Hair Hair Hair - Another question

crazyride43

Lee, I have been taking biotin since right after chemo, used nioxin hair products and do a lot of head massage. Not sure if any of it helped but my hair is thick and healthy, and so are my nails. It sounds like you might be at a similar point in August to my 15 week picture. That was honestly one of my favorite hair regrowth stages because it looked like a cute pixie cut and was so easy to style. You will rock your new hair style when your son comes to visit!

DivineMrsM

I've never taken biotin.  I bought a Nioxin kit with shampoo/conditioner/scalp treatment, and used it until it ran out, and have used regular hair products since then.

kjiberty

Divine:  Your hair looks great.

Here's a pic of the back of my head two weeks ago 33 weeks PFC.  BTW, this is ALL chemo curl.  I had straight hair before all this mess.

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj616/kjliberty1/Hair Growth/Hair 6 months PFC/IMG_0373_zps1d9d773c.jpg

DivineMrsM

kjiberty, that's crazy, all those curls!  You can see I never got the chemo curls, maybe that's why I think they look beautiful.

Waitingforthenextstep

kj

     Your hair looks beautiful, thick, and healthy.  My hair is straight too.  So far I am getting some long strands, and a little fuzz.  I am so happy to see something though.  I have clipped the long strands twice myself.  They seem to grow back pretty fast.  I would like to take Biotiin after my tx's (3) are over.  As long as it doesn't have any side effects.

lisa2012

Eyebrows and lashes: kept mine all thought my TC4 chemo. Then one month after last chemo they started thinning out. Now 5 moths of growing in, thinning out, back and forth. I'm just glad for the eyebrow pencil and makeup tricks- never really used much before. I guess eventually they come back, right? Even if less than pre-BC?

kjiberty

Waiting for the next step:  I took biotin right after I was done with chemo.  I also used Bosley shampoo and conditioner, even when the whisps were few and far between.  I don't know if any of the above helped, but I am happy with the results.  I know the curl is temporary, but I am enjoying it!

wintersocks

KJ,

your hair is lovely! fab curls. Mine appears to be exactly the same  .  was so looking forward to those curls. Never mind is good to have it back.

LeeA

kjiberty - Your curls are amazing!  I had to come back from the link and reread your post to confirm that it was all post-chemo related.  

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My hair is kind of wavy but I'm really nervous about my hairline in the front.  It has never been all that thick in those male pattern type baldness areas (for lack of a better description) and my hair is very fine/flyaway.  Or was.  I've lost or buzzed off 99% of it but since my scalp stopped hurting I decided not to shave it down to completely hairless.  In a word, it looks awful but I'm wearing Buffs and even bought a ski cap at the 99 Cent store yesterday.  It fits fine and feels comfortable.  

I don't think that my hair would have ever looked like a true buzz cut - even if I would have buzzed it in time, meaning, before I actually ended up with big bald patches.  My husband has been standing by ready to buzz it all off but I'm curious to see what happens from here.  

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crazyride43, I would be a-okay with your 15 week PFC hair.  It looks like you had full coverage by then.  I hadn't thought about scalp massage.  I may try that during chemo as well.

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waitingforthenextstep, my oncologist said Biotin was fine when I pulled a bottle out of my bag during one of my appointments.  Of course, you should check with your doctor because it seems like each and every one of them is different when it comes to supplements. 

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TheDivineMrsM, your December photo is fabulous!  Is that about the length your hair was prior to chemo? 

lago

I was taking Biotin years before chemo and all through chemo. My onc didn't have a problem with it. Still taking it.

Waitingforthenextstep

I love this thread about hair.  I am starting to see a little bit of coverage all over.  I had my hair highlighted blond before chemo.  Now whatever color it grows back, I am going to leave it, other than covering any gray, and I am going to try to find an organic type of hair color.  I can't wait to ask my MO about the biotin.  So far he has refused all other vitamin supplements.  Only 3 more taxol to go....

Rockym

Chemo curls... the free perm :-).  I have about 6 inches of hair with the curls mostly toward the bottom.  I had my first haircut since I shaved it back in October 2011.  Anyway, while I was out today, I saw a women with my exact hairstyle.  It was strange to think it was her own choice.  Something in me even wondered if she had been though chemo, but the reality is that my hair is what some people consider their norm.

