Hair Hair Hair - Another question

lago

gwenny Thanks I had my hair dyed professionally. We tried the same formula and it came out too red (as you can see in the photo). He did it again and it was still too red but a cool color. Eventually we had to use a different brand and go a bit browner. My natural hair color is dark brown with some gray. After chemo it came in salt and pepper, more pepper but it was black on brown. Even my eyebrows were darker. Eventually everything went back to it's normal brown but I do have more gray new.  I'm sure you can tell by looking at the color changes in my hair. BTW I love the short hair. So many of us do decided to keep it short. It's easier and shows off our pretty features of our faces!

linnyhopp

Hi to everyone...I know that if I read all of the postings, I could probably find the answer to my question.  Since I don't have the time or the energy, I am going to ask my question and hope someone will have pity on me and reply.  I have been finished with chemo and Herceptin for over a year and my hair has grown in and for that I am grateful.  However, my hair looks dry and frizzy no matter what I use on it.  My stylist doesn't seem to have any more suggestions for me.  I do use the argon (sp) oil she receommended, but it still has that "frayed" look to it.  Has anyone else experienced this and if so, is there a remedy you can share?  Thanks for any help or suggestions you might share.  Linda

slv58

you may want to have your thyroid checked. I'm hypothyroid and have very dry skin. Prior to tx my hair was totally fried-dry and unhealthy looking. I had no idea it was probably my thyroid. Once my hair started growing in, I have not coloured it and it has come in much softer/healthier, but I'm also now on thyroid meds. 

Do you have any other symptoms? I'm not sure it helps but I've been using nioxin shampoo and conditioner ever since I lost my hair. I also take biotin and bamboo silica, both reputed to help with hair growth.

PamelaC47

I've been taking 1000 mg of Biotin daily since I was on Taxol.  I'm now two and a half months PFC and my hair is growing in nicely, very even, and with noticeable growth every day.  My oncologist recommended the dosage while I was still in treatment.  Now that I'm finished, I saw her partner who said I could take 5000 mg if I want to, but I almost feel like, since it's growing pretty well, is there any point? Has anyone upped their intake and seen noticeable improvement? I'm kind of wary of vitamins these days, wary of everything really.  

lago

Pamela you should really see if you need that much. Taking too much of some vitamins can be toxic and in many cases if you take more than you need you just pee it out... wasting money.

MsPharoah

Linnyhopp....Hi hon.  I am about 7 months PFC and my hair has a frizzy quality to it still.  My hairdresser is giving me a trim every 6 weeks....just the ends and that is helping somewhat.  I use Garnier Pure & Clean frizz control cream on my wet hair before I blow it dry.  Helps a lot, but I think it is time that will eliminate that dry, frizzy, chemo look.

Like others, I am keeping the pixie do.  Love, love, love it.  If I had know how cute I would look, I would have done it eons ago!  (I'm really not that cute....but I look a hellava lot better than I did when I was on chemo.  LOL

MsP

_Ann_

Pamela, I have heard that too much biotin can cause acne and I did notice that for myself when taking more than 1000 mg, but that was pre-menopause.

MinusTwo

Pamela - Is it "mg"  or "mcg"?  I've had this problem w/sorting out Biotin labels myself. 

I am taking 5000 MCG, which is only 5 mg.  This was approved by two docs. 

mcgis

Wow, there are a lot of pages on this thread! 

What all are you doing for the growing out stage? Mine in a mini pixie but it's long over the ears. I want to grow it long again but I don't know what to do with the longer fly aways above the ear. It's too short to tuck behind and stay. I need to get the bottom of the back cleaned up.

And has anyone gotten super soft facial hair? I used Biotin right after my last chemo and when I noticed the hair on my face I stopped. It's not so bad now but it's still there. Will eventually stop?

hap_k

Hi all, 

I am 15 months out from my last chemo infusion. Not taking Tamoxifen or any aromatase inhibitor (I'm Triple Neg.) My hair grew back in curly and looked great for more than a year. Past tense. It stopped growing in curly & started looking thin. I could see pink scalp more & more. So I thought I should cut it. Now all the curl is gone & the hair at the front of my hair is OBVIOUSLY thin, thin, THIN. I tried searching this topic but most of the posts have to do with fallout during chemo or during hormone therapy. This is different; it's fallout more than a year after chemo. I take Biotin. The back of my head is OK. I have soft fair facial hair, but have no underarm hair, almost no leg hair, reasonable eyebrows & lashes. Has anyone else had their hair thin badly when their chemo curls stopped? Has anyone had their hair start falling again long after stopping all cancer treatment? Has anyone seen a dermatologist? Or …suggestions? Thanks, Hap

lbrewer

facial hair growth is very common after chemo ends. You can buy two percent minoxidil at the drugstore. It's water based as opposed to oil based for men.  I use men's on my eyebrows and have for years. No extra facial hair 

jumpy

hap_k, do you think it might be telogen effluvium? 

lago

hap_k you might have your thyroid checked. Could be a vitamin deficiency or a number of other things. I highly recommend you contact your PCP or a dermatologist.

Mely19

hi hap,

I am also triple negative and also started to lose hair after getting some growth. I never really had full coverage esp at the top of my head but it seemed like all of a sudden 9 months after last chemo I started to lose hair again so that it looked even thinner. I did major searches online but couldn't find anything. I tried different shampoos, increased the biotin, started using oils thought it could be dry scalp basically went crazy trying to figure it out. I did have ovaries removed so thought it could be from that and finally saw a derm in January. All blood test came out fine, no explanation given and was told it was normal to lose 100 hairs a day. I still don't think losing100 hairs and only growing back 50 is normal. 

