When will I get hair??

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geogal
geogal Member Posts: 29
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

I just finished my chemo (AC x4, Taxol X12) on March 18, I will be having Herceptin till December. When can I expect to get any significant hair again Sorta tired of being bald.

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  • REKoz
    REKoz Member Posts: 590
    edited March 2011

    Hi Geo-

    CONGRATS on finishing chemo!! Such a HUGE milestone in a process that often seemed like it would never end.

    Here's my experience: I finished chemo in May of '09 and continued with Herceptin until Jan.'10. My hair started to come in- or at least start showing follicles on a bald head after about a month.  As anything else, it's all in one's perspective when becoming comfortable enough to ditch the coverings. I had been coloring my hair for so long prior to BC so I had no idea how gray it really was until it started to come back. Just yet another most unpleasant discovery as a result of this "journey." I found a hair colorist who uses only organic products so though very, very short, the fact that it could be seen was enough for me!  It was summer and it was too darn hot- regardless of how little hair I had..it was there!  My daughter got married on July 25, 2009 and I did wear my wig (for the last time) so I could bear to look at myself in her pictures. I did NOT wear it to the rehearsal dinner the night before and considered that to be my official no head covering "debut." 

    I don't know if it's my imagination or not but I think the rate of growth increased after I finished Herceptin. A little over a year now since I finished H. Today was the first time since losing my hair, a co-worker told me my hair was getting so long!! (WHOO HOO!). It wasn't your standard compliment to boost a former chemo patient, more along the lines of maybe a haircut is in order!

    Wishing you all the best. - Ellen

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  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 2,373
    edited March 2011

    About 6-8 weeks out my hair started growing. 

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  • InTwoPlaces
    InTwoPlaces Member Posts: 354
    edited March 2011

    My hair started to grow about 4 weeks into my Taxol/Herceptin treatment after I finished AC!

    It's very white, with some dark strands, but hey - it's hair!! Wink

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  • 3teacher
    3teacher Member Posts: 42
    edited March 2011

    My hair showed the first signs of growth about 2 weeks after my last Taxotere. Now it's like 8 weeks out and it's growing, but soooo slowly. Maybe 1/4 long- still doing the wig thing. ugh.Looks like it's salt and pepper- maybe more salt, but hard to tell since it's so short. I was a true blonde, but more white blonde. Time will tell.

    BTW, my hair has always been slow growing, so I may not be typical. Also the darker your hair, the "fuller" it looks.

    Doing the Herceptin thing until early Dec., too.

    Can't wait for the first time I can do my walk/jog in the morning without the stupid bandana. Maybe in another month or two.

    Not sure when I'll be confident enough to go "out" (church, parties, etc.)  without the wig. Maybe when it get to the JamieLeeCurtis length!

     Geogal:  Do you have to do rads?

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  • ReadingMama
    ReadingMama Member Posts: 573
    edited March 2011

    I have heard that Herceptin slows the growth of hair.  I finished AC and Taxol on Jan. 18th and I still have only a buzz cut amount.  I'm waiting also...  My main goal is my sister's wedding in July, although I'm hopeful it will be much earlier than that!!

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  • kathleen1966
    kathleen1966 Member Posts: 793
    edited March 2011

    It has been three months since my last chemo.  I am still wearing a hat.  I would say maybe in three more weeks I will be able to go hatless.  It was a wonderful dark redish brown before.  Very rich in color.  Now it is grey with the ugliest drabbest brown I have ever seen. I think maybe this is the pre-hair that comes in before the gorgeous curly hair?  I am hoping.  Otherwise, I will just dye it.  Just happy to have it.  It has improved my feelings tremendously.

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  • 37antiques
    37antiques Member Posts: 643
    edited March 2011

    Hello geogal,

    I sprouted a bunch of light blonde peach fuzz suddenly one night about 3-4 weeks after chemo, so before I finished rads I was the spit n image of my son, lol.  That filled in to a mop of dark waves and curls really fast  When I got my first haircut (after about 6 months) I thought my ends were dry, but the hairdresser said it was actually the chemo chemicals growing out.  When she trimmed them out I had straight hair again, and now it is about as long as it was pre treatment.

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  • flash
    flash Member Posts: 1,685
    edited March 2011

    it will be slower until you finish the herceptin.  be prepared for a couple of stages including the velcro in the beginning.  It will have a different texture until about 6 months after herceptin.  I had  about 3/8" per month and then it became 3/4" per month after everything was all over.

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  • geogal
    geogal Member Posts: 29
    edited March 2011

    Thanks everyone for your replies.  I have another question........I have some of the white fuzzy stuff coming in, very sparse, but also there are two areas at the front of my scalp that have nothing, I am worried that this could be a permanent side effect.

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  • kathleen1966
    kathleen1966 Member Posts: 793
    edited March 2011

    I had the nothing in front of my scalp and at the back on the bottom.  Yes, I panicked.  It is now coming in.  I think if it is coming in, then it will. I have heard that their are rare instances of those taking taxotere that have not had their hair come in. 

