Should I shave my head before it starts falling out

I waited until mine started falling out. I guess there was this hope that maybe it wouldn't fall out even though my oncologist told me that it had a 99.9% chance of falling out. Mine didn't start falling out until around day 16. At first, my scalp was itchy. Then, it got sore like when you wear your hair in a tight ponytail for too long. Then, it started falling out by the handfuls. It wasn't like large sections coming out and leaving bald spots. It was more like a heavy thinning all over. If I ran my fingers through my hair 15-20 strands would come out at a time. Just before it started "shedding" I noticed the ends were dull and looked unhealthy so I cut it short. The hair stopped shedding around day 26 but I had already buzzed it down to stubble by then. Around day 20 it seemed like if I brushed it or even touched it the hair would come out and that disturbed me so much that I felt like shaving it would be less traumatic. My scalp got really irritated about a week ago and my oncology nurse suggested I shave the stubble off. It seems to have helped.

I don't think I would've done anything different if I had it to do over again. There's nothing wrong with having hope that maybe you'll be one of the .1% who keeps their hair. I've found that going bald has been more of an issue for my mom and boyfriend than myself. Do whatever you feel will be most helpful for you. Of course our loved ones opinions matter but this fight is hard enough without sacrificing our own wants and needs.

It's a personal decision, but it should be YOUR choice, not your mom's. My husband also encouraged me to keep my hair, "just in case." I finally convinced him that the probability of keeping my hair was so low, and his denial was painful for me. Finally he understood. So we cut my hair to about 1" long all over, which helped me get used to the idea. Shockingly, I even liked it okay! But a few days later it was clearly coming out, so we used the clippers again and cut it to about 1/4". Within a few days most of that was gone. It was patchy and looked like an unhealthy dog or something. It made me sad and mad to see it. I finally took a razor and shaved the rest. Doing it is stages seemed to help both of us.

Good luck.

I cut my very long hair shorter in advance of starting chemo, but I was the exception to the rule that your hair falls out by day 16. Mine hung on until day 24, so I made it through two rounds of chemo before having to shave it off. I made the decision when my hair thinned considerably after shampooing it, but it didn't come out in handfuls. I was glad I could maintain normalcy for the better part of a month into chemo, and have no regrets about not shaving it off sooner. This is a personal decision, and others are empowered by shaving their heads prior to any hair loss, so you should do what works best for you individually.

Before I started chemo I cut it higher than shoulder - maybe like a LONG pixie. That's when I went looking for a wig. When hair started falling out I had it buzzed to 1/4 inch. I didn't want to deal with rough stubble.

So tips for Yolande - get a soft nightcap you can wear to catch all the little pieces. Get a lint roller for clothes. You can roll the small hair pieces directly off you head, not to mention rolling them out of your hat or off your scarves or the inside of your wig - or your pillow if you aren't wearing a hat.

hello sweetie mine started falling out after First or second treatment in balls so I had my best friend a hairdresser to cut my hair down short then soon after to cut it all off was crying as it fell but it was better I think than waking up with balls of hair in my hand or bed. Was making wedding plans when diagnosed.but after chemo and before rads we got married.. msphil idc stage2 0/3 nodes 3mo chemo before and after Lmast then married then 7wks rads and 5yrs on Tamoxifen

Yolande- like many of the other ladies I cut mine to a chin length Bob, I think I had 8 inches cut off, about 3 weeks before my first chemo and a week after my 1st chemo I noticed more and more hair coming out when i would lightly pull my hand through my hair. I did not think I would be able to handle it coming out significantly so on day 17 after starting chemo I had it buzzed to maybe 1/3 an inch and it really started falling out after that but it was alot easier to handle given how short it already was.

I always told people I took my hair not chemo!! Chemo is just delaying it coming back. Guess my little way of having some control over the situation. My profile picture is 5 months and 2 weeks pfc, taken tonight.

You will look wonderful no matter what YOU choose to do!! Thoughts with you!!

~Katie💗