Hair Hair Hair - Another question

karody

I was 35 and had long hair at diagnosis.  Lost every hair on every inch of my body.  My hair didn't start coming back in for about 2 months after finishing dose dense ACT.  It was a good 4 months out before there was enough hair to go without my wig in my sales job...and even then people were a bit shocked.  It was about an inch long and the color of a grey mouse.  The thing I really didn't expect was that my eyelashes and brows didn't really return until about 6 months out.  BUT...now I am four years out and my hair is long again, falls past my shoulder blades .

warrior70

Hi Septmom!  How did that Taxol fatigue go?  Taxol #2 tomorrow?  Best wishes for a smooth transfusion and an SE-less week.   I will be posting my Facebook and "fuzz update" tonight.  I also went to the RO for the initial consult today and it went really well.  SO nice to be getting to the end of regular treatment!

Karody, thank you for the encouragement.  It does get better!

melody46

Nancy I finally got the pic to work this is Christmas. 8 months out of chemo, I swear just in the last few weeks its grown another inch and a big poofy curly mess even the straightener doesn't work lol.  For someone who had long straight hair their whole life this is weird! I started Nioxin 3 step after 3rd round and added biotin 2 weeks after last/4th treatment and my head was covered in hair in no time.

IamNancy

melody - you look great... you even have bangs!! I can't get the bangs - my hair in front grows straight back but curly.. I have had straight hair forever so I am enjoying the curls.. the back is not curly but has so much body - I finally got a paste I can use to sorta control it..

encyclias

Having always long straight hair, 'naturally' my hair would grow back in curls.  But I really enjoyed them, especially the wash & wear.   But all good things must come to an end.  I had asked my PCP how long the curls would last -- his wife is a 10-yr bc survivor -- and he remembered hers lasted about a year.  Well, it's been about a year now for me.  Recently, they haven't been looking as well as they did, and yesterday I brushed my hair back from my forehead and saw that the curls comprise about 4" of each hair, and beneath that, about 2" of straight hair growing in.  Now, my mop is a mess.  Can't decide what to do while I wait for it all to grow out at least to ponytail length for the hot summer.

Sending hope and best wishes that after chemo everyone's hair grows back thick and quick.

Carol

 

lago

encyclias I found at about a year my hair started to come back it's old texture. It really takes at least 18 months. I never had the curls but the texture was different.

oranje_mama

I am a long way from being done with chemo.  I'm on Day 9 after Chemo #2 (TCH).  I haven't buzzed my hair yet. I had it cut down to about 1 inch (cut off my hair for a halo).  It is shedding, but it is not gone.  It's not really bothering me.  I mean, it looks awful, but it seems to shed mainly in the shower and on my pillow, and I just spend a few minutes cleaning it up each morning.  For the rest of the day the shedding is contained in my scarf or wig.  It is very thin around my hairline and temples; on top/back still pretty much full coverage. 

I've just been wondering if there is a reason I should buzz it.  I'm thinking of keeping it as a science experiment: how long does it take for all of it to go?  will I keep a little monk circle on top? 

And I'm kind of wondering/hoping, maybe if I retain some coverage it will help when I'm PFC and trying to grow it back.

Did anyone keep some hair on TCH?  Experience with growing back afterward? 

melody46

Thanks Nancy,  I need to take the time to find something to tame my hair any suggestions anybody?

Oranje I buzzed mine down to an inch also and just let the rest fall out.  I've heard if you shave it all the way off it keeps a wig from slipping and itches less

MinusTwo

oranje & melody:  I heard the opposite.  Don't shave it all off or you'll have prickly growth driving you crazy.  I cut it from shoulder length down to 1/2 inch and used lint rollers.  Yes - I had a little fuzz on my head grow back between each TCH treatment, but lost it all again after I started the AC.  Except - of course - those awful chin hairs!!!

lago

loranje_mama I never buzzed mine. I did cut it short but ironically I wear it even shorter now than when I had it cut short. I used to vacuum my pillow every morning for a couple of weeks. Like you most came out in the shower.

The only problem I had was my wig didn't fit right. Even though when I cut is short I had it thinned out too (I have really thick hair) it still wasn't enough. My wig was too big. I wore it 2X. Wore scarves the rest of the time.

In the 2nd photo from the right is a few days after I got my hair trimmed short linky

Carrol2

I never cut my hair or buzzed it but I was lucky it all came out one day in the shower except those weird strands you see that never fell out throughout chemo. I negver had any shedding or mess. They came in handy when I wore hats it looked like I had hair. They all broke off when the new hair came in, which came in pretty fast. I just didn't have it in me to cut it or buzz it. My avatar is me now. 3 years PFC.

IamNancy

Once my hair started falling out in the shower by clumping in my hands, it freaked me out, I had it buzzed close however, those little hairs felt like needles in my head when I laid on my pillow so I had my husband shave it all off.. It helped me deal with the hair loss by having this all happen in 3 days.. I had a hard time getting use to my wig -ended up buying 3 of them - work in an office and having wigs made me feel more normal.. wore knitted caps in my house as my head was always cold.. and today I have hair again - thank God!

lago

I bought a sleep hat but never wore it. My head always warm but my ears got cold. I wore a headband around the tops of my ears when I went to sleep. Now I'm used to it so very rarely do I need to wear one in the winter to bed

RhodyMMM

Carrol2, thanks for the picture timeline. That is very encouraging! You have a fabulous head of hair. If you don't count the first three weeks after my last A/C (cuz that's when it would fall out), then I am about 7 weeks out and finally starting to see some noticeable changes. DH checks it every day . Hopefully before too long I will have more hair then he does!