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  • ishobie
    ishobie Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2011
    hi, my hair started growing back slowly four weeks after I stopped chemo , still taking herceptin, one more month !Laughing My hair came back dark brown n white, i had it colored right away and it came back wavy and healthy. My hair used to be stick straight n thin.  It looks awesome and 5 months after stopping chemo its a full head of hair,  i changed my profile picture recently--you can see its a nice length. So glad to put that wig away!!!!
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  • nora_az
    nora_az Member Posts: 720
    edited March 2011

    I had my hair buzzed the day after my 2nd TCH. I am now 3 weeks from my last TC treatment. I will have herceptin only this Friday.

    I have noticed my hair really has come out a lot from the initial "buzz" cut but it also has grown a lot too. No bald patches at all just very, very thin. I never completely lost all my hair. Is this normal?

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  • pejkug3
    pejkug3 Member Posts: 902
    edited March 2011

    Nora_AZ:  How thin did your hair get?  I'm on TCH #2, Day 13 and I'd estimate that about 35% of my hair is gone.  I never buzzed it, but had my DH scissor it off SHORT.  I still have coverage, it's just short.  I'm just trying to guage what to expect for the next 4 rounds of TCH.

    Congrats on being done with TCH!  My last one should be June 9.

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  • nora_az
    nora_az Member Posts: 720
    edited March 2011

    pejkug3

    I would estimate at least  80% to 85% hair loss but it's not in patches at all. The remaining hair is growing but it's very gray, and not like normal hair, it's very much like straw. I had no clue how gray I really am  Undecided   I am 47 and have been coloring it for 5 years now.  I started out with a VERY thick head of hair. Maybe that's why?

    If I had to do anything different (in hindsight) I may have done what you did and just cut it very short and see what came of it?  I will be curious to see how it goes for you with your hair.

    Yeahhh for June 9!!  Congrats.

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  • jsw19
    jsw19 Member Posts: 243
    edited March 2011

    geogal, I finished chemo Feb 4th and what you are describing sounds like exactly what I have gone through.  My hair started coming in with the white fuzzy stuff like you said and it was sparse and patchy.  Right around 7 weeks post chemo I started seeing darker hairs come in, more like my normal color.  Tomorrow I will be at 9 weeks post chemo and over the last two weeks it seems like every day I am seeing more dark hairs come in.  I still don't have full head coverage and there is more on the top than the sides but everyone assures me it will even out and thicken up over the next few weeks.  I would encourage you to take pictures, I started taking pictures once a week and I can really see a difference between the last 2 pictures!

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  • kathleen1966
    kathleen1966 Member Posts: 793
    edited April 2011

    It has been over three months and I have maybe half an inch of hair on my head.  And it came back 95% grey when before it was maybe 10% grey.  The stuff that isn't grey is a bland brown color.  I hated it soo much I dyed this small bit.  And.....the dye didn't take. Now I have light blondish copper red hair on the top with the bland brown shining through.  LOL.  Yes, it is funny. I am hoping that this is not really my new hair and that soon it will start coming in, if not the same as before, better than before.  I am really happy to just have hair!

    Here are the odd overall hair growth specks........Old hair on head which used to be a beautiful rich brown/ red coming in grey and dull brown (texture still unknown).......naturally curly eyelashes coming in straight.... pubic hair which used to be mostly grey is coming in a rich black color (there will be no picture)...oh and I have long hairs on my face now too....courtesy of chemopause?  At least their not black though.....but maybe they'll start coming in black and curly soon?  Perhaps joining the circus will be a good employment option for me after all.   

    My avatar is a recent picture that gives you an idea of the length of the hair. 

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  • elmcity69
    elmcity69 Member Posts: 998
    edited April 2011

    Kathleen:

    I finished my chemo in April of last year and it grew back slowly, albeit steadily, at first.

    I can say my hair has grown by leaps and bounds since quitting Herceptin -along with my fingernails-- which is interesting and just a bit creepy.

    i'm too computer illiterate to figure out how to post a picture of me, but my hair is just shy of my shoulders, very thick, and curly (was pin straight and not as thick pre-chemo)l

    your pic looks great. you have a good face for super short hair. and it WILL grow!

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  • indimom
    indimom Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2011

    I have finished 12 weekly cycles of Taxol and herceptin followed by 9   cycles every 3 weeks of herceptin alone . My hair started growing albeit very slowly once I was done with taxol in October. With herceptin alone hair loss is minimal but the growth is slow. In 5 months I have enough hair to go off my wig. I tell you one feels liberated. The thickness of the hair is not adequate but then it is nice to see your own hair back on your bald head. It is definitely more grey but then it is still your own hair. My eyebrows and eye lashes have also grown back. So dont worry it will all come back and I am very confident it will bounce back once the herceptin treatment ends . So hurrah

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