Estrogen & Hair

huntreiter3

I am 7 yrs out and my hair will still not grow longer then a boys haircut length. I've tried everything. I think not having any estrogen must be the root cause. Have any of you found anything that helps?

I'm so frustrated. Its not even long enough to get hair extensions. At this point I'm just ready to buzz it and wear a wig again.

Icietla

Hi huntreiter3. I am sorry you are having trouble with hair growth. What have you been doing to/with your hair? What is your hair's texture? Any colorants? Any permanents? What products -- what shampoos, conditioners, styling products, oils? What routines? What type/s combs or brushes? Any heat appliance use -- like blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons? What type/s headwear?

Icietla

Are there purse straps, backpack straps, shoulder harness straps, car headrests, upholstery, anything like that that might be wearing on your hair ends? Any use of hats or hoods?

Icietla

How long has it been since you have worn a wig? That could put a lot of wear and tear on your hair.

Have you been getting your hair cut -- at all? -- in these last seven years?

Icietla

Please read through these__

http://www.hairscientists.org/hair-loss-conditions/hair-extensions

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/02/the-dangers-of-hair-extensions/index.htm

http://www.empowher.com/hair-products/content/use-hair-extensions-can-lead-hair-loss

huntreiter3

My hair is thin but there is a lot of it. It is straight for the most part with a little natural wave. I do get it colored at the hairdresser about 3-4x per year and they always have me do deep conditioning treatments before and after. Never any perms. I use Dove products, I've tried Mane & Tail, I've used Loreal EverPure (sulfate free). I do leave on conditioning treatments twice a month, use leave in conditioning treatment almost daily. Being so short, my hair looks like a boy so to keep it styled I use a flat iron to make it kind of like a Bob style and a lot of hairspray to hold it or it will be flat within an hour. I used to use a variety of brushes but someone told me to use a WET brush so that is the only brush I use now. It's supposed to not damage your hair. I only get trims about 3x per year because I'm terrified to trim any off. My hairdresser said what she trims off doesn't even resemble hair, it's like fuzz. I rarely ever use a hairdryer and its too short to even put in a pony tail or barrette, so nothing like that. I do not wear hat's or hoodies of any type and my hair isnt' long enough for a purse strap or seatbelt or shoot, even my collars to break it off lol. I have not worn a wig for probably 5 1/2 years. Hope I answered them all lol. Thank you everyone. : )

Icietla

[Nothing in what follows is to bash, nor is any of it meant to offend anyone. My post here is meant only to be helpful, supportive, and encouraging to huntreiter3. Peace to all.]

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"My hair is thin but there is a lot of it. It is straight for the most part with a little natural wave."

Mine is thin too – see-through now, in fact. I have lost about two-thirds of mine to a few massive sheds in the last year. About a Type 1c, or maybe a Type 2a? About the same as mine.

"I do get it colored at the hairdresser about 3-4x per year and they always have me do deep conditioning treatments before and after."

What are you thinking is wrong with your natural hair color? You would have to let it grow out uncolored for at least several inches even to see its own present natural color effects and how good its natural color looks on you. [HINT, HINT>>Meanwhile – while your virgin hair grows out --, the ombre look is supposed to be very fashionable.<<HINT, HINT] That is very damaging to your hair, having it colored. There is most likely bleaching involved, too -- also very damaging. Bleaching by any means -- even by sunshine -- is damaging to hair. Even with deposit-only dye, the cuticles are lifted in the process, and their arrangement will never be the same. Then the cuticles will be more prone to damage, and the hair will be more prone to dryness. The color-treated length will always be much more fragile than (the originally) virgin hair. I suggest losing the coloring routine and the hairdresser.

"Never any perms."

Good.

"I use Dove products"

Those are very good. Those conditioners typically have silicone-type additives, so if you use them often, you will need to do clarifying washes sometimes so as to prevent too much buildup. Related stuff to follow.

"I've tried Mane & Tail"

I used two bottles – the shampoo and the conditioner -- back in the mid-1990s. They were fairly drying -- not good if you want longer hair.

