First haircut after chemo??? When did you do it?

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Youngwithbc
Youngwithbc Member Posts: 167
edited June 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After


I finished chemo in March and my hair is still short but it's in that hideous in between stage where no matter what products I use, it always looks like a mess! The bottom at the back and the parts at the sides are sticking out and really long and messy. How did you deal with cutting your hair while waiting for it to grow out? I'm so nervous to even trim it because I want to grow it long again and don't want to slow down the process. If I clean up the back and sides, will it start to grow out nicely/more evenly, or will I just keep running into this problem again every couple months? Do I just need to deal with it for a few months while it's in its awkward phase?Right now I am just wearing hats constantly because I don't know what else to do with it! I liked it a lot better when it was shorter, a few months ago... but I don't want it to be short forever.


Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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  • slv58
    slv58 Member Posts: 1,216
    edited November 2013


    talk about timing! I finished chemo may 8th so you are ahead of me. My hair is growing slowly, but like you, I just couldn't do much with it, especially the sides. I went to our local mall (on sunday) looking for a gel that wouldn't be too stiff and went into a salon for some suggestions. Well the stylist there wanted me to try what he suggested before buying it which I thought was very nice and then he said he could neaten up my ends if I wanted. So I figured why not, well he did just take the ends off, but somehow gave me a style! The back looks so much better. I instantly felt great to be back in a "chair" again after such a long 10 months! Best part, he didn't charge me! I say, go for it, just make sure you let them know your trying to grow it out.

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited November 2013

    One of my best friend's is a hairdresser and she was the one that told me it was time for my first haircut.  Her treat: shampoo, scalp massage, futzing with my hair (what little there was of it), a little colour.  MMMMmmmm.  Delicious.

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited November 2013


    I had my first trim and color 2.5 months post chemo when I only had white tennis ball fuzz. My niece is a hair stylist and trimmed, styled and colored my hair every 7 weeks after that - it's now been over a year.


    I LOVED going to the salon because it made me feel normal, and I felt such progress each time I would go in! Plus, that old feeling that you look better when you walked out the door than when you walked in really helped the self esteem that was just about gone after treatment!

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  • MmeJ
    MmeJ Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2013


    I had chemo first, so had to go through surgery and radiation then more surgery, and was too exhausted to deal with my hair, just grateful that I had some again, so I waited an entire year.


    During that time, it went from super-short (very chic and intentional-looking), to the short-ish super-tight curls (my Jewish girl 'fro) to ... a salt-and-pepper Don King look-alike.


    Now, just this past Sunday, did I have the very last inch or so of the chemo curls cut off. Yay!

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  • christina0001
    christina0001 Member Posts: 1,491
    edited November 2013


    I had my first cut 15 months PFC. It felt great! I have haircut number 2 scheduled for December 3rd and I am so looking forward to it.

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  • Youngwithbc
    Youngwithbc Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2013


    I've made an appointment for Friday... a bit nervous since I really want to grow it out, but also excited because I'm hating how it looks right now!

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  • GCE
    GCE Member Posts: 29
    edited November 2013


    I had my first haircut after 8 months. I felt really great.

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited November 2013


    I think about 7 months post chemo. No guesses about "when". I had to get rid of that hideous mullet tail! I got a new hairdresser, and just love him. I now have a chic bob. In fact, I now look better hair-wise than my entire life!


    But I colored my micro locks and I actually looked cool when first growing out.


    I had about a year when I wasn't overly-thrilled with the length or style. Then suddenly, things started looking up.


    I am due for a trim now. Have to maintain my new look. Plus, a shot of color today.


    I am finally completing the rest of the look. This, with the time I am spending at the nonprofit where I need to upgrade things. When almost all my work was done out of my place, I had more latitude. Now, I have to look the part.


    One caution I would make is don't toss clothes (unless for obvious reasons such as holes) until your hair is mostly grown out. Proportions change when you have relatively little of it, and things will change back once your hair grows out. So a year or so later, I was back to being able to wear almost everything. - Claire

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  • Youngwithbc
    Youngwithbc Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2013


    You're so right about the clothes! It's weird, but there are some things that I used to wear all the time with my long hair that just look so wrong with my boy-cut that I have now. Hopefully that will all sort itself out!

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