Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Nettie1964

Yes, I love the Insomniacs threads also, I'm not as clever as most of them, but I do enjoy reading it!!

My MO is the same as far as test or scan, only if symptoms warrant and so far, nothing I've complained about has warranted a scan!

I'm just so ready for the weird aches/pains to stop!!  I am so not the one to run to the DR. for everything and I hate the fact that now I may have to!  

I have searched these threads over and over trying to find all the side effects that may be possible from treatment and I think I have them all!   I guess, since I breezed through treatment, I'm going to have my misery after the fact!    I'm just hoping that I don't overlook something that needs attention, it's just so hard knowing!

cutiegirl

Hello

                I have been thur  Chemotherapy  but stiil only have a little bit of hair   when will it all come back!!!

It has been a year since my last treatment.           I wonder if i will be one lady whit out hair !!! ??

cutiegirl

lago

cuteigal I see you had taxotere. You might want to check out this thread. linky

KAT4856

Lago,

I love your comment about growing hair back is like watching paint dry. LOL That is exactly how I feel I finally have some dark stubble now I am slowlyyyyy watching it come back on the top. Does the hair on the top of your head come in slower?

lago

KAT4856 It seems like it does. Many of us sported that Friar Tuck look for a while. BTW I grew up just north of you in Randolph, MA.

Nettie1964

Well, once again, I've proven to be the exception to the rule! LOL  My hair is growing in at the crown much more than around my face or in back!  Leave it to me to be the odd ball!

KAT4856

Lago

Wow  Randolph what a small world!  How did you get from Randolph Mass to Chicago, IL.

lago

KAT Would you believe I transferred in my jr year to go to college out here. No one leaves Boston to go to college. I'm the first in the family not to get a degree from BU. My dad even taught there! 

RhodyMMM

Haha lago and KAT. I grew up in Wellesley! Moved around quite a bit after getting married and now settled near Pittsburgh, PA

LizA17

cutiegirl...I'm right there with you on the hair thing. May 7th was the one year anniversary of my last hard chemo. Dec. 26 was my last Herceptin. I'm still wearing a wig due to lack of hair. I saw dermatologist last week. He says should still be optimistic. Same as my MO. Im losing faith but Im thankful to be alive and cancer free.

jumpy

Hi, Lago, I'm intrigued by your "Friar Tuck" comment. How long was your hair thin in the crown like a monk's tonsure? I'm coming up on 11 months PFC and am still thin on top and my hair is still very fine--but it is growing. Thanks, Jumpy.

lago

jumpy my hair grows quickly even on Herceptin. I was topless at 13 weeks. Here are pictures of my hair growth. The dates are on the bottom. It starts with me  1 week before chemo. Next is the day after it started to fall out. I had it cut short and thinned out the day before. The next picutre you can see my hair is thinner and dead looking. Then there is the wig and scarf photo. After that is hair growth but I continued to get my hair cut short: linky  

If it's growing that's a good sign. Some folks are slower than others. 

LizA17 The Armidex also can cause hair loss. Have you tried Minoxidil? I use generic Walgreens brand. I think that's how I managed to keep most of my hair. I have receded a little. I had that problem before diagnosis too.

LizA17

Lago...no I have not tried it but purchased some yesterday. We will see. Thanks!

Lisaj514

lago, I've seen your hair link before. Thanks for posting again. Your hair grew in fast and dark and you have great earrings and necklaces. I also wear different earrings everyday. The short hair really shows off your great facial features and jewelry! I'm going to keep mine short when it comes in instead of the longer curls I had. I'm just wishing for it to come in quickly. Kind of look like a kiwi now, lol!. Hair is soft fuzzy and sparse and colorless but seems to be growing...I think, hope

lago

My hair grew in black and grey including my eyebrows (black ). I don't have black hair. The day after I went topless I colored it. My eyebrows are back to dark brown again

Thanks for the compliments. I go to art fairs and buy my jewelry. Support the artists!

KAT4856

Lago,

Well you must have found someone special not to come back to New England. I had all my chemo infusions done in Boston at Dana Faber.

RhodyMMM

Small world! I worked in Wellesley at the Wellesley Office Park for many years.

lago

We did live in MA twice but I love Chicago. I did find someone special here. Never thought I would marry a midwesterner but at least he doesn't have the Chicago accent. Lots of great treatment centers in Boston including Dana Faber

Carrol2

notice my friar tuck at 10 weeks. Top came in slower but it all evens out eventually.