I started minoxidil 2 months ago and dandruff shampoos regularly and only started noticing a slight improvement a week or 2 ago. It's a little darker but still very thin ( yesterday someone commented on how thin my hair was and suggested a shampoo that helped her! Why do people have to be so rude? But that's for another thread!) I'm hopeful that the minoxidil can do some magic for me by summer so I'm not so self conscious all the time. Btw I'm bout 14 months pfc now. Oh and I have sparse underarm and leg hair growth too. 

lago

Minoxidril can take up to 3-6 months to start working.

Septmom

Hello Ladies,

Just wondering typically how long after chemo do the eyelashes, and eyebrows grow back?  I know everyone is different but just wondering how long it typically takes. I have some hair fuzz growth on my head that I noticed 2 wks ago. I am currently week 9 of weekly taxol. I have lost almost all of my eyelashes and eyebrows. I see a faint 5 o'clock shadow where my eyebrows used to be. I use the Anastasia brow products to fill in my eyebrows. I use eyeliner for my eyes. But I hate not having eyebrows and eyelashes. 

Also do any of you use Nioxin shampoo? 

Thanks!

PamelaC47

Septmom, I lost all of my eyelashes, my brows were very thin but still had some.  I finished chemo right after Xmas, by late February they were back, so it was about six weeks.  The best part was, my eyelashes came back so fast, it was like I had none one day and a full set the next!  My eyebrows grew back completely.  I can honestly say I barely had time to miss them.  

Thanks to everyone who replied to my question about Biotin.  I'm going to stick with my daily 1000 mcg, because my hair does seem to be growing at a steady rate and my oncologist is not so much a fan of supplements.  

RhodyMMM

Septmom, I finished Adriamycin/Cytoxan in November and then started weekly Taxol which I finished 2 1/2 weeks ago. I do have some hair growth on my head, it seems to be filling in from the sides up. The top used to be completely bald, but it is slowly filling in. I noticed 5 o'clock shadow for the eyebrows a week or two ago, and just this week I feel like I have tiny little mini eye lashes to put mascara on (instead of the rogue longer eyelash and sticking myself in the eye!)

Septmom

PamelaC47,

That's great that your eyebrows and eyelashes grew back 6 wks after you stopped chemo. I hope mine grows back as fast.  I will start taking biotin after I stop finish chemo. My ONC does not want me to start right now. I have a few weeks left. 

Thanks again!

lago

I did not lose all my eyebrows or lashes on chemo... but they did fall out 5 weeks PFC. The new hairs were pushing them out. It still took time to fill in. The anastrozole thinned my brows and lashes again. Not bad though

jojo2373

Another thing to keep in mind with your eyelashes is many times they continue to "molt" as I like to call it.  Most the ladies in my BCO group experienced this.  The lashes come in and look fabulous then all fall out again.  I went through this probably 4 or 5 times before they stayed.  The brows do not seem to do this luckily!

jumpy

Hi, I am now 9 months PFC and still have incomplete hair recovery. I have been using minoxidil (5%) and the LaserMax hair comb for the past 4 months. I take biotin, D3, and a multivitamin--and I consume lots of protein (mostly salmon). All of my blood work--including androgens--are normal. My hair is growing at normal rate--now it is about 2.5" on top and 3" in the back--and the volume seems to be slightly improving (i.e., each hair is not as fine). But, other than at my forehead, I don't think there has been any improvement in the density (i.e., the number of hairs). I am frustrated because I do not know the cause--or causes. Permanent Taxotere-induced alopecia still can't be ruled out, but I just found an meta-analysis published October 2013 in The Oncologist on the effects of endocrine treatments (e.g., Tamoxifen and AIs) on alopecia. And, Tamoxifen seems to cause alopecia of varying severity in anywhere from 6-25% of BC patients who take it. Anyway, here are my photos for months 6, 7, 8, and 9 PFC.

~Jumpy

Girlstrong

Jumpy:  I know how frustrated you must be.  The good news is that your hair looks progressivley better each month!!  Slow and steady is better than no change at all.  Wishing you the best. 

lago

Jumpy I agree with girl strong. I've seen a few gals with partial taxotere induce alpecia. They would love to have your hair. With that Taxopecia (as I will call it now) the hairs usually don't get that long. The hair texture will start to improve in 3 months... at least it did for me. First year my hair did grow but the texture was so off much like yours. I never thought I would get my shiny hair back... but I did.

Jules_NY

Hello ladies, 

Ok so sorry if this is repeat but did anyone buzz their hair too short that it pokes you in the scalp when it falls out????? Or am I the only doof?  It is killing me!! Especially at work, I work in a hospital so I wear a scrub cap, when ever it shifts it feels like needles poking me all over, and when I lay on my pillow and turn the same thing! My hubs thinks I should razor it but that kind of freaks me out!

Any suggestions?

crazyride43

Jules, try a lint roller a few times a day.  I know it sounds barbaric, but it gets all those little needles out LOL!

slv58

ok don't laugh, but I vacuumed my head! Got rid of the falling out needles and felt good, only had to do it a couple times a day for a few days! No trail of hair either lol

IamNancy

Jules - I totally shaved mine when it felt like that and it was such a relief.

Jules_NY

Thanks ladies! I was so terrified to shave it, because I thought I would cut myself or irritate my scalp and feel worse so I used packing tape first and that helped but I waisted ALOT of tape and it didn't get it all off so I gave in and lathered up my head like an inch thick with shaving cream and went to town. Soooooooooooo much better now! I thought my head was cold before!!!! It's amazing how much warmth a little fuzz can give!!

slv58

I know, I was shocked also, made me wonder how bald guys do it in the winter! I had to wear a night cap to bed because my head felt so cold!