Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments

Will I for sure lose my hair or does it usually take more treatments. If so, I want to look into donating my hair to make a wig for someone else. Any suggestions on doing this? I have a friend who from the beginning of my diagnosis 2 months ago has been almost obsessed with my losing my hair %26amp; usually the only time she contacts me is to tell me that she has this or that suggestion for a wig, etc. It's become almost annoying %26amp; I finally told her that I wanted to wait %26amp; deal with that when/if it truly happened. It seemed this was the only thing she was concerned with. Why would that be?

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

I was stage II with a very invasive form of BC. I was put on Adriamiacin, Cytoxin, and 5FU. I managed to do 6 out of the 8 recommended treatments, 3 mos. of Taxotere, and almost 6 mos. of Herceptin. Plus the radiation, of course.

I was told I would lose all of my hair within 2 weeks of starting on Adriamiacin (the nurses called it nair in a bag). Everyone was amazed that it took nearly a month to completely fall out (I had really thick hair - and I do again). By that time it was just an annoyance so I shaved it. As traumatic as it feels I got over it - and I have always been extremely vain when it comes to my hair. Making the decision my own and shaving it earlier on would have been better, thinking back. I was more comfortable in head wraps and headbands/hats than with wigs (too warm). I did find some great deals on wig/headband combos on ebay, lol.

Your girlfriend may be experiencing anxiety on your behalf. Just try talking to her about it. Gently let her know that you have enough to worry about, you appreciate her concern, and you will figure out what you best course is. Perhaps let her be involved in giving an opinion should you decide to opt for a wig.

I did try to look at it as getting to start over fresh with my hair - I could retrain it and not have any of the chemical 'mistakes' I had submitted my hair to years ago, lol. All of those lovely perms. I did lose most of my eyebrows and eyelashes from the Adriamiacin, also. Some women lose body hair, too. It started growing back immediately after chemo stopped. I had peach fuzz within a month. Within 2 mos I had about 1/2 inch of regrowth and was told how chic I looked by many (I was only 31 when diagnosed). My eyebrows grew back fine but I had trouble with my eyelashes - they grew back mutated and spiral-curled. My ophthalmologist told me to keep plucking them until they grew back normal again. It took 3 times of doing this but they are fine now.

If you are put on Taxol or Taxotere as 'adjuvent' chemo (those docs just love offering extra treatments) the hair regrowth may be slowed down a bit.

It will not be a fun journey but I can honestly say I am a better person for having gone through what I did.

As a sidenote, if you are married, try to allow your spouse to be actively involved in your treatments and recovery. The spouse often experiences feelings of loss, powerlessness, and depression as he sees you going through your treatments. He may put on a brave front but make sure he knows he is appreciated.

Best of luck, girlfriend.

Blessed Be.

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

I don't know if u will lose ur hair in that time. U might ask the nurses who will be giving u the chemo. If u want to donate ur hair, u can go to any salon and tell them, and they will wash it and cut it for u and send it to Locks of Love or someplace like it. Some places cut ur hair for free if u r donating it. Ur friend is probably obsessing because she is having a hard time dealing with ur diagnosis. It is common for people close to u to be scared too. Maybe she doesn't really understand what is goingto happen.

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

Some people are more superficial then others, i think its great that you want to donate your hair, and i am pretty sure that you will lose your hair but it will take a few treatments.

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

You have not told what type of cancer you have and its stage and grade. you may be going for 4 cycles of chemotherapy but what is the duration is it for one day or for 4 days. In more than 85% cases hair loss is inevitable. It will not fall as it is in one stroke to donate it. It will go on fall one by one as and when the cells holding the hair gets the medicinal effect. forget about donating. It is better you order for a wig similar to the present type and length of your hair so that when you loos hair after chemo it will not be visible. Take lot of fluids as it will help to flush your system from the medicinal effects. Do not take food from outside as you will be prune for infections. Take good lot of Protien supplements. Your sentiments will become low and you will get irritated for the grueling side effects. It would have been to give better and more suggestion had you told the nature of disease with stage and grade. Please put up with it and take all the treatments boldly. It is very necessary as CANCER IS STILL AN ENIGMA.

Best of luck for early recovery from the disease.

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

i lost some of my hair but not through chemo. Not everyone will have hair loss through chemo it depends on the cocktail of drugs they are using. I did read somewhere about head caps that cool your head down while having the treatment helps prevent this but i cant remember where i read it. You do right to deal with it in your own time, if/when it happens. For a woman it is hard to have hair loss, people can be so very cruel!!!

