Information on HAIR

Hi Maura,

I think both hair loss and re-growth depends somewhat on what kind of chemo you are on.

My hair started falling out after the first dose of AC. I shaved the rest right off, and had "stubble" for a couple of weeks, but it all fell out - including eyelashes, brows - you name it ;-)

After completing AC, I was on Taxol, and toward the end of that, white fuzz was growing back.

At this point it's 6 months since I was done with chemo, and I have a full head of hair back - short but cute ;-) Initially it grew in white and curly. Now it's closer to my original dark blonde with some gray. Still curly.

Ixia

My hair came out 2 weeks after my first A/C and started to regrow a little in about 4 weeks then the taxol caused it to fall out again.  I had 12 weeks of taxol and about week 8 it started to grow again.  I have been done with taxol now for 5 weeks.  It came in kinda kinky and white....looked like pubic hair, not attractive, so I shaved it a week ago.  Oh and my eyelashes and eyebrows came out 2 weeks AFTER my last taxol....I have no idea why but I wasn't thrilled. 

Teresa

My hair started growing back the month after the date of my last infusion.  After six months I had a nice, short hair do.

Enjoylife, I have been using a product called Nioxin which supposedly helps with thinning hair (a lot of balding men use it).  Someone on this board recommended it so I decided to give it a try -- I bought the cleanser and the scalp conditioner a short time after I finished chemo.  Honestly, I have no idea if it is helping, since obviously I have nothing to compare it to (never been bald before!).  It has a strong medicinal sort of smell so every morning in the shower, I feel like I am doing something proactive for myself, LOL.  I am 2 months out from my last chemo tx and I have about 1/4 inch of dark hair along with a fine peach fuzz that is grayish-white.

ninel:

 I lost every hair on my entire body on AC/T. No need to shave anywhere! Even the tiny hairs in my nostrils fell out, leaving the inside of my nose feeling dry and runny at the same time...

I penciled in brows, but really missed my lashes. They grew back, nice and full, but not as long (yet?) as they were. (6 months since I finished chemo)

enjoylife: 

I used Neem oil (look in the health food store) on my hair and scalp to make the hair grow. Not sure if it helped or not, but I do have my hair back!

I also went to Aveda and got some luxurious shampoo, conditioner and textureizer . So - the short hair I do have looks great, and I feel good about myself :-)

Ixia 

Hi from Australia,

I too lost every hair on my body and it grew back slowly and dead white!! It took a good nine months to even start growing back.

Now on Aromasin, I have "hair thinning" especially on top so I keep it very short.  I bought myself a pair of clippers and I need to shave it every second Sundday, just to keep it looking neat. Grows like a weed, but not in volume.

I was pretty bold and went bald on many occassions, especially when people told me I should not. Then I painted a dragonfly on my skull!! My grandies were out from N.Y. and they loved it. Baldness did not bother the young, only the insecure!!

I wish you well,

Sashiko