HAIR HAIR HAIR

ninel

Hi all,

I completed chemo in November right before Turkey Day. It has been 4 months now and my hair has grown back but it's still really really really short. I had really thick curly shoulder length hair prior to chemo. I am a self conscious person. I don't like standing out. I like to blend in. Stating that, I am having difficulty letting go of my wig although I can't stand it anymore and letting loose with my really short hair..It looks like a Borack Obama fro to me.

What has everyone done with their really short hair? How do I even style it? At what point do I need to go to a stylist? I mean its really short I can't imagine they can do anything with it.

Thanks,
Ninel 

abbadoodles

Ninel, it is not so unusual to be very short still at your stage.  Mine didn't even appear until about 6 weeks after finishing chemo.  I think I started seeing hair just after the 4th of July.  In November it was still like a mini 'fro, very close to the head but getting thicker all the time.

You'll probably find that all of a sudden, around 8 months after finishing chemo, that you look like you have a real head of hair.  I know it seems like a long time now.

BTW, mine was very thick and somewhat wavy before chemo and it grew in thick and extremely curly, like nothing I'd ever had.  Now, after almost 2 years, it is long, has been cut several times and I'm losing the curl, which is still mainly at the ends.  The rest is pretty much back to it's old wavy, loose curl, not straight.  Yours will probably revert to what it was before, too.

I think, being in FL, you should get used to the idea of ditching the wig as the weather heats up.  You can always tell people that it was so hot that you just had it all chopped off in a fit.  Why wouldn't they believe you?  Just do it.

everyminute

I finished chemo on 11/19 and have about an inch of hair - just getting curly.  I got some reddish highlights put in (it is dk brown) and just run some gel and wax through it to give it the messy look and some height.  I have NEVER gotten so many compliments on my hair in my life - I may just keep it short (though not this short!)

ninel

EveryMinute,

Did you get it cut in a specific style? Or are you just walking around with whatever grew out..if that even makes any sense.

everyminute

I didnt have it cut. It grew in very evenly so she just trimmed up the back (neckline) and brushed in some highlights. 

This is not the best pic of me but it shows the color and style-ish.  This was over a week ago.  In that time it has grown enough to be curly so I am going more with the "wet" look and running gel through it to mess it up.   

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ninel

Your hair looks great. Mine is maybe a tiny bit longer than yours, but is not as straight as yours. It's curly and when I brush the top it frizzes up. When I put gel in it it gets too curly for such short hair. Argh!!!!!!!! I think I'll just have to wait for it to grow out more before walking around without the wig.

carolsd

Ninel,

Waiting for hair was one of the worst things. It seemed to take forever. I finished chemo in January '05 and didn't feel comfortable going without some kind of head covering until September or October. After you finish chemo it takes a while for the follicles to decide that it's ok to start growing again, apparently. I had had really straight fine hair before; afterwards it was still fine but curly (though inconsistently so). Now a few years out it's returned to it's former fine and straight character. It would be nice if the curls stayed because they provided a bit of body to my hair, but I'm not complaining. After having no hair, I'm grateful to have hair again. To get through the awkward stage, I wore a visor cap, baseball cap or a denim bucket hat. Hang in there.

ninel

I finally just did it. I took the wig off and went out. It feels great. No more sweating, no uncomfortable itching.

I still get a few looks, but I'm over it.

everyminute

Go NINEL!  I was just told today that I am "stunning" with my hair short.  woohoo!

ninel

Good for you Everyminute.

If it wasn't for the new boobs I'd feel like a boy!!!!

everyminute

I know that feeling.  I feel like the barbie my daughter practiced cutting hair on when she was little -

ninel

Since I saw your pic...I thought it would only be fair to share mine...

Here's one of me and my boys before the dx...

Here's one about 2 months after tx:

My hair is a lot longer now than in that pic. I wouldn't have felt comfortable goign out like that.

everyminute

You look stunning! 

AnnNYC

Ninel, you and your boys are so beautiful!

everyminute, you too!

ninel

Thanks guys...I don't feel it at all. Not until I look like myself when I look in the mirror, but I guess thats normal.