hair starting to fall out-scalp hurts!

Oh how I remember this scalp tenderness.  I actually starting losing my hair on the 14th day of treatment just like clockwork.  I then had my head buzzed and my hairdresser talked me into the longer buzz even though I had asked for the shortest.  Now I know that she had no idea how tender the scalp gets as the follicles die.  I was her first cancer client.  Now she knows   If you can get someone to actually shave your head that is what I would recommend.  Left to my own means I sat every night and used a lint roller to pull some of the short hairs out.  Even though that in itself was painful it did give me relief the more hairs I managed to dislodge.  This is one of the stinky things we have to endure, but the good news it is over pretty quickly.  I think maybe it happens so that we look forward to being totaly bald............lol.  Just a little chemo humor.

I am sure you probably now also trying to get used to the idea of being bald and thinking how awful it will be.  I am here to tell you that it is just not as bad as we anticipate.  I am not saying it is nothing, it is a big thing, but we handle it pretty well in the scheme of things.  I had a great wig, but I mostly wore scarves and hats.  I just felt more comfortable.  I did wear the wig for special occasions and holiday family pics, but I think I did that for those around me.   My most precious pics are of me and my six month old grandson his first Christmas both  of us bald and proud.  Now we both have great heads of hair.

I hope you get past this discomfort quickly.

Hugs,

Caren

Even though I had different chemo drugs than you, my head hurt the same.... I had forgotten that part.  As soon as my hair started falling out, I shaved it with my electric clippers and wore a wig the next day to work.  To answer your question, I got in the shower and it seemed that the warm water and shampoo helped, but use a very gentle shampoo.  Sorry can't remember what I used.  I also bought a very soft cotton night cap to wear to sleep and I believe I took tylenol or something similar to ease the discomfort.  I have seen soft caps on the internet.    Here are some:

http://www.headcovers.com/sleep_caps/ 

http://www.softhats.com/cancer-hat.php?sku=S585

http://www.tlcdirect.org/subcategory/AmericanCancerSocietySleepCaps.html?crcat=Headcoverings~Sleep-Cap&crsource=adwords&crkw=chemo sleep caps&crcampaign=4361976754&gclid=CKCL-Pa8waICFYM65Qodtxhy6Q

Hope this helps.

Deb 

I started losing my hair at day 14. Thought it would be the worst thing. It's not. Mine hurt, too. Felt better after I got it shaved. And the soft cap at night feels good.

Oh yes, I remember that sooooo well.  Mine hurt like heck.  Mine also hurt as it came back in.  I haven't read of too many gals that complained of that, and my onc said she was unfamiliar with it hurting as it grew back in, but mine sure did.  Of course, I thought for sure it spread and I now had head mets since my onc never heard of that, but as soon as it got to be about 1/2 inch it stopped and has not hurt since.  Just remember - "this too shall pass."  Best of luck,

Linda

Hi all!

Well, I am the odd one.  My hair didn't start falling out until about 26 days after first tx.  But, I'm almost bald now.  Had my head shaved really close about 14 days out from 1st tx.  I was starting to get upset that my hair wasn't coming out in gobs like everyone else's.  I mean, what if I DON'T lost my hair?  Did I shave it for nothing?  Did I pay $300.00 for a cute wig that I won't need?  But, as my MD said "it will happen".  He was so right.  I am now 30 days out from 1st tx and most of my hair is gone.

If interested I posted some pics on photobucket or me pre-chemo, balding and with both of my new wigs.

http://s875.photobucket.com/albums/ab316/brat352/chemo%20Deb/

What I found that really helps is swabbing my head twice daily with Witch Hazel (make sure you use WITCH hazel and NOT rubbing alcohol!).  It's an astringent, very cooling and really took care of the little sores that kept popping up.  And it feels so nice.  Also use baby shampoo to wash my head.

I wear my wig every day to work and as soon as I get home, it comes off and I walk around the house with my bare head showing.  My one cat can't figure out what happened to my hair!

My only concern is that my white blood count keeps dropping (increasing?).  It went from 4.3 to 22.0 from tx #1 to tx #2.  Normal ranges are 4.5 to 10.5.  And I seem to be running a low grade fever of 97.7.

Well, time to get this day started!

Have a great weekend!

Actually I washed my hair with baby shampoo and used conditioner (just habit I guess) through my baldness, but I never had scalp issues so maybe it helped.

Caren

I remember that it was uncomfortable as well, Day 13 hair started coming out, Day 15 in handfuls and then DH shaved head. I used the Witch Hazel too (a couple times a day and swiped head with a soaked cotton ball) which really seemed to help, also got a very dry itchy scalp which went away when I started using Dove Body Wash on head. Finished Chemo last week and noticed about 3 weeks ago really white, fine hair was starting to sprout. Still bald to look at, but hoping it will only be another couple months until some real hair starts to grow, good luck ishobie!