Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Amazing hair Catlady, Melclarity, Molliefish and Peachy. I am at 15 weeks and still seem to have thin spots especially right at the forehead. I have switched to scarves and hats but am not ready to go with out yet. Maybe another month. Seeing pictures is encouraging that mine to will start to fill in eventually.

Have a great week everyone

Hi All!

I've posted a few times during my journey and thought it's time to post a hair update. My last chemo was in October. A photographer friend took these pictures of me during radiation in November.

This is a picture of me I took on March 6

I used a chemical process to straighten my hair before chemo, but now I'm going to try a natural and embrace my chemo curls. I've been using Design Essentials Natural Twist & Setting lotion to help maintain my curls. This product works well with ethnic/African American hair types. This weekend I stumbled across a product called Deva Curl (The Kit for All Curl Kind) that is designed for ALL curly hair types. I'm really loving this product and Sephora carries it.

Thanks to hotflashes from Tamoxifen, I'm ready to retire my wigs.

very pretty, ditch that wig

Peachy you look adorable. And onebadboob beautiful both pics and what a million dollar smile

Octogirl you can do it! I went wigless when my hair was super short, like a quarter of an inch. Nervous as hell. When I got to work, everybody was incredibly supportive, and I got the nicest comments. Sometimes people can be nice! And ditching the wig, man, so liberating!

Post how it goes! I'm in your pocket!

Peachy and OneBadBoob, you both look fantastic.

Octogirl, we are twins. I decided that today was the day to go hatless to work. My hair is still pretty thin in front, but I don't care. It feels great to let my head breathe! I've also been having hair dreams lately.

WIOW... I did not intend for that to be so big..... LOL but here is me...... I finished chemo on Sept 6th. I have ditched the wig because i just couldn't stand it anymore. I HATE this hair but I am dealing. I absolutely do not recognize myself in the mirror. LOL This is me at work, on the weekends i throw on a ball cap and go! It seems like it took forever to get this long, but it really wasn't that long. I am ready for it to grow much more...

So cute, Leigh!

I am on the verge of ditching the wig. Not quite there.

Kimmer, you look so cute! You too Leigh and Vickie!

With encouragement from all you beautiful ladies I did it! Hatless at work today! Everyone was very nice about it. Here are pics. My hair is lighter in color than previously, and definitely more grey (I had almost no grey before)...but it is hair!! WooHoo

Today is 17 weeks PFC for those looking for a little encouragement. It has been slow, but it is coming back!

Hugs and thanks!

Octogirl

Kimmer, that's just how my hair looked at 7 weeks pfc. Congrats on finishing rads!

Octo, your hair is so nice and straight!!

hear, hear, my sunshine!

Peachy, so funny that you say it is nice and straight. Besides being darker and less grey, my hair before was somewhere in between wavy and curly, and I liked that. It will be a bit strange if it stays straight as it grows, but I am *not* complaining....

Peachy it looks so cute! Yours is a better color than mine was. I had tons of white, but I'm probably older than you too (45). My hair grew in VERY SLOWLY. It's really picked up speed now and isn't so baby fine. I didn't think I'd ever get out of wigs!

looks great octo. Knew you could do it!

On Monday I had someone who hadn't see me in more than a year make a nasty comment on my hair. She saw me and said pretty nastily oh my god your hair and then make a face at me. I just wanted to punch her. But instead i held my grey pixie buzz head up high and said I had cancer and my hair was growing in again. Plus I knew she knew I had cancer because someone I know told her. What a bitch. She made me feel so bad. Why are people mean like that? I know with my 30 lb weight loss I don't look like the same old me who had blonde hair, but really? She couldn't even say a kind word. I felt so self conscious with my grey hair at 45 and my clothes that are now baggy on me. I was going to dye my hair with semi permanent color but decided to wait until after I see my mo for my 3 month pfc at the end of this month. Cripes I am only 13 weeks today and am happy to just have hair. Next week I have to go to a conference where I will see my peers who have not seen me since before dx and treatment. I am feeling really self conscious about them seeing me with grey pixie buzz hair, and after my encounter with this meanie person this week I am stressing about next week.

shopgal...sorry you had such a butt head encounter. Most people are great. I have gotten several compliments on my super short gray pixie. Sending you cyber hugs!

Shopgal, I am so sorry that the B-Lady (this is my hubby's favorite nickname for people like that) was so mean to you....I am hoping that she just felt awkward and blurted out the wrong thing, but still, it is no excuse. How awful! Sending lots of hugs!!

I know exactly how you feel about the conference: I am going to one in two weeks, and while a few of the folks who will be there have seen me in the hats, they haven't seen me hatless or scarf-less. To add to my anxiety about it, I am giving two presentations. Ackkk!! I am not normally nervous about public speaking (I probably do more than my share of conference presentations) but I am starting to get really nervous about standing up in front of 100 or so people with such short hair! Fortunately, one of best friends in my profession is co-presenting with me, and she has been wonderfully supportive, and she does hate public speaking...so we can support each other and get through the presentation...My advice is to hold your beautiful head high and ignore anyone who acts like a jerk. I will try to take my own advice as well. It is hard, I know.

I remember when MO and I were first discussing chemo: I told him I had a big scuba vacation to Cozumel planned in May, and asked if I'd be well enough by then to travel and dive...he told me he saw no reason why I could not keep my plans (Yay, Mexico here I come, in less than two months!) and then he said, 'and by then, you should even have your hair back, to help you enjoy your vacation'. At the time (back in early September) I thought, 'really? It can't possibly take that long. He must be exaggerating how long it takes..' Well, he was right, of course. It is a very slow process. I feel so much better now that I can finally see it for myself. I hope none of us ever have to go through this again!

xoxox to all

Octogirl