Hair Hair Hair - Another question

LtotheK

Thank you everyone, completely forgot about the biotin, and I'm going to ask my oncologist if it's okay to use Rogaine (generic).  There are so many risk factors, but the fact is, everyone who drinks red wine and uses Rogaine doesn't get BC.  So I'm in that two-years out stage where I'm starting to go a little easier on myself.  I drink red wine.  It is a joy in my life and travels, and I just can't see not doing it.  Being nice looking is also a real joy, and so if Rogaine can help, I may try it.  Lago, you and I have met a couple of times in Chicago!  Had dinner together ; )  C'est moi....xoxo 

You look amazing, and any advice you have about "interventions" I might do to look younger/better are appreciated.  I'm thinking about having a lower eyelid lift at some point, I show all my tiredness there.  Don't know any good surgeons or laser people in Chi, or have any idea what the cost is...a bit off topic, but in range...

lago

LtotheK sent you a PM. Thank you. Here are my "secrets"

• Get enough sleep
• eat healthy (cut out the crap. I cheat on weekends)
• exercise (ideally daily. reduces stress!)
• drink plenty of water (pumps up your skin)
• good moisturizer
• Givenchy Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen (Sephora exclusive $33) for dark circles
• Anastasia Brow Duo ($22 my eye brows look better now that before chemo with this cheat).
• Smile often and stand up straight. seriously… and people will just smile back.

Granted I should go to sleep but I fell asleep on the couch at around 9, woke up to go to bed at 11 but now wide away. Will try again soon. The noisy wind outside is keep me up. I think it's a little better now.

mareluna

Hi friends,

   I tried coloring my hair blonde. No luck still the same white look. I am almost 1 month out from last chemo.

kjiberty

Lago:  Great tips!

Herstrong:  I am almost 7 months pFC and have had my hair trimmed (and colored) for 4 times.  It's between 3 1/2-4 inches long.  It's SUPER thick as well.  Looks like a rug sometimes. I have been using a 1/2' flat iron (thanks for the tip LAGO) since November and it really does tame it down.  I get so many compliments on my new haircut.  I am seriously thinking about keeping this length.  

schatzi14

lago...anyone is lucky if they are able to get a good night's sleep...I haven't been a sleeper in decades. It sure makes a difference in one's appearance...the dark circles are far worse! That's just one negative. Lack of sleep for sure has many SEs. I envy you!

lago

schatzi14 I started wearing a sleep mask and it helps a lot! Last night the wind was so bad that the noise kept me up. I finally put in ear plugs and fell asleep. No need to envy me. I have to work a lot harder to get that sleep. Never had issues like this before BC unless I had a stressful day but I believe my issue now is just chemopause or Anastrozole… and technically I really can't call it chemopause anymore. I'd be going through menopause right about now anyway.

But back to hair. Anymore status photos or cute short dos?

kjiberty

Schatzi:  I bought something off the internet called "Sleepphones".  It's a light headaband and has the speakers built into it.  There is music you can download as well as meditational music you can listen to.  It has helped me.  

http://www.sleepphones.com

lisa2012

To curly heads above: My hair was crazy shoulder length wavy/curly/big. Dark. Jewish/greek hair. Now it is about 2-3 inches long, same kind of curly but frizzier. Ugh. Trying product but it's just as ornery as before but now short and unmanageable. I've got my friend the wig on until I figure out how to make it look like something.

KJB, I sure wish mine was straight! yours is great!! and becoming! BTW looking at your stats again I see we even have the oncotype  above 20 similarity... mine was 38.

jittersmom

Havn't been here in awile...got sidetracked with sickness then bloodclots! I am 9 months PFC and still have very short hair. I finished herceptin in December so hopefully it will start growing a little more. At first I was just happy to have hair, but now this curly gray stuff is driving me crazy. I have decided due to chemical overload I am not going to dye it anymore, but the syly ...ugh! i let my hairdresser trim the back and shape it a little....just not sure what to do with it1 I have been wearing headbands to give me a little change

what is this Biotin? Is it like a vitamin?

butterfly14

lisa2012 - my hair was like your prechemo, very long, thick and crazy curly. Right now I am at 3 weeks PFC today and praying for total head coverage. I am hoping for straighter/wavy hair, but your post just made me think I may end up looking like a poodle if my hair comes in curlier than it was.

schatzi14

kjiberty...I have no trouble falling asleep but the pain (from 3 herniated discs in my neck) wakes me up from the pressure put on them. When I am upright it's fine...been this way for 25 years.

All those ideas for bad sleepers are fantastic...no help for me I am afraid. During chemo...no pain due to the steroids in the drugs. At least there was temporary sleep for me.

lisa2012

I got some melotonin to try.... trying to use less ambien, but could sure use some help. ANyone have luck with it?

lago

jittersmom Biotin is a suppliment in the vitamin B family. My dermotologist wanted me to take  5 mg of Biotin… but then realised I was already taking it. Check with your doctor to see if this is OK

WaveWhisperer

Herstrong, my formerly thick, straight hair came back fine and curly, with cowlicks, so. As someone said, it doesn't get longer, just bigger! The top is thick and grows straight up, while the back is like another head, thin and straighter. I've had the top thinned 3 times, and it helps a lot. I use GOT2bGlued to try to hold it down and during the day have to use a hairclip to keep it from being so high.





had no idea that, 11 months PFC, I would have such different and unattractive hair. It keeps me feeling like a cancer patient. My old wigs look better than this! What with the aches and pains, the thinned lashes and brows and this frizzy hair, I look and feel about 20 years older.



Still, I 'm alive and that's the important thing!

_Ann_

Big milestone yesterday.  I noticed I can see an even row of tiny little eyelashes coming in all around both eyes! They're so even and regular it's funny.  Trouble is my eyes itch at night from the little poky things.  I also have some brow shadows happening, but only in the inner edges.

The hair on my head is thickening up but it's still a weird combo of ashy mouse gray where I used to have dark auburn and real white gray where I used to have gray.  I don't feel like myself at all.  I've just kind of quit looking at it.  Still better than bald any day though.

MizMarie

I updated my avatar photo - this is my keratin-treated hair after blow-drying.  13 months PFC - I've had one cut in the past year, which consisted mainly of thatching a lot of the bulk out.

 

Rhonda2

MizMarie,



Beautiful! You look terrific! Amazing what a year will do.

DivineMrsM

MizMarie, great hair!  Your hair grows really fast, there's no way I had that much hair at 13 months pfc.

LeeA

Wow, I'm amazed by the length at 13 months PFC . . . and you were on Herceptin to boot! 

You look great!  

Thanks so much for sharing!

Eileenohio

MizMarie,  Wow you hair is so long and thick. You look beautiful. I am now 8 months PFC and still have to wear my wig.  My hair is coming in very slow and very thin. My last herceptin is February 6th so hopefully my hair will begin to grow faster.  I think my age has something to do with it too.

Myleftboob

MizMarie

Wow, wow, wow! You look beautiful and your hair is amazing!



Eileenohio

My last Herceptin is Feb 6 too! Hoping the growth picks up the pace for sure.

MizMarie

Aww, thanks ladies  :-)  The only thing worse than losing your hair to chemo is waiting for it to grow back, and feeling like you will never get there.  And sure enough, eventually, we do get there....

Eileen and MLB, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much more quickly your hair grows once you stop Herceptin.  Good luck!

kjiberty

MizMarie:  Wow, wow, wow! Your hair looks fantastic!  I can't believe how much it's grown!  

shore1

MizMarie, your hair is really long for 13 months. Does it look longer after the keratin treatment smoothed it out? Looks great!

jittersmom

MizMarie..your hair looks great! Give me some hope! I am 10 months PFC and I just have short curly gray hair. I am hoping it starts to grow a littl faster, my daughters wedding is in July...no up do for me!

ang7894

Mizmarie-- You look fantastic I can't wait to have longer hair.  Mine is not nearly that long and i'm almost 9 mo pfc  as of Jan 30th

catlyn1031

I am 3 weeks out of chemo (4 A/C and 4 taxol) and was initially relieved that, during treatment, I kept my eyelashes and eyebrows.  Now that chemo has finished, I'm losing them!  I think I have 2 lashes on one eye and about 5 on the other - and my eyebrows are pencil thin.  I lost all my (head and body) hair at about the time of my second chemo - and am kind of peach-fuzzy on my head now.  Did anyone else experience the eyelash and brow loss so late in the game?  Thanks so much~

butterfly14

cathlyn1031 - I have heard from others that they lost eyebrows and lashes after chemo. i am about the same time frame as you for PFC and I am holding on to them so far. I bought a Rimmel lash/brow serum at target for about $8. it was recommended to me on another board, and since I have been using it have not lost anymore brows or lashes.

jojo2373

Hi Catelyn, I had the same treatments and the same hair loss. I am 6 weeks PFC and new brows and lashes are growing back like crazy (although very tiny). It was so sad to lose them after chemo when I was so thrilled I kept them. From reading this thread it seems there can be recurring cycles of loss, but lets hope not!

melissa119

Cathlyn1031.... I had 4AC and 12 weekly taxol. Lost all my hair after 2nd treatment but kept lashes and eyebrows til pretty much the last taxol treatment! By the end of treatment I had no lashes or eyebrows. That was nov 7th. Now I have my lashes back and brows are there but not as full as they were which might be a good thing though :-). Anyway. They both started coming in right around Xmas so not that long without them. I just used extra eye makeup and became an expert in penciling in my brows.