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

many people regain hair growth at 3 months post chemo - hope you will be the lucky ones

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

My son had nine high dose chemo treatments, surgical hyperthermic chemoperfusion, and nine more cycles of chemotherapy over an 18 month period. He did not lose his hair immediately, probably because he has coarse and thick hair. He lost the thicker hair first about the third month. But had really fine light hair for a few more months. He did eventually lose it all. That was the first round of chemo. During the second round of chemo he was on Irinotecan and Temodar and his hair grew back. So, it really depends upon the dosage and length of time you are in treatment and the type of hair you have. It never bothered my son to lose his hair and he would have gone around bald but he didn't want to get sunburned during summer, or cold during winter. I know that it is a big deal to some people, but it really shouldn't be. I thought my son was beautiful without hair. Of course, I still think he is. :-)

And, don't worry about your friend. She is probably concerned about you and does not know how to handle her feelings. I cannot tell you how many people I have had to comfort because they were so upset by my sons condition.

Stay strong. Be at peace and good luck.

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

She probably feels helpless to help you deal with this illness. Perhaps the hair issue advice is the only way she knows how to help. We must forgive our friends when the try to help in the wrong way. THey just don't know what to do, but at least she isn't avoiding you like some people might. Perhaps you could suggest to her another way to help you (clean your house, bring a meal over?)

My friend used an "ice cap". Her hair only thinned a little.

IT is a cap that looks like a jockey's cap. IT is kept in the freezer at the cancer center where you get your chemo. It must fit tightly on your head. THe nurse will put in on your head about 10 min. before your chemo begins then change it every 40 min as it begins to thaw. My friend didn't think it was uncomfortable. Some women just can't bear the coldness of it.

Not all cancer centers have these. Not sure why this is. IF you can, why not give it a try. You can always take it off.

THis is why it works. Chilled areas of our body have less blood circulating through. If you chill your head while the chemo is in your bloodstream, less chemo gets to your scalp.

ALso, if they aren't giving you medicine to prevent the sores in your mouth, suck/chew on ice during chemo. It has been known to help.

If you want to donate your hair, they usually want at least 10 inches to make a wig. I was told that they don't want gray hair. Go figure. Ask a hairdresser how to donate.

If you are a CHristian, read Psalms 139. I have found it to be very comforting during times of serious illness.

Courage to you!

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

My diagnosis was exactly the same as yours and I am now cancer free. My oncologist did not recommend chemotherapy. I did have mammosite radiation which you might want to investigate. Consider getting a second opinion and discuss your plan of therapy.

The vast majority of chemotherapy patients do lose their hair after the second treatment. I have no idea why your friend is so concerned with your possible hair loss. Why don't you tell her that you prefer not to discuss the matter. Good luck!

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

It depends on the chemo that you are taking. Adriomycin and Cytoxin (spelling?) also known as A/C can cause hair loss in some people. People generally only get 4 doses of that drug. I guess if you are very sensitive about your hair that you should just watch and see what happens. Some peoples hair only thins out...others lose it completely. If you are going to be on Taxol or Taxotere then you will probably lose your eyebrows and eye lashes but not your hair. I was on AC for 4 treatments and Taxol for two weeks then switched to Taxotere which is basically the same as Taxol for the other two weeks. My hair started growing back while on the Taxol/Taxotere but I lost my eyebrows and eyelashes. As for the A/C I took control of the situation and had a Buzz Party where I let all of my family and friends take turns shaving my hair....and I LOVED the way I looked in hats not to mention the freedom of not having to fix my hair everyday.Your friend may be obsessed with her own hair and think that you should feel the same way. Don't give yourself that extra stress. People will really admire your strength if you handle this small stuff with ease. Let me tell you from experience, the more positive you are then the better you will feel throughout this. I was diagnosed August of last year at 26. Stage 2B, Invasive ductal. The good times are still yet to come. You'll be fine!!

Hair loss during chemo? For those who have had this experience, I will be going through 4 treatments in 12wks?

When my 6 yr old daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia the first thing I thought of was she is going to lose her hair and will be so upset (she loved her hair and wanted to grow it long) But she really wasn't overly fussed about it. Within a week of her first round of chemo which was 2 weeks her hair was nearly all gone and like everything about having cancer she just went along happily with it all. We took so many photos of her during treatment and she looked so beautiful without her hair. It is growing back and is very curly (which it wasn't before). I used to think that my hair was my greatest asset and would be devastated without it. I would gladly cut it all off now, I would like to be apart of the leukaemia shave for a cure fundraiser next year.

Whats Important now is remission and im sure you will look beautiful no matter what.