GwennyMD

Hi ladies

I have not be here for several weeks but I think I may have found another experiment people can try.  My last chemo was 8/15/13. I was on taxatere so the fuzz had been growing for a few weeks. It continued to grow slowly and fill in. By 10/15/13 my hair was like Carrol2 at 13 weeks but mine was all white.  Eventually silver and a few random dark hairs joined in.  By 2/15/14 (6 mos PFC) it looked like Carrol2 at 23 weeks (still white and gray).  Friends and family had been recommending all kinds of oils and treatments.  One person recommended a shampoo with protein.  I had been taking biotin since Sept.  I had another surgery in on 2/15 and started adding protein powder to my smoothies to improve healing.  I began making more green drinks and smoothies and continued adding the protein powder..I usually have it 2 or 3 times a week.  Now, after 3 months my is significantly thicker and  and most of it has grown 2 inches. Since I hated the white hair I began experimenting with henna since it is non toxic.  Unfortunately it does not work very well on stubborn white hair.  

Mikesgirl17

Question....Furry face.  seriously really bad.  Is this temporary or permanant?  It's been 8 weeks since my last chemo.

Lisaj514

I'll be 4 weeks PFC on Monday. I still have no body hair anywhere. Is this usual? My arms, shoulders, back, underarms, pube area, upper legs...nada. (Great not having to shave my legs or underarms now that it's getting warmer.) It feels so weird against clothes. I think I've lost more body hair since finishing chemo. and  the brows and lashes, not so good, although the ones that have stayed seem to be growing longer so I have about 10 or 15 long eyebrow hairs that I've trimmed, and same for lashes (although have not trimmed them). My head now looks like a kiwi with colorless hair but from more than 3feet away I still look completely bald. So long for things to get back to "normal"....

lago

Mikesgirl17 I used this (under $10): linky  

Geosomin

my last chemo was March 29 and my hair is coming back but it's so patchy. I currently look like my dad- the sides are coming in ok but it's mostly bald still on top with little salt and pepper coloured sprigs. Bleh. Hoping my eyelashes return soon too.

I am hoping me starting tamoxafin and recovering from my mastectomy don't slow down the hair too much. I was fine going hatless when I was an egghead. This just looks dumb...it's getting warm and I can't wait to go hatless again as soon as it it even.

The patches will grow in right?

Right?

Geosomin

my last chemo was March 29 and my hair is coming back but it's so patchy. I currently look like my dad- the sides are coming in ok but it's mostly bald still on top with little salt and pepper coloured sprigs. Bleh. 

I am hoping me starting tamoxafin and recovering from my mastectomy don't slow down the hair too much. I was fine going hatless when I was an egghead. This just looks dumb...it's getting warm and I can't wait to go hatless again as soon as it it even.

The patches will grow in right?

Right?

Mikesgirl17

Geosomin, That is how mine started coming  in.  Now it is all over and filling in nicely.  My last chemo was march 17.

lago

BosumBlues the curls will eventually grow out. I think it takes around 18 months PFC. I never went poodle but my texture started to get normal at the one year point. Do note that I kept my hair short.

Lash issues. Mine did eventually grow back but not as full. It took a while. Also Anastrozole and going into chemo-pause might also be why they go back 100%. Not a big deal for me. I never had great lashes.

HomeMom

The thing is we all have the "things" about us that have been positives. You might have a nice nose, beautiful eyes, or a great smile. I've had my big brown eyes, long eye lashes and curly dark brown hair. The last five years my hair has thinned a little bit, and I've been trying to figure out why.  Now I will lose it and my lashes (possibly).  It looks like it could be 8-9 months from now ( I start A/C on 5/30 followed by toxal) before I am a shadow of what I am now.  Anyone use Nioxin? I've used it on and off and I really like it.

My finger nails and toe nails too possibly? How do you keep that from happening? 

Ashira

I soaked my hands and feet on ice during taxotere infusion in order to save my nails. Worked like a charm. 

jbdayton

Here are my hair pics from Dec to May.  My last chemo was June 23, 2013. I have had 3 trims.  It is still very curly and course.  Thinking of trying a relaxer.  If you stretch it out, it measures just short of 4 inches.

The first picture is hair cutting day; 13 days post Chemo#1.  I had already cut off about 10 inches.

  March 26 2013     Dec 19 2013  (Week 25)

    Feb 10, 2014  (Week 32)  Mar 13 2014 (Week 36)

 April 18 2014 (Week 40)   May 16 2014  (Week 44) 

 

IamNancy

Lago- I used the same thing you did for facial hair...try it Mikesgirl17, it works an maybe the hair is just temporary but it grew better/quicker than the hair on my head.

I am 1 yr from chemo and my hair is just like it always used to be except its darker... and I don't have bangs anymore..it just didn't grow in that way..I have had many trims this year to keep it looking nice and not wild curly - its straight now.. and I do miss the chemo curls.. it had more body with the curls..