When will I lose my hair??

chicagomom

Hi-

My first chemo was 15 days ago and I still have my hair. I had it cut short and now love it and am freaking out about losing it as I will look sick.  Concerned about how my kids will take it and just bummed.  When do most lose it??  I have a wig so I am as ready as I can be just hate the waiting game.....Completed first round of TCH on Nov 4th and have my next one on the 25th -

Ozzi

If you are on AC you will lose it after your second treatment.  I'm sorry, but it will be o.k. and it will grow back beautifully.   Your kids will take it the way you take it.  No kid likes their Mom to look different, but you will get thru this. 

rinna40

I lost my hair about 15 days after my first chemo - are there any strands coming out when you run your fingers through? What did your onc say? My kids (age 5 and 7) really didn't like to see me without my hair, so for the most part I wore scarves and head wraps around the house and I wore my wig when we went out. Even now, with a little bit growing back in, they still prefer to see me with something on my head. I also had to wear a little night cap when I slept because my head was cold. 

chicagomom

I am on TCH - my next one is on the 25th - not losing strands yet...maybe hair for Thanksgiving??  I am sure once it is gone we will all get used to it.  The waiting is killin me!!  Also not knowing yet about rads or not......thanks for the quick responses!

glostagirl

Hi jkwick,

You didn't say what chemo regimen you were on.  I've done 2.  A/C & T/C.  With A/C  my hair began lightly shedding after 2 weeks and then in clumps the day after I had the 2nd infusion (21 days apart).  A year later with T/C was almost the same except that it was coming out in clumps prior to the 2nd infusion, which was on the same schedule of 21 days.  Both times I used my husbands electric shaver and buzzed it off.

Many women on these boards have the heart to heart with their kids well in advance and a few even let them help with the shaving so as not to scare them to death after the fact.  My son, 10 at the time, wanted me to do a mohawk!  He was great, kids are resilient.  I had more of a problem with the loss, especially the 2nd time around.  I've been done with chemo since August, my hair is growing back but is quite short, my hubby likes it!  I'm not quite ready to go public with it this short, I might give it a try this weekend, if I get up my courage.

It's good that you got a wig ahead of time.  Winter is approaching, get some soft comfy hats to wear, especially at home because you won't want to wear the wig all the time.  I even had a little cap to wear at night for warmth.  Scarves too because your neck will get cold without hair for insulation. 

Good luck 

lexislove

I did AC, I lost my hair exactly 14 days after my first treatment.

nene2059

I got mine cut short at the beginning of chemo too and loved it.  Isn't that just the way it goes:( I was able to keep it for a few weeks.  I did 4AC and 4Taxol and after the second AC it started to come out in balls when I would run my hands through it.  It did not hurt it was just there in my hand when I looked.  I did chemo every two weeks so it was about a month after I started chemo, maybe a little sooner and it is crazy that it just happened in Feb. of this year and I already can't remember certain parts of treatment. You will be the same I promise.  I do not have children and I can only imagine that their reaction will be extremely important and that it will be tough for you. I am sorry that you have to go through this.  Big hugs to you.  When the time came for me to do the big shave my husband did it and I felt that this was a very intimate moment for us and even though for the next few days I cried because I now looked like a "cancer patient" he loved it.  We actually had a photographer friend take some pictures of me bald and with him kissing my bald head and I think they are some of the most beautiful pictures of us and that includes our wedding photos.  The "cancer patient" feeling does pass and I know it may be hard to believe but there will be a time during chemo that you will be glad you do not have to worry about your hair.  The five minute shower because you have no hair to wash and nothing to shave helped when the energy was low.  Don't be surprised if you lose hair everywhere, and I mean everywhere.  Even my nose hair was gone and that is not something people usually think about. Just be prepared.  I prepared with wigs as well and then hated wearing them and usually did a scarf and a cool hat.  Even at work and no one seemed to think anything of it.  I had people compliment me on my scarves at Walmart and Target.  It is good advice from glostagirl to get some caps to wear at home.  They are convenient and will keep your kids from seeing you "bald".  With time everyone will adjust I am sure and for the most part when I was at home I was bald, no cap.  It became completely normal after awhile the same way that now that it is grwoing in like crazy and people that I have not seen in a while comment on it I am not sure at first what they are talking about because this is normal to me now.  This too shall pass and you will learn just how strong you and your family are.  It is not fair but I promise when this is done and you are healthy and so is your gorgeous new hair it will be ok.  Good luck to you and stay strong.  You are in good company here and all of us past, present, and future baldies know just how you feel. 

chrisct

I did T/C x4 and my scalp got sore the night of day 14, strands on day 15, then more hair loss in the shower the night of day 16.  I avoided showering on day 17 because I knew what would happen - kept my hair in a ponytail that day.  Then day 18 was the big day - so much came out I had to try to figure out how to tuck what was left of my ponytail in my do-rag I had bought.  I just couldn't bring myself to cut it off.  Most of it eventually came out.  Hair just thinned everywhere else.  I still had some arm hair and leg hair - still had to shave, of course - but I'm anal about that.  Didn't notice nose hair loss; I suppose it might have thinned too.  One thing I learned on the Hair, Hair, Hair thread was that eyebrow and eyelash hair loss can be delayed and might not happen until one or two months after the end of 4 rounds of T/C.  My eyebrows have been thinning.  I don't know exactly when it started, but they are noticeably thin now at 9 weeks out.  And I just lost most of my lower lashes over the last week or so.  Upper lashes are hanging on although I did lose a few.  Eyebrows and eyelashes can be lost in cycles also.  If they all fall out  at once and all come back at once, when it is time for them to fall out naturally again, they may all fall out together.  It may take a few cycles before they are staggered enough that you don't notice it anymore.  Check out the Hair, Hair, Hair thread - there's a lot of good info there.

jmar19

It depends on your chemo and how your body reacts to it.  I did ACT and started losing it after my first treatment.