Hair After Chemo

Anonymous · December 2009

Has anyone felt conflicted about how to wear their hair once it starts growing back? When I began chemo, I had shoulder length blonde hair. For so many years I had it highlighted, then as it started coming in with some grey, I just went with getting my roots done with a pale blonde that "lifted and deposited" color. I would go every 6 weeks or so to get it done. Now it's coming in so quickly and very thick yet is still soooooo short. It looks like a man cut. My daughter is a color specialist at a spa where she teaches color technique to all the new students coming in. She has always done my hair and we were discussing what I should do with it. My other kids all think that the color is coming in "so pretty". My son said don't color it, it looks so nice and silvery. I have to admit it is a pretty silvery salt and pepper..and the white that is coming in is blending with the darker color in large white silver patches but looks really blended. Yet I don''t know what to decide. I've always felt I'll never let myself go grey because I look much younger the way my hair was, and I've felt that grey hair always seems to age a women. And my hair has always been long and shoulder length, and had many compliments on it. Now being short and natural it is easy to keep but I don't feel like "me" with this new look. Soooo....... decisions, decisions. To color and grow, or not??? I appreciate any experiences. What should I do?

Bugs · December 2009

Mine started coming in looking the color of pencil lead and was "soft as a puppy" according to DS, lol. I HATED the color and was freaked that it would stay that way. I colored it and my stylist shaped it for me. Dang, I felt gooood!

That pencil lead color did not stay and neither did the puppy dog softness. The curl, however...is still very there.

Faith316 · December 2009

My hair was long and perfectly straight before chemo. When it came back in, it was totally white. Not blonde, but white. And, like Bugs said above, it was INCREDIBLY soft. We used to call it my "duckling fuzz." That didn't last, though. It is now brown with some grey mixed in. In fact, today, for the first time since it came back in, I went and had some highlights put in. It also came in wavy/curly. I guess the thing you hear about "chemo curls" is true. For me at least. Not kinky tight curls, but wavy curls.

For the time being, I am keeping it short because it is easier to deal with. After I wash it, I just have to brush it back and let it dry. My mastectomy will be this winter, so it will be easier to deal with short while I am recovering from surgery. After that, I am not sure if I will let it grow long again or what.

Glad to have hair again, but wish I had my old hair back! Oh well.

Celtic_Spirit · December 2009

My hair has always been fine and soft, so it didn't feel different when it grew back. It was long and brown w/some grey prior to chemo. It grew back light grey with steel grey. I have mine colored by a stylist...she marbles it with a honey blonde and a mocha color. Very nice. Chemo ended 14 months ago for me. It's 3-4 inches, and I recently had it restyled. Anyone seen Twilight? I had it cut to look like Alice Cullen's hair. I'm really pleased with the look and think I might keep it like this for a while.

KerryMac · December 2009

Just googled Alice Cullen - very nice!

I am still "on the fence" about length - for the mean time I am growing it out, not getting it trimmed. When it is a bit longer I think I will get it shaped a bit at least, and see how I go. I don't like bangs on me, so I need to grow everything another couple of inches before anything comes off.

I have had various stages of hair, but always longer than shoulder length. It was straightish (a bit of a kink) but now I have Chemo Curls too, which I have to say I am liking! Same colour as before - no grey (good genes there) and thick, which it was before too.

I have to say the hair growing is one of the more interesting aspects of this whole cancer thing!

jenn3 · December 2009

Right now my hair is growing back, but still not long enough to go w/o a scarve or bandana. It appears to be coming in very dark with what looks like some white or gray fuzzies mixed in on top. Prior to chemo I had short hair and because of lucky genes, no gray hair. However, I've decided I will color my hair if it comes in gray or with a lot of gray.

everyminute · December 2009

I had long curly hair - which I occassionally straightened. Every time I mentioned cutting it to my dh he would say "no 40s bob for you!!!" Ironically I got diagnosed at 39 and now at 40 I am almost to bob length :-) life is strange.

My one daughter wants me to grow it back long but frankly it looks better shorter. I am aiming for the Alice Cullen look too. I finished chemo last november and have had it highlighted several times and then lowlighted for the winter and have had 4 "shapings" I am canceling my next appt so I can let the back grow out to bob length before she shapes again.

I have noticed that except for on TV most people with long hair look messy, frizzy and unkept as do most of my pictures with long hair! (obviously some people have nice long hair - like my daughters but I never really did - I just thought I did and wasnt brave enough to cut it!)

KerryMac · December 2009

Funny you should say that, when i look at photos of myself with long hair I think it looks so messy and you can't really see me - just hair! I never ever would have cut my hair as short as it currently is, but it actually does suit me. You are right that life is strange....!

apple · December 2009

I would not use any permanent hair color yet.. just cover the grey. My hair is a challenge. soft curly, unruly.. It's growing tho and looks cute right after I wash and style it.

Pure · December 2009

well I didn't loose all my hair. In the very bottom back i have about quarter of an inch and then spikes throught out that grew in.........

I don't know what ot make of that...

Anonymous · December 2009

Pure, your hair fell out at different growth stages most likely. Hair grows beautifully during pregnancy anyway. But the different lengths would make me crazy.

everyminute, my hair was always curly too, and I often blew it straight. Now it's starting to curl up again, I think I'm going to let my daughter color it and try growing it out. My DH wants me to have longer hair again. All men are that way, I guess, But once it's colored I may decide to keep it short. I remember when my hair was falling out in huge long clumps I asked my daughter to come over to buzz it. At that moment I felt it was harder to lose my hair than my breast. Maybe because I woke up in recovery with a "new one" from the free tram flap. But it was also devestating to my daughter to have to buzz it all off, even though she had done it many times for her clients with chemo hair loss.

KerryMac I agree with you, about hair growing in is one of the interesting aspects of cancer.

Hair After Chemo

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