Hair Hair Hair - Another question

Jennifer522- My experience was that fuzz stayed on my head and kept growing while on Taxol. I would not anticipate it falling out!! Totally plausible that this is that start of your hair growth; my MO told me I would sprout hair on Taxol and I did about 3 weeks into Taxol treatment. I had weekly infusions of Taxol for 12 weeks and head hair grew throughout.

Never lost the head fuzz!!

Has anyone tried ketoconazole for hair growth? I saw a Dr. Oz episode on thinning hair a while ago. They recommended ketoconazole 2% shampoo to encourage hair growth. But I don't think the shampoo w/ 2% is sold in the US. Nizoral A-D is a dandruff shampoo that contains ketoconzole 1%. Wondering if the 1% would work.

I'm not on any hormone treatments cause I'm hormone negative. But my hair is much thinner, especially on the top, than it was before chemo.

Deen, my radiation oncologist said hair usually starts to grow back ~3 months after last chemo. I lost mine 2 weeks after first chemo. Started coming back two months after last chemo. I stopped wearing my wig ~4 months after my last chemo as I had enough hair to sport a short pixie.

Twills - I'm 13 months post last chemo and have chemo curls - had waves before but it's definitely curly girl curls now. Hoping it stays but ... happy to have hair.

I use Monat products. I started before I began chemo and have continued. I never lost all of my hair and it is growing back really great. I don't know if I can attribute it all to Monat but maybe so. I use the Let It Grow system which has the Intense Repari Shampoo and Intense Repair Treatment Spray along with the Revitalize conditioner.

I've heard Monat can be really effective. But I can better afford and have been using the Itworks Hair, Skin, Nail products since July of 2017 at about 30 weeks PFC and I am very pleased with the results.

You can get the discounted $33 per month supply by setting up a minimum 3 month autoship and it's been working out great for me!! Shipping is free after that 3rd month! Love it.

Agatha, is that once a day or twice?

I notice they are also marketing a 4% solution as a foam for women.

I've been trying the 2% Nioxin version twice a day for the past few months. The thinnest areas on top and back have been narrowing, but I'm a good way from acceptable coverage to be seen in public without cover-up.

I should probably ask a dermatologist but with all the other appointments I haven't got to that one. And if my hair won't ever be growing back well, I'm not ready to hear that yet.

I went to get my 2nd to last infusion today. A lady walked in with about 1.5 inches of hair all over. It must have been an impressive growth, because all the nurses and NPs raved about how much her hair has grown. She said that she's been using Nioxin.

Put my order in today!

Hi All,

I am just back from seeing dermo who specializes in hair loss. He is sending me for a blood work up, and wants me to start minoxidol (he suggested 10% strength, but I declined and said mayyyybe 5%). He checked with my cardiologist who agreed to my trying minoxidol, as well as possibly switching my blood pressure med, which may be contributing to thin hair. So, in addition to minoxidol, he wants me to start twice a week red light treatments in his office. Any one else told to try that??

I am not sure if I am ready to follow through. I am afraid this is all a money making venture for this dr.

Your thoughts?

THANKS

misslil - I'm doing the 5% foam once a day. Dermo said that more than once a day won't speed hair regrowth. (the package insert says twice a day and I'm ignoring it.)

Nioxin ladies: which products do you use? They have a Minoxidil product that i assume is the same as other brands, but what about the shampoos, conditioners, serums, etc. Their line is pretty expansive.

I haven't started yet, but I may start massaging some Jamaican Black Castor Oil on to my scalp, too. It has a different pH than simple castor oil since the beans are roasted before pressing and some of that char gets into the oil.

Started Latisse on my eyelashes last night, too. I really hope that helps, too!

I have to say, I have a similar concern on going to see a dermatologist for hair loss. It seems like something where with the wrong doctor, you could be brought into lengthy treatments of varying types that might not really do anything.

I'm motivated to deal with this if it's fixable but I don't want to make my life revolve around it.

Hello ladies! Just checking in to say HI to everyone and catch up on some posts. I thought about using minoxidil too but nixed that idea because my Onc told me once you start you can't really stop without losing some of your hair again. That seems like a lifetime commitment for short term gain. So the wait continues for me.... come on hair!

I took this pic this morning, so 7 weeks PFC. I am actually starting to notice my dark brown hair growing back beyond all the wispy grey/whites that are longer. It is all very short and still seems to be growing super slow even though I am taking 10,000 mcg of biotin a day. It makes me really question how much less I would have if I wasn't taking that. I am really thinking it is going to be months and months before I can ditch the wigs and hats. Maybe in another month I will be confident enough to rock the "recovering from chemo" look with super super super short hair. Right now I have too much shiny scalp showing through to even think about pulling that off. From a few feet away it's like I have a little brown halo over my head LOL.

Oh and like lots of others, I have pretty much lost all my eyelashes. None on the bottom, and maybe 6 individual lashes over each eye. I'm experimenting with false lashes but I totally suck at it. It's very comical and I make myself laugh every time I try. I'm gonna need to buy like a dozen to practice with over and over before I don't feel like I have caterpillars on my eyes. I have about half my eyebrows but they are definitely thinning. I need to go get a waterproof brow kit as my pencil is definitely too smudgy after a few hours for my liking. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Curious what the dermatologists say on minoxidil in chemotherapy cases. There was upthread discussion about a small study suggesting you might not lose your hair (at all, as much?) after stopping minoxidil if you'd lost it due to chemo vs. a natural/genetic reason.

It didn't seem like a lot of research to rest much confidence on for that theory, but it would be nice if true.

Rdeesides- But you just went through a big surgery. Give it time!

Not familiar with your chemo regime but I think after A/C a lot of us sprout hair on taxol. Or maybe it’s that we are so bald after A/C, we just see it better. When I say I was bald, I was like shiny cue ball bald without a hair, pre-taxol. My MO was OK with me taking biotin on taxol, so I did.

Of course, that didn’t stop me losing all my lashes and brows. That was super hard for me. Like really, you couldn’t spare me that? Nope!

I can see today that I have stubble eyelashes and some very tiny stubble on top of my head. Yay

I’m 7+ weeks PFC and I really want to dye my hair. I’m reading that it’s bad to use permanent dye or even semi permanent because the new hair growth is fragile? Is this true? Can someone share their hair dying experiences? I’d rather go to a professional than do it myself and have read about Henna, but not sure salons do it. If it were colored I’d definitely go out without my hat. I’m going to Florida end of March so definitely want to color it by then. Thanks!