the hair!!! and scalp cooling?

Hi Michelle:

I don't know what you mean by "scalp cooling"?  The wig place I went to gave me some kind of cream that had a cooling feeling and helped relieve the pain and itch when my hair fell out.  FWIW, the pain goes away within a week or so.  And, yes, my hair did eventually come back.  Of course, I was also taking Herceptin and Tamox and one of them also slows hair growth, so it seemed like an *eternity* before it was back.  So let's see, I finished my chemo on June 1, 2007 and I think I ditched the wig around the beginning of Dec.  It wasn't the *most* attractive 'do, but I was ready.

I think you should'nt get too let down if the scalp cooling doesn't work.

You can rock being bald---and YES- your hair will come back. Of course, not fast enough- but it will come back.

My hair is longer now then it was when I was diagnosed-- I finished chemo 2-05, and then finished herceptin 7-06. Once the herceptin was done my hair growth took off- I swear it doubled in length at the two year mark. Now it's half way down my back and very healthy...

I always say that G-d gave me a second chance to not mess up my hair with harsh dyes, blowdrying, and other styling tools. Before cancer I had long locks, that were every shade of the rainbow-- I'm not kidding- I changed my hair color every three months.

Now, I'm so happy that its new, and shiny, and strong, and healthy... being bald, and then going through the UGH SHORT HAIR PHASE--- was totally worth it for the hair that I have now.

Hang in there sweetie--even if it does come out-- you can totally still be fierce!

I have heard that its not good for you to do. It constricts the blood vessels....this is where the chemo travels to kill the cancer. I thought of it too but decided against it, just in case the chemo misses some cancer cells because of constricted blood vessels.

Just my 2 sense....

Nicole- my best advice, is not even to think about how long it takes.  Because the truth is, even after the first year, your hair is still WAY above your shoulders... more of a crop boy cut, paige boy style. I  see you're triple positive like me, so seeing as how you'll prob do herceptin, the hair growth will take a little longer. But once the herceptin is done, that's when the growth doubles.

The thing is, its more annoying now that you have long hair, then it is going from being bald... how do explain that??? Okay, so when I got cancer, my hair was down my back, and my FAVORITE feature, so of course, I was SOOOOO pissed that f*cking cancer stole my long locks. But, once you're bald, you are totally over the long hair, b/c you forget what it was like almost. You have your wigs, and your bad ass funky scarves and big earrings, and you can totally rock being bald.

When your hair starts to grow back you're so freaking excited to just see the peach fuzz, that again, the dream of long hair isn't on the front burner in your mind.  When it's short, you wear it funky and spiky, and use gels and glue, and have fun.  Every day your stupid friends will tell you you have the face for short hair, and you should keep it this way. And you waill want to smack them, but instead you will smile and shake your head. then come here, and dish, and we'll all laugh about it.

Then it goes through that shitty awkward short phase-- if you've ever grown out bangs you know what I mean. But you get past it, and before you know it, your hair is back.  And SOOOOO healthy to boot!!!!

It's G-ds way of giving me a second chance to not screw up my hair this time around. No harsh dyes or chemicals or heat styling... (okay, I love products, and heat, but I'm really careful with my hair now).

The important thing is that you will live to see another bad hair day-- I PROMISE!!!!

Nicole- you're doing the best thing you can for yourself by being aggressive with your treatment... the first time is you best shot to teach cancer a lesson.