WaveWhisperer

Rocky, all my curls are on the top!!!

Carrol2

KJ I adore your curls, so thick and shiny. My hiar has always had wave but I see now the ends are curlier than the rest so that is what is left of my chemo curl and when they are gone I will miss them. I know sounds odd. Did you get my package yet?

I took biotin as soon as I finished my last infusion. It def helped my hair grew really fast and is thicker and healthier than it ever was and my nails are super strong and grow like weeds. My MO said during chemo it wont help, to save my money. I also use nioxin shampoo system.

Runnergirl2013

I am finishing chemo next week and curious about how much biotin do you take each day? Did any of your MOs recommend how much to take each day?

Carrol2

MY MO never said to take it just that it could not hurt anything. I have trouble finding it so I end up taking whatever I find. Right now I am taking 5,000 mcg.

kimmeam

I am so happy to see the hair growth pictures! I have just fifnished my 2nd T/C treatment & have jsut shaved the few patchy areas. I know it'll be a while but, it's nice to get an idea of the timeline. I will be sure to take my own pics to share then also.

lago

I too take 5mg Biotin too. My dermatologist (nail issues) was pleased to see that I was taking it too. She said I was taking the correct amount.

mareluna

Wooohooo I see a 5 o'clock shadow on the eyebrow area. Finally...

_Ann_

mareluna, me too!  With brow powder it looks pretty good.  And my baby lashes are maybe 2mm long now.  Yay eye hair!

mareluna

Cool! I tried stencils on Friday. LOL Interesting as I did not make them even.

DivineMrsM

LeeA, my hair now is longer than before chemo, actually longer than it's almost ever been.  I never had long hair as a kid or an adult.  Now, tho, I'm just gonna let it grow and see how I like it!  

Here's a few photos of me, the first is taken just as I started chemo.  They told me my hair would fall out at about day 14-17, so I had it cut short, which is the middle picture.  (When the short hair came out in clumps, DH buzzed it off for me).  And then my wig.  Lots of people had no clue it was a wig.

mermaid_1010

It's supposed to encourage eyelashes and eyebrows.. and supposedly even better or as good as before..

jenlee

Oh my, haircuts at a few months PFC! I'll be one year PFC in April and am nowhere near a haircut. My bald spots are finally filling in, but things are a bit thin. I can feel many little prickly hairs coming through everywhere, so I guess they're just slow. I look forward to a hair cut, because the ends of the hair are frizzier than the rest of the hair.

I fantasize about having Carol's hair, but then I bet a lot of us do!!!!!!

LeeA

TheDivineMrsM - wow, you did a GREAT job of getting a wig that really resembled your real hair!  

I think I failed in that department but oh well...

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I still have hairs on my arms but I just reached down and touched my calves and do they ever feel smooth!  I usually have a 5:00 "shadow" by now.  

jayjayc

hi everyone,



did anyone try using nioxin during chemo?? Is that allowed and did it help? I'm 3 rounds into weekly taxol/herceptin and have thinned a LOT (could have probably produced three wigs already)....... but started thinking that maybe i could save what i have left....

mermaid_1010

Hi - I have never heard of Nioxin.. I used cold caps with Taxol..  and never stopped taking Biotin.  I recently learned of silica which makes you grow hair and the natural form is Horsetail. Supposedly not everyone that takes Taxol loses all their hair and hopefully you are one of them.  Hope this helps you.. 

lago

jayjayc I was using Minoxidil before chemo because of a little hair receding. I stopped during chemo but resumed soon after my final tx. You would really be wasting your money to use it during chemo. I even remember my onc asking me if I was still using the Minoxidil when I was doing chemo. I said "I stopped. Wouldn't that be a waste of money" and she said "yes"

I assume using Nioxin during chemo would also be a waste of money

Carrol2

jajay I agree with lago spending money on things to grow hair is a waste during chemo it wont help at all until the drugs are out of your system. I would use a mild shampoo on your head to keep your scalp healthy though. I used head and shoulders during chemo on my head.

LeeA

Does anyone know how many weeks (or months) it takes for the drugs to exit the system?