Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Bluedasher - you sound amazingly strong. I worked through chemo and went back a couple of weeks after each surgery, but when I lost my hair I just wanted to pull the covers over my head. It is good to hear about someone who handled that awful part of the bc journey with such grace.

Sue, I let my hair grow past that point without a trim - -I just did not want anyone getting near my head with scissors!  OK, it's still a bit scraggly, but for the most part it looks intentional (and I even get compliments for my "haircut" - ha!).  Although it may be getting onto a new stage of silliness very soon -- it is super curly and continues to grow UP and OUT instead of down, but I really don't want it styled at this length, I just want it to grow and grow.   

"I am also more comfortable with how I look than ever before--always hated myself for not being a size 8 anymore (about a 12 now) but now am just glad to have a body that functions and was strong enough to withstand cancer treatment--and now has NED!!!!!!!!!! "  Sue, I so wish I had your attitude.  On a deeper level I feel blessed (and I'm not a religious person so it's a big deal for me to say this) to feel healthy and have NED at the moment -- but I can't help it, I just feel so unattractive these days.  I feel so matronly with my dumpy body and short fuzzy hair, and with my smaller bust (one side reduced, the other a prosthesis - waiting for delayed recon) I hate how pudgy I look around the middle. I don't want to shop for clothes, I'd rather not have any pictures taken of me -- I never thought I was a particularly vain person, but maybe I am? I just didn't think of the long-term impact that bc would have on my appearance and self-image... which I guess is a good thing because I didn't need one more thing to worry about when I was going through treatment! 

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, it is wonderful to have hair again and I'm taking steps to lose weight and get in shape... but it's a slow process and I'm tired of feeling like my outside doesn't match my inside.

Lauren

Dear, I hear you about the cowlick!  Never knew I had one till my hair grew back in. In fact, this is the area it was last to fall out and hurt so much when it did and when it's hurting now, many times, that's the area.  Wonder what that's all about?  Estrogen depot or something!

Now we need a pic of your new hair color!  Sounds tempting to color mine....just not sure yet

Oh my! Purple?  You must take pics to share with us, IF you do it! 

I know nothing about washing it out, so you'll have to wait on that one from artsee or someone in the know, sorry

Can't wait though to see how looks!   You could always do Xmas colors instead?  Red or green?

Vin - it's great!  You and I have about the same length hair at this point - I may be a tad longer and fuller, but not by much.  I started going commando a few weeks ago - just got tired of the whole head covering thing. 

I haven't done anything with mine yet except gel it to make it sort of spiky.  You may inspire me to do something wild with color.

See there!  You are beautiful even with Purple (although my screen is showing red) hair!  I think it looks great!  I'll be people won't even ask if you meant to cut it that way, you know?  Because it looks great!  WTG with the coloring, although I'm not quite ready for that yet!  I'm so certain this stuff will come out again!

Oh my goodness!  Brutal is right!  Little whippersnappers!  Who raised them to be so darn honest hey?

Good Luck, report when you ego is up to it!

vinogal - when was your last chemo?  I am jealous!  I would take any color!

Your eyebrows look lovely!  I about 7 weeks behind you so 4 weeks from today I can only hope that my eyebrows and lashes look as good as yours! 

Jax

I came from the Junies thread to see your hair.  It looks great.  You have a lot more hair than me.  I think you should go without the wig.  Way to go.

I have about the same amount of hair, but I can't get mine to stand up like that. Did you use a product?

Nancy....I used my husbands stuff......Alberto Extreme Style REWORK......Fibre Putty.......feels like glue......but really works......it's the only stuff that can get my son's hair to stand up......his is super thick.....they call it rework because the idea is you can rework it.......good after wearing a hat......can stick it back up......stays a bit sticky though......went to daughter's dance without the wig.......but kept my hat on the whole time.....baby steps....

Cheers

Jax

Vinogal ! That's an amazing head of hair! I finished chemo the end of June, three months ahead of you and just left the wig off last week.  I have a little more than you - can stretch it out to 2 inches in places - but don't have the face for short hair.  You look wonderful.  Glad your daughter approves. 

I've been using soy paste. It isn't heavy duty but helps with body and direction.  I'm slightly curly and it wants to go in every direction.  I think I need to get a little trim around the edges.  Beginning to look a little ragged.  

One of the girls in our local card shop complimented me on my new haircut today.  The other two sales girls know I had chemo but I'm not sure if this girl did or not.  The store was busy so I just thanked her not knowing what else to say. I hope I smiled when I said it. She's very nice but I was caught off guard.  I'd never cut it this short. 

mumayan, I don't know the answer to your question.

There are lots and lots of women who have been given Taxotere, either in combination with other chemo drugs (I got Taxotere & Cytoxan) or by itself.  Probably millions of women, by now.

How many of them (what percentage) did not get their hair back?

I think if you read the Taxotere & Cytoxan thread on this forum, and browse through the other threads where women have received Taxotere as a follow-up to, or along with, other drugs like AC or Avastin, you'll find that almost all of them got their hair back.  My hair re-growth took awhile to get started, but now it's doing great and is very thick.  That's even though I am on Arimidex, an AI that some people think can cause hair to be thin.

I know there are some women who've posted on the BCO boards about not getting their hair back after chemo.  Why they would have permanent hair loss while most women don't, seems to be a mystery.

otter 

CristlC  I hate my wig too! and not having hair! and looking in the mirror...I'm right there with you girl....so complain to all of us we understand.....It helps to be able to vent! 

Thanks to all of you that let me vent!!!