Painful scalp while losing hair

Hi sky 

Yes it does hurt. My hair was short any way. And when I had a shower it started to come out which was horrible. This was after my first lot of chemo. I went to the hairdresser and had it shaved off. But as it grew it hurt again so shaved it for a while. Then it came back wavey when it was always straight lol. Lorayne   Good luck 

Hi Lorayne,

I wanted to see first if my hair would fall out and it definitely has been. Especially like what you experienced while washing your hair I couldn't believe how the plug hole looked afterwards.

It seems shaving could be the way to go as I wasn't expecting my scalp to hurt.

Thanks Sky xXx

Helli Sky, 

I shaved my hair as it was falling out unevenly and I looked like I had been in a prisoner of war camp! My scalp was very tender and I found washing in Johnson's baby shampooh was really soothing. You can also baby oil your scalp and this migbt help too. When my hair grew back, it was really soft, wavy and a completely different colour but I rather like it.

Lots of love,

Helen. x

Hi Sky,

When I started chemo I went to a specialist wig shop in Ware, they deal with cancer patients all the time and the main advice they gave me was not to shave. Shaving your hair can block your hair follicles, meaning your hair may not come back, so may come back a lot thinner.

They said the best thing was to get it cut as short as possible, rather than shaving it. 

Might be worth giving them a call and discussing it with them as they deal with this sort of thing all the time so can give you the best advice!

Obviously everyone is different, so if it hurts and you feel it would help to shave then defo do it, but that was the advice I was given.

Hope it helps! :)

Cassie xx

My GP suggested that I buy a bottle of champagne, get out the clippers and let my hubby at it while we drank the champagne. I did, he did and he gave me a No 2 all over. It turned something awful into quite a fun afternoon. And yes the pain stopped immediately.

Wishing you all the best.

PS I love my GP, he's so human.

Hi Sky. 

I'm sorry that you're going through this.

Back in December my best friend and I shaved our hair off to raise money for Macmillan. My hair was quite long and we took it back to a number 1. Initially I loved it and received loads of compliments about how I suited it (seems I have a nice shaped head). But when it started to grow back I looked like a tennis ball and then I started to regret it. But 7 months on and it's now looking so cool that my daughter asked to have hers styled the same!  

Embrace it. Experiment with new make up styles, learn to contour and brim with confidence that your face is beauty enough that you do