"I do leave on conditioning treatments twice a month, use leave in conditioning treatment almost daily"

What products? You do not want too much protein, and you do not want your hair over-moisturized, either. Either condition can set you back from your goal of length retention. So can too much product/s buildup. You should clarify often if you are going to keep that up. Does your hair even need any leave-ins? Hair of its type at its length should not need more than a rinse-out conditioner following shampooing.

"I've used Loreal EverPure (sulfate free)"

There is no need for you to use the sulfate-free stuff unless you are sulfate-sensitive. [Even in that case, depending on certain scalp conditions, you might want to use a sulfate-containing shampoo once in a while anyway.] Your hair color will last longer with them, yes, but those sulfate-free products are not going to get the silicones and styling products and other products out of your hair. Go wash your hair and scalp very well, twice, with some sulfate-containing shampoo, right now. Do not use hot water. Tepid is okay, warm is okay, hot is not okay, okay?

"I use a flat iron"

Yikes. I suggest losing the flat iron. If you keep using it, your hair will keep getting shorter. You would have a much easier time with your hair routines, anyway, if you were not fighting the nature of your hair. Flat irons and other heat appliances can cause your hair strands to burst apart, even mid-shaft. Please read this__

http://www.hairscientists.org/hair-shaft-defects/bubble-hair

"and a lot of hairspray to hold it or it will be flat "

What is wrong with flat hair? If you want it wavier, you could do "plopping" of your wet hair with a T-shirt or a microfiber towel-turban. [If that does not produce some waviness, it is because heat damage has altered your hair's structure and its natural tendency to get wavier with "plopping."] I suggest losing the hairspray. The hairspray makes for product buildup, for one thing. For another, those products are drying to hair. Another thing -- the glued-together hair shafts get ripped, even to down into the cortex, into thinner, jagged shreds when they are separated. Here is a Before picture –

"I rarely ever use a hairdryer"

For very good reason, they are also known as blowfryers. As they are typically used, they over-heat hair. They tend to dry out the hairs – for a (still attached to original owner) human hair strand to keep pretty well intact over a very long time, it needs its moisture pretty well maintained. Blowfryers also subject the hair strands to needless wear by friction. Furthermore, blowfryers can cause tangling. I suggest losing your blowfryer. If you want your wet hair to dry quickly, wrap it in one dry microfiber towel-turban for about ten minutes, then change it to another dry one for about ten minutes. Your hair should be very nearly dry by then.

"someone told me to use a WET brush so that is the only brush I use now. It's supposed to not damage your hair"

That brush appears capable of causing a great deal of hair damage, especially to longer hair. I suggest losing that brush. The best hairbrush for your hair type would be one having only natural boar bristles. You should use it only on dry hair, never on wet or damp hair. One's hair should also be completely detangled before brushing. A hairbrush is a finishing.tool, not a detangling tool. The best combs are wide-toothed and seamless. Take a look at the Mason Pearson rake comb. All its surfaces are polished smooth so there are no seams nor sharp edges to damage hair. The Madora Salon offers a comparable detangling comb.

"I only get trims about 3x per year because I'm terrified to trim any off"

This makes no sense, but it probably explains a great deal. If you are trying to grow your hair longer, do not get it cut except only as absolutely necessary to have split ends or other intolerably damaged hair trimmed off. Unless one wants it shorter, there is no other reason to have it cut. Having it cut will make it that much shorter, every time. Again, I suggest losing the hairdresser. If you treat your (virgin, Type 1c to 2a) hair only kindly, you should be able to go for several years without splits developing at your ends. Barring Chemotherapy – and you are all done with that --, scalp burns, and other serious impediments to hair growth – including but not limited to many – if not most -- hairdressers --, most anyone can grow their hair to at least classic length. Yes, yours can make it to the length you want. See, length retention is not nearly so much about what one does to it as it is about what one does not do to it. [ Understand, I am trying to point you to (or towards) the water, so to speak. Getting yourself to there, conditions permitting, is up to you.]

"My hairdresser said what she trims off doesn't even resemble hair, it's like fuzz."

