getting ready for hair loss

Hi Kathleen. Losing your hair is definitely stressful. I had exactly the same fear you are having! I wondered if my hair started falling out one morning, would I be bald by the end of the day? But what I found was that one day, about 13 days after my first AC, I noticed that if I ran my fingers through my hair, about 7 or 8 hairs came off in my hand. So I knew it was starting. I waited a few more days and then did the shaving. It was a relief because then I didn't have to worry about it anymore. I think that's why a lot of women shave their heads. It gives back a little bit of a sense of control. The first time out of the house afterward was hard, but you get used to not having hair pretty quickly!

Also, I got my wig trimmed and I really think it makes it look more natural. My hairdresser had me put it on, and then basically gave me a haircut! I've been going to her forever so I totally trusted her. If your hairdresser trims it while it's on your head, and trims a little at a time, you should be able to get it where it looks right but not too short. Good luck. And good luck with tx. #2 - sounds like you're hanging in there pretty well after the first one.

Donna

I went thru chemo a year ago - and yes, the hair loss issue was of great concern!  I also thought it would come out all in one day, but that was not the case with me.  When it started coming out - when you run your hand thru and "lots" of strands of hair come out, you know it's happening.  We had just listed our house for sale when this was happening to me.  I was soooo afraid that ALL my hair would fall out with the realtor there, that it drove me nuts!  The day that I was trying to clean my house, and hair kept falling out and I had to pick it up - was the day I said "heck with this" (kind of!) and I got out my clippers and shaved it OFF! 

Made me feel in control - put on my wig - and that was that!

We know the hair is going to come out - so I figured, I'd cut it off before it could come out!  LOL -

Nothing funny about BC for sure, but here I am a year later - just got my hair trimmed and colored today - and my best advice would be: to take as much  control as you can.  We have to deal what life deals us - WE decide what we do with the cards.

By the way - everyone loved my wig (and no one knew it was a wig, 'cuz I was stupid, actually, and told no one what was going on with me!)  Made me think my "real" hair must have looked pretty bad!

Hey Kathleen, My hair started to fall out on the day of my 2nd treatment. I went upstairs to the bathroom and pulled bits of it out as I cried. Then I gathered myself, went downstairs and announced that we were having a shaving party.I shaved the front, my son and daughter took their turns and my husband cleaned me up. I still have stubble. I use a sticky lint brush to help keep up with them. My daughter loves to lint brush my head.I am glad I shaved it, It would have been too hard to watch it fall out over many days. I wish you luck and send you hugs.Cheryl 

I was the opposite - I refused to shave my head. To me, it felt like it was "giving up". I cut my hair since it had been long, but that was it.

It came out gradually, and I was able to handle that. As far as covering, I'm an Orthodox Jew so I've covered my hair since I was married for religious reasons. This did NOT make the hair loss easier, since covering it made me very aware of the relationship between our hair and our identity, our femininity, and our sexuality.

It's a good idea to take a wig to a hairdresser for styling/cutting ON YOU after you buy it. If you  can find someone who does a lot of wigs that's the best, since apparently there are differences to working with hair on your head and hair on your wig.

Leah

Once my hair started falling out, I had my husband give me a buzz.  Then I went on a buying spree.  I think within the next 2 weeks, I bought 5 wigs, 2 scarves, 3 hats, etc.  I went all out with my wigs.  Long brown layered one, short red bob, really short curly one, longer red one....I even had a pink wig that I wore on New Year's eve. I decided to have fun with it. Once I left work for my medical leave, though, I never put a wig back on.  I wore my scarves and head wraps. I wanted to "own it" as everyone said. 

I had them buzz my head about 2 weeks before it was slated to fall out.  I have very thick hair and I didn't want to see it fall out--my scalp was tingly for a while, so I knew it was time.... I had a human hair wig and it did the trick..... I wore it from January to June--- My treatment ended on 2/27/09 and my hair started growing back around the first week of April.... hadn't told many people, so people didn't notice.... I was happy with my wigs.... they really looked like my hair....

As for cutting them, well, once you do, there is no going back-- I had mine trimmed once because the bangs were in my eyes, but that was it.  I did take one in every couple of weeks and had it styled--- I would wash it, they would style it.

 My hair is a riot of curls now (it was very straight before) and it covers my neck-- growing pretty quickly- and I really like it--although I can see that it is starting to straighten out.  

Losing my hair was the hardest part of this, but I can honestly tell you now that I barely remember it!!!

good luck