Have a great day!

Martha

MaryFox

Thanks for posting pics of regrowth.  Encouraging to see that it really does happen.

warrior70

Carrol, your hair looks great!  I'll make another offer if anyone wants to be my FB friend and get my hair updates!  PM me!

Girlstrong

ok....so the ABC reporter, Amy Robach, is the most recent celeb to give BC a "face". I truly am amazed at her bravery in being so public so soon. I see that she just got her hair cut this past week and love it!!! What amazes me is that she is keeping her hair for so long ( her first chemo was Dec 12). Anyone had this experience? I unfortunately had to buzz my head 3weeks post 1st chemo; too much hair loss to save my "do" and I was starting to look "sickly" .

lago

My first treatment was on Oct 5th (2010) If you look at the photo 3rd from the left that's October 24th. I still have hair and not wearing wig/scarf etc. Granted it looks thinner, dead and lifeless. That is clean hair too: linky

I have a lot of hair so that's why it seemed to take longer than others. I went to my 2nd treatment without a wig or scarf no problem.

jumpy

Hi, I'm posting a few pictures that I hope show some progress. I am 7 months PFC and have been struggling with slow hair growth. My greatest concern is the hair on my head, but growth has been slow all over (scalp, brows, lashes, axilla, legs, arms, and yes, there too!). I've been using Rogaine (minoxidil 5%) and the Hairmax laser comb for the past 2 months. The picks are at 6, 6.5, and 7 months PFC.

IamNancy

Jumpy - it may be slow growing back but in these pics you posted I can see a big change from the first pic to the last pic.. it may not be getting much longer but it is filling in nicely..It has been 9 months for me and I do have more hair on my head than you but I think I have shaved my legs twice in all that time and only really had hair growth near my knees.. so not all hair is returning..

slv58

jumpy, I also see a big difference! My hair did the same thing. It grew more on the sides and back. The top was the last part to start filling in. Your looking good!

lago

jumpy I agree with the group. It is slow but coming back and filling in. Also with taxotere induced alopecia I don't think it would be that long. Your hair would be much shorter on top.

oranje_mama

Thanks for sharing your experiences . . . I have thick hair too, and it's only really started heavily shedding the past couple of days (Day 9/10 post Chemo #2, so Day 30/31 post Chemo #1).  It's very sparse where scarves/wig headband/etc. lie on my skin & rub.  It's actually pretty full on top.  I use the lint roller on my pillow every day, and clean out a drain thing-y in the shower everyday too.  It's itching a lot now but I doubt that buzzing it would help the itching.  I have really sensitive skin so I'm afraid that shaving would lead to all kinds of rashes/problems.

It's really helpful to see those growth pictures!  Thanks.

jumpy

Thank you, IamNancy, sly58, and lago. I am still about 25% (or less) of the density I had before chemo. And, going wingless still seems a long way off). I am getting length (top is ~1,75"; back 2.25"); it has been growing 1/3-1/2" every 4 weeks--I measure by my gray roots! But, I am not sure about the density. I don't see too many shorter hairs, but I'll wait and see. With Taxotere induced alopecia hair doesn't usually grow longer than 4" (10cn). I saw my gyne last week and I'm having more blood test run to rule out a hormone issue. But, neither of us thought that was the issue. As least the progress is forward. Thanks for your thoughts! --Jumpy

Donnabelle

Jumpy, hang in there! I agree with everyone, there is real progress from the first picture to the last. It's interesting that it is growing in straight. Mine is so curly and out of control.

I am no good with figuring out product to use to tame it, so if any of you have suggestions I would appreciate it! it is sticking out, especially on the sides.

jumpy

Thank you, too, Donnabelle. I appreciate all of the kind comments. Actually, I think the last picture looks a little better than real life, but at least there is progress. And, if I don't comb it while it is very wet, mine will curl up too. It was always a bit wavy in the back. You can't see it in the picture, but right above my forehead I have a tuft that is dark, curly, and coarse. The rest of my hair is so fine it is like baby hair.

slv58

jumpy, from what I have experienced and have read, the baby fine hair is really common when your hair starts coming back. Mine was white and baby fine. As time went on (seemed like forever) more colour came back with slightly thicker hair. My hair seems to have really slowed in growing, but I just found out I'm hypothyroid so I'm hoping this is just a symptom and once my meds kick in maybe my hair will resume growing. If not, at least there is enough to go wigless and in the scheme of things, it's a small price to pay for being alive ;-)

Your pic definitely shows progress!

warrior70

Jumpy, hang in there.  The Taxotere is rough on hair...it will return!

Best wishes everyone!  Wishing you all growth, lots of it!

candi07

I'm seeing a little more hair growth, not sure if its the Biotin which I've been taking about 2 weeks now. The back and sides are coming in nice a flat, the front top is still fuzz like and sticking straight up. The very top is still shiny and bald...I guess that will be the last to fill in.  I can see some very fine bumps on my scalp...not sure what thats about. Anyone else have that problem? My eyelashes all fell out about a week ago and already both the bottom and top are growing back. My lashes were kind of fine to begin with so it wasn't that noticeable. I bought some fake lashes but don't think I will need them. My eyebrows are coming back as well. Also noticed the pesky one hair strand under my chin came back..welcomed it back with open arms and tweezers.

warrior70

Candi07, how far PFC are you?