CONTROLLING CHEMO CURL

Debs--Me too.  I now use Moroccan Oil shampoo and conditioner, and styling cream; I have very few options due to allergies, but that line seems pretty mild.  I also use a flatiron.  Length helps somewhat, and after two years it is starting to straighten.  But not like it was before chemo.  It is also much thicker than it was right before diagnosis; that might be from the curls though. . .

Warmest,

Cathy 

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I have to agree with cbm, I'm not sure how short your hair is now but length makes a big difference in how much curl. The longer you grow it, it seems to weigh the hair down and straighten it somewhat. Using a flat iron would help but can be time consuming. I saw a girl with short curly hair that had gelled it flat to her head...it looked cute on her. As far as products I'm not sure what would help...I know when my hair was straight I could never use conditioner because it weighed it down too much. So maybe a heavy conditioner would control some of those curls for you. I still don't have my hair, yet, but just from experiences as a hairdresser in my earlier years this is the advice I can give to you. Not sure if you would want to deal with hair relaxers because of the chemicals. Maybe you could talk to a stylist that knows more about newer products out there that may help you. Its been ages since I worked or went to a salon so the advice I gave you may be outdated...:) Good luck to you, take care.

Oh yes, that's another thing...if its uncontrollable curl...sometimes the worst thing to do is to blow dry the hair. It makes it even more unmanageable. Towel dry and leave damp if you'd like then add the gel, mousse, wax or whatever suites your fancy. Style it with your fingers, too, if you'd like.

I am not an expert on chemo curls, but one of my "chemo sisters" is.  She advised us to follow the "Curly Girl" rules for hair care.  (Google "Curly Girl".)  The rules I remember best were 1) put away your blow dryer -- do not use it on those curls, or all you'll get is frizz; 2) put away your hair brush (see #1 for the reason); 3) gently blot your hair after showering -- do not rub it (see #1 for the reason).  The main thing is to reduce the "handling" of your hair to a minimum.  Finger-fluff it a little and let it air-dry.  If you're used to messing with your hair a lot, it takes some mental adjustment to shower, blot your head a bit, and walk away; but boy oh boy, I sure got used to that!

I had super-straight hair before chemo.  Afterward, I looked like Little Orphan Annie ... but only until those curls grew out.  My hair is now super-straight again.  Believe it or not, I kind of miss the curls.

otter

How long did it take for your hair to go straight again? And did it help if your cut the ends of your hair. I keep thinking if I just bit the bullet and cut mine some maybe it will cut the curl off???

Thanks and God Bless all of you!

Here is what my hairdresser recommended:  Blow dry your hair while brushing it sideways (not down) against your head.  Make sure to continue doing this until it is completely dry.   Use a small amount of hair wax to keep it straighter and add dimension and shine.

My avatar shows my kinky curly cow-licky hair after my hairdresser did the above. (This is 4 mos PFC.) Unfortunately, I don't have the patience or time in the morning to re-create this!

Patty