Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Nodapearl-you go girl! Knock 'em dead at the bar!

Soaplady-good for you! You went topless and lived to tell us about it!

You should both be so proud!

Hi Ladies,

I ended chemo last September so I am actually about 8 months out and have abotu 3 inches of very cury, soft hair.  I just wanted to chime in on the question of whether to cut your hair or not.  I cut mine at about 5 months post chemo.  I am very glad I did it.  The first hair that comes in is that super light duck fuzz.  When you cut that part off, it looks healthier, darker and more substantial.  It also looks more like a style instead of grow out.  I didn't have a ton cut, but was so glad I did it because when I walked out of there, it looked like I had short hair on purpose instead of because I had cancer and my hair was growing out. 

Also, wanted to chime in about going topless.  It is so much easier than you would think!  As soon as you have enough hair to cover most of your scalp, go for it if you feel comfortable!  You will think that everyone is going to stare at you, but they don't!  They don't even notice.  I felt much less like cancer girl once I went topless than I ever did with a wig, a hat or a scarf.

Best of luck to all!

Tracy

Wow this thread has some powerful woman. I am so proud of our attitudes. Congrats to Nadapearl and Soaplady!!!

I lovemykids: How kind of you to take the time to encourage us baldies. I am 7 weeks out and have a few and I mean a few wild grays that are about 1/2 long.

. I know that there are so many woman fighting for there lives with this insidious disease and sometime I feel trite worrying about my hair and not my bones or livers etc... Its hard it is always been a big part of my identity and sexuality. Now I have nothing to hide behind. (Expert my 6 gorgeous wigs.) I am only human. (wigs are synthetic) lol

Funny thing the other night I did my face and bald head gold and did my eyes in a dramatic Egyptian style. It looked so cool. I could not go out that way but wow what a trip.

Well I am going to go check the mirror and see if anything has changed. NOT

Lainey - wow, that looks great at 11 weeks!  I am praying that all of a sudden I start sprouting more - but at 6 weeks out, I doubt that in 5 weeks I'll have as much (darn folliculitis!!!).  As soon as mine looks like that, with enough to cover my scalp, I'm ditching the wigs too, even at work.

Bold, that sounds so cool - too bad you didn't take a photo!! 

Noda, good for you - If I could get away with my business clothes plus a ballcap, I'd do it in a heartbeat.  The only days I can get away with that casual is on Fridays, when we can wear jeans, or if I'm running a photo shoot, and then I wear shorts and t-shirt to work to climb all over the boats.  The ONLY way I can wear a wig at work in hot, south Florida is to have a small fan at my desk, blowing on my head.  Between the hot flashes (i found out that I should not be taking black cohosh either, so I am suffering with these damn flashes again!!) and the "hair hat", it gets pretty warm. 

Love this thread !  I am on the other side.. expecting my hair to fall out any day now.  I am 10 days out from my first chemo treatment.

Nodapearl - you go girl !  You inspire us all.

Bold - Would love to have seen the gold head.. no pics ?

Chainey - you are adorable, and you are rocking the hair.

Chelev - what did you hear/read about Black Cohesh ?  I used that for hot flashes when I was in the throes of menopause and it worked awesome.  I know I can't take any herbs while undergoing chemo, but so many write that the hot flashes just keep on coming, even when chemo stops.  Figured I would just start popping the BC pills again.    Also, your sister... I don't even know what to say.  I just feel so bad that for you on that one.  Ball is definetely in her court though, you've reached out enough.    

I'll keep reading this thread - know what to expect when I come out the other end of chemo hell.

Lainey!!  I cannot believe how much hair you have at 11 weeks!  I am 16 weeks today and my hair is not that long.

Wblibrary - if you go back in this thread I think some said that the extreme curl lasts about a year and then settles down.

Lisa

Jess, about 8 weeks after the last TC mine fell out.  I know everyone says they grow back in "fast" but mine didn't, they grew back as fast as my hair did, which isn't saying much.

What is black cohesh? I have hot flases sooooo bad. Can I take it since I am done with chemo?

Hi, Journey-Girl and Nodapearl.  Black Cohash is a natural supplement that has helped me with hot flashes in the past (about 7 years, prior to HRT, and then from Feb to last week), that I THOUGHT was safe - it had been approved by my docs, but after doing some research, it has been found to act similar to a phytoestrogen - and for those of us who are estrogen / progesterone positive, this is a bad thing.  If you do not have estrogen positive cancer, it should be okay to take - I was taking 1 in the a.m. and one in the p.m. and it really helped me.  Now, I don't know what to take, and am one giant hot flash.  I was almost through them when I began HRT, and they are back with a venegance!  All of the "usual" suspects are off limits - red clover, soy, etc.  anything that acts as an estrogen replacement, whether natural or not, is off limits. 

Sharon - thanks for the encouragement - I am trying not to dwell on it so much - being back at work this week helps - I have my wig on and can't stare at my head all day!

Lisa1964 - My hair is still pretty short but I think coloring it definitely helped give it a more "full" look and feeling.

Thanks everyone for the compliments on my hair.  The color helped lift my spirits tremendously.  Mentally I have a "head full of hair" and when I pass a mirror sometimes I'm surprised because it's not as long as I "think" it is!  I returned to work today after being out for a week and it was nice to hear from some people that they think it's grown.

Blake - I have no solutions for the hot flashes.  Wish I did!!

Bonnie,

Thank you for the information... I am seeing my Onc next week. I will have to ask her about it for sure. I picked up some Biotin vitamins today. How many mg is everyone taking?

I did have fun at the bar.  It was awkward at first, but I got used to it.  I haven't had my wig on since.  I did all of my errands today sans wig.  Tomorrow will be my first day at work with no wig.  I am nervous, but determined.  I am ready to take my life back - one step at a time.  I am getting some stubble in the brow area and some white, fine eyelashes.  I check them several times a day.  I swear I can see changes daily!!! 

So many new faces! I am back to share my lastest hair photo. It has been 8 months (WOW, did I say 8) since my last chemo. My hair is still very very curly. I have to use the blow dryer with a round brush and then curl it. I think very soon I am going to go have it trimmed and highlighted. I am also posting just a link of all my hair pictures for those that would like to look. Its too big to post the picture.

As for eyelashes and eyebrows, after mine came in, I never lost them again. I kept waiting for it to happen, but thankfully it did not. All the facial fuzz went away on its own. Also, as you can see, I lost that colorless look, and my natural color came back. I think with more gray than I had before though.

Good luck to all of you, just try to be patient. I will post again in a month, with another picture.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii319/goldie0827/Allofme4-1.jpg

God Bless Us All

Lori

Susan,

Just get a teesy weensy trim. It will also help it grow better. That is what I did. My next cut will only be my second one. I hope it helps the growth. Its gonna take me a long time to get my hair back to where it was. Like my avatar.

Nodapearl - My brows started back with stubble and then all of a sudden it was growing like crazy. 

I'm really happy because so far my hair is still coming in straight.  I was dreading the curls I've heard and read so much about.