If that is indeed the case – what she said about what she cuts off--, it is probably fried (and/or otherwise severely damaged) ends. Did you examine her scissors for sharpness? Did you observe whether she was cutting perpendicular to – straight across – the arrangement of your hair strands? Have you measured or otherwise examined the hair she has cut off from yours? How long (or how short) is her own hair? Did she even tell you any of this stuff I have been telling you? Do you ever see what might be little hair bits or fried hair fragments scattered around when you have brushed your hair? Do you have a household member or friend who can examine your hair ends and tell you whether they appear blunt or whether they are so damaged as to appear fuzz-like? I suggest losing the hairdresser.

"its too short to even put in a pony tail or barrette, so nothing like that"

When you have let your hair grow to that length, please check with me first if you are even thinking of doing anything like that. There are more and less damaging ways to do hair restraint.

"I've tried everything."

You have not tried everything. I suggest you try "benign neglect" -- taking it really easy, doing nearly nothing to your hair – just shampoo and rinse-out conditioner (I suggest a moisturizing conditioner having "-cones"), but only when it really really really needs washing; then (gently) detangle by comb; then simply "plop" your wet hair to dry it (until the time comes that you need protective styling) – Nothing more – Nothing else.

"Have any of you found anything that helps?"

Benign neglect and a big bottle of patience. You can do it!

huntreiter3

Thank you Icietla. No worries, I did not find anything you said offensive. I always prefer blunt and to the point. : )

I will just have a very hard time letting my hair go natural. I'm not much about looks. I don't spend hours in front of the mirror and I don't have fancy clothes or shoes. I'm a jeans and tee shirt kinda girl but I've been a huge hair spray fanatic since the 80's lol and that will be like quitting an addiction. Hard, but I will work on doing it!

But, I'm also a professional by day and I do want to look decent. I want a hair "style" of some sort so I do not look unkempt. When I've tried leaving it down and doing nothing it just looks awful to me. Maybe I just need to get used to it. I'm sure its more of a self confidence issue. I guess sometimes we have to sacrifice to get to our goal right.

I will certainly stick to Dove and a clarifying shampoo once in awhile. Change hairdressers and the comb and brush choices immediately. I also have no problem stopping the color. I havent done it in a long time anyway so I have a great start on that. : )

Grace4life

I am three years out from my diagnosis. I am also triple positive. I managed to keep all of my hair using the Digni cap during chemotherapy. I'm glad I did, because ever since I started taking the estrogen blockers my hair has not grown at all and has thined quite a bit,and fallien out in some places. Ihad very thick hair when I started my treatment. I have not straightened it or used any harsh chemicals since I began this journey.

I am convinced that hair is definitely adversely affected by the estrogen levels in your system. My only hope is that in two more years when I finish my aromatase pills I will get the chance to grow my hair again.

There is definitely a Darkside of continuing treatment. I won't stop taking my pills because I do believe they will help me with avoiding a recurrence. For me, and most of us, that's what matters most.

Good luck with working out your hair frustrations!

Meow13

Estrogen is a factor, before cancer when I went into menopause I lost my thick hair 50% loss. I was very much post menopausal atleast 5 years when I got BC, AI drugs didn't affect my hair much. Now that I have been off for atleast one year my hair does look a bit better maybe shinier.

keepthefaith

Have you tried any products with Biotin? I think Vitamin A is good for hair also.

Jackster51

huntreiter, did you have chemo?

Icietla

Hi huntreiter3. The boar bristle hairbrushes are very affordable at some of the chain beauty supply shops. I was not suggesting that you change hairdressers, no -- only that you do not need any until and unless you have no other way to get your hair trimmed when it needs trimming.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=121839

huntreiter3

Yes Jackster51, I did have chemo. Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin followed by Tamoxifen and finished up with Arimidex.

Keepthefaith - I do take bioten supplements daily.

Thank you Icietla for clarifying. I kind of liked her : )

Jackster51

Did your hair return after chemo and then start to thin? Or never come back properly? My hair never returned after Taxotere. About a 10% chance of that happening with Taxotere.

Gussy

I finished Taxol late Jan. and still don't have much hair - maybe an inch here and there. There doesn't seem to much rhyme or reason to it - patches of short with patches of longer. Eyelashes and brows and other body areas are back pretty good though. I will be wearing a wig for the forseeable future.