Taxotere and peach fuzz

Options
Quasi
Quasi Member Posts: 44
edited June 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

For all you ladies out there who had taxotere as a part of your chemo, did any if you get peach fuzz before getting real hair? Let me qualify what I mean by peach fuzz, it is very very thin hair, I actually did not know hair can be so thin (hardly visible to the naked eye) and it sticks up especially when you put water on it, a real hair is probably 20 times thicker than that kind of hair (peach fuzz), if you refer to Wikipedia you will see a reference to vellus hair, the hair I am referring to is probably the same thickness. I had taxotere as a part of FECx3, Taxoterex3 and I am extremely concerned about the permanent hair loss associated with taxotere and would like to know if what I have covering my head will ever change into REAL HAIR, I did not shave my head but lost it all to the first part of treatment. I am 7 weeks PFC. Thank you for sharing your experience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellus_hair

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2014

    It does sound like you are on the way to growing some real hair back 

    These may be helpful to read:

    When will you hair grow back?

     How to speed up hair growth?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited May 2014

    Take a deep breathe..... you are on track with the hair growth.  Yes, I did have that soft downy duck fuzz.... very white.... almost clear in color and hard to see.   I know that the very tips of my hair are extremely thin in comparison to the rest of the hair shaft so I know what you are saying about the fineness that your hair is right now.   I could feel it every time i rubbed my head; I felt like a Velveteen Rabbit stuffed animal.  I even used some silly putty to see if I could make an impression of my head/hair to see if there was really hair.  Of course, I couldn't see anything on the silly putty... lol.  I did not shave my head and slowly but surely, my hair has returned.  In fact, the last time I had a hair cut was May 2012 ( I gave myself a short boy haircut).  I haven't cut it since it looks like a layered hair cut with the longest hair below my shoulders.  I had a different chemo regimen than you (Cytoxan/Taxotere) and feel fortunate that my hair has returned evenly and to the original color.  I use Nioxin shampoo and hair conditioner which I can't say for sure that it is helping.  I really like how the shampoo smells more than anything else.  You may want to try taking some Biotin to help with the hair growth.  I know some take that supplement to help.  I also know that I did some research on what foods to eat to help with hair growth.  Just put in a search like that on the livestrong.com website if you are interested in the dietary aspect of hair growth.  It does take a little while for those hair follicles to wake up and realize that you are not having chemo anymore.  Wishing you the best and hoping your might hair makes its return so that you can see it.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Quasi
    Quasi Member Posts: 44
    edited May 2014

    I thought taxotere was a part of many chemo protocols..am I the only one with peach fuzz?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sunny_Girl
    Sunny_Girl Member Posts: 111
    edited May 2014

    It's the softest hair I ever had felt when it first started growing out / I can't even describe it. 

    I was a Taxotere, Carboplatin + Herceptin to round out a year patient.  It will be 2 years in July since diagnosis.  I am on Arimidex now and my hair is growing back in, but it is nothing like my hair prior to chemo.  After being bald I realized hair is just the frosting on the cake and mine is taking its time coming back.  

    My toenails are another matter.  Right big toe almost good to go, my left toenail - not quite there yet!!

    Best wishes to you -  

    Patty

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories