Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Tobycc

Windgirl, I am about at same timeline. Harder for me since I switched from the taxol family in late November to CMF: one more to go: that one just "thins" the hair.

I ordered a new wig, and had mine cut shorter as you know, as my team at work still does not know. I love the powder she gave me: brush it on, and I have no worries that the salt and pepper is showing through

Tobycc

thinkpos: mine has lasted about 6 months. Not natural hair: but I had sylist cut it the otherr day. I think I posted a pic? Darn chemo brain

I ordered the same one as I have: on back order till May. I wear mine M-F, and on weekends a short bob that is "open" on the top, and a ball cap over that

ThinkingPositive

Yes tobycc, you did post a picture...cute! I have a short wig.. my hair was short and I tried to match the cut so that people would not think it was a wig.. did a pretty good job..looks almost real... but the stitching has come lose on a few pieces of hair and also it rides up the back of my head so I always feel like I need to tug it down... Also seems like it doesn't fit flat to my head. Just uncomfortable.

Sjacobs146

ThinkingPositive, Ihave the same problem with my wig. For a while I used wig tape to keep the back of the wig in place, but now that hair is coming in, I don't want the tape to pull it out. At the salon they said that I have a small head. They were able to make some adjustments so that it would lie flatter on my head. While I appreciate the ease of the morning routine w/or having to style my hair, I will be glad to say goodbye to my wig.

BoobieBetrayal

Hi Ladies,
I remember reading around that some woman get a prescription for a gel to put on their eyelashes and eyebrows to help keep them. I think that it is called Latisse... Did any of you use it and have success?

Thanks in advance,
Veronica

windgirl

Thinkpositive I was fully determined to get extensions as soon as I have 2 inches of hair. I use a lace human hair wig (one that I tape and one glueless) and while it is as comfortable as a wig can be, I cannot wait for the day that I will go without one. Although, I am not sure about extensions anymore, never tried them before and just realizing I may not be able to run my fingers through them. So I am not sure how good it will feel. Here's my hair pic today, about 15 weeks pfc. I "brushed" it this morning haha!

windgirl

boobiebetrayal, I did use Latisse, probably until about the 5th infusion. Then gave up as my eyebrows and lashes thinned considerably. I still have half of it left and will start back soon to help with length as they are growing back.

Chloesmom

windgirl. You look fabulous!

Tobycc

Amen Choesmom!! windgirl, I can't wait also

IamNancy

windgirl - its coming in so great -looks nice and thick!

MinusTwo

BB - I used Latisse for 10 months through two sets of chemo: 1) taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin & perjeta; and 2) adriamycin & cytoxan. I applied to eyelashes & eyebrows once a day, one drop each side. I had some thinning but never lost enough that I even had to use make-up to fill in. The main drawback - at least in the US - is the expense. My eyes are hazel, but I had no side effects.

Chloesmom

So weird. Lots of my hair fell out after 2 weeks, but had lots of stubble where the rest was shaved. It decided to all fall out in the last 2 days as I begin week 6 of chemo. I keep rubbing coconut oil on my head and my palms get tiny shedding all over them. Hairy hands! Creepy

windgirl

thanks ladies

Sjacobs146

For the ladies who used Latisse, who wrote the prescription for you?

MinusTwo

Bosum - hope the dry eye improves and the daily contacts work.

Sjacobs - my MO wrote my RX for Latisse, but just to double check, I did go see my ophthalmologist before I started using it. She agreed with the plan and was willing to write an RX too. Both were skeptical about using it on my brows but agreed it wouldn't hurt - and it did work.

