it again

Diane - my nails that lifted oozed too and yucky odor - chemo just keeps on giving.  No infection, and eventually dried out.  Fell off and new ones came in - SLOWLY, but they did.  Good luck!

Dianefightslikeagirl

Slak & mamav: thanks for your input. I will definitely call and talk to a nurse. Ugh. Done with chemo but the " fun" continues..



MamaV: I have said the same thing about my hair, once it grows back, I may never cut it again. I miss it so much. If one more person tells me " it's just hair" I think I will scream. People don't get it!

dmlenn1

My nails started to do that. I started taking a hair/skin/nails vitamin. I never lost the nails, but they turned yellow and the beds got indented. That part has finally grown out enough to be cut off soon. My hair started back almost immediately after chemo stopped. I was bald as an egg in feb. and now I have some pretty amazingly soft kinda wavy hair. I was a redhead. Now I am a blonde. Very Bizarre looking at the new hair.

Myleftboob

My brother said something interesting about the whole hair thing. He's nearly 60 but has been balding since around age 30 so basically he shaves it down to the wood ala Bruce Willis.

He asked me how I was feeling these days and I replied "fine really for the most part, but anxiously awaiting my hair to grow back to where it was pre TX".  He said, "well at least your's IS growing back" as he pointed to his own head LOL!!

Kelloggs

Eileen - I had a great time with the Ohio sisters!  It was so nice to have someone to talk with who REALLY understands where you have been.  Maybe some time we can take it up north a little further and meet halfway so the Cleveland area can join in!

Love74

Diane - I put a bit of tea tree oil under my nails and also use a cuticle oil with tea tree.  I have also read that soaking them in diluted vinegar helps.  I wear rubber gloves for washing dishes and gardening, etc.  I think my finger nails might survive but I have a few toe nails that are going to come off...I can see new nail growing underneath.

Dianefightslikeagirl

Love74-- thank you for the tips! Heading out today so I will definitely pick up some tea tree oil and will try the diluted vinegar as well.. I will try anything!! stinky fingers is not attractive! Yuk!

jpmomof3

MamaV. Your beautiful long hair will come back, but the whole process is so slow... I have always kept my hair on the short side but I think because of all this I want to grow it longer than I have ever had it to say F you BC. I am done and so so over it. My goal is to have a pony tail. I have never had a pony tail. I am looking forward to my nice dark brown straight hair coming back. It is much lighter now though my avatar makes it look a little darker than it is in real life. At least it is straight as an arrow so far. Grow grow grow!

Anonymous

Hey ladies,



I'm going to start chemo next week. How soon will my hair fall out? Should I get it cut short first? Really nervous and anxious and could use advice.



Thanks