I had decided to keep my hair fairly short since BC after having shoulder to waist length hair my entire life. It looks like I'll have to have a trim every month or look shaggy and that will drive me nuts. Oh well, early days yet to make final decisions since I still have 6 months left until one year past the final Herceptin.

windgirl

SJacobs - I got mine from my dermatologist, but I read in these boards that they are sold nonprescription as well, probably online

windgirl

hello! hope that everyone is doing well this saturday. I have a question on extensions for those of you who may have gotten them after BC or before. How do they feel when you sleep and what kind did you have? Also does it feel weird to run your fingers through? Thanks

Lorbgoo

I would like to know this too windgirl. I went to a consultation with a extensios person and they said I would have to wait till 10-12 months after last chemo. Ugh. It's been 10 months pfc and I am not sure I will get I done. It seems really expensive do you know the cost of it

windgirl

hi Lorbgoo, I think the cost depends on the method. I've been researching online and saw that if you get the strand by strand method whether it is fusion or microlinks it costs more than having I guess it's called a weave where 2-3 inches of hair on a track is sewn. On another thread a girl from Brazil posted pics of the method they used on her when her hair was less than an inch, which was the tracks. I think from a looks perspective each of these methods would produce good results if done by an experienced professional. The deciding factor to me will be the comfort when sleeping, and whether I can put it up in a ponytail. I intend to get them not so long, shoulder length tops and hoping this will reduce the weight and stress on roots. There is a man called Jon Richards who does it in his salon but it seems he uses curly hair only for one inch of hair. Not that fond of the looks he has on the website.

Think the cost can vary from couple hundred dollars to over a thousand, the more expensive strand by strand method seems to require less frequent maintenance so the cost may even out over a year or so. At this point I will just take this as if it was part of my deductible, I've spent so much money on treatment like others that I will take this as part of the treatment and not for just beauty.

I am hoping to hear experience of others, even if it may be before BC on how they felt using and sleeping with their extensions.

windgirl

hi Bosomblues, thanks definitely agreed that this needs to be considered.

208sandy

I was told by both my oncs that permanent haircolour was o.k. as soon as hair had grown back an inch or so - however, no one though extension were o.k.

windgirl

hi Sandy, so you asked about extensions to your oncs and they were against it?

208sandy

I don't make any "chemical" changes without talking to my oncs that's why the permanent haircolour discussion - the extension conversations however were with three different hairdressers no oncs involved in that one - hairdressers just kept saying hair would be too weak to hold and would damage the little hair I had - btw that was 7 years ago and the permanent hair dye didn't do any damage but of course I had taxotere and found out after 18 mos. of very sparse growth that some of us on taxotere never got much of our hair back - I did notice however that three years after chemo I did get a little more coverage and it did grow in length.

lago

I had my hair dyed professionally 13 weeks after chemo. No issues. As far as extensions, they pull on your hair causing problems. linky

Lorbgoo

good luck wingirl with whatever you decide to do. My hair is 4 1/2 inches at 10 months PFC. I think my hair is pretty strong now and. Have dyed it about 3 times and getting my hair done in May which will be a year pastchemo

windgirl

thanks Lorbgoo :

islandmom

windgirl, the ladies are right it is best to stay away from extensions, especially if you plan to let your hair grow long after. I am 4 years since my last chemo treatment and I never cut my hair. It is almost to my waist now (I am short so it looks longer). The first hair is more fragile, it gets stronger as it grows. I do color my roots because I am not ready for gray hair, but I do not use heat ever, and I am extremely gentle.

Since I now have wavy hair (used to be very straight) I use lots of conditioner, regular and leave-in. I have used all kinds and I cannot tell much difference between the expensive ones from the cheap ones, so I buy what is on sale. Wavy hair can get tangled very quickly so I braid my hair a lot especially at night. I thought my teenage son to braid my hair, he is actually pretty good at it now.

The first weeks and months are the worst because we all keep looking at our heads and see very little progress but it is coming, just be a little patient.

Tobycc

Thanks IslandMom for the encouragment! What coast on you on in Fl?

rebeccakay

HI ALL! I am not too frequent in this group, but have been tracking my hair growth for the last 15 weeks on my blog, and am ready to start sharing it. Please take a look! I found that seeing all your beautiful hair progress pics really help keep my spirits up while my first few strands were sprouting.

Much love,

Becca

(link below)

thekidshair

CassieCat

You look fantastic! I wish my hair would lie down on top instead of growing straight up. I'm about 3 months out from my last chemo as well, and the back of mine looks a lot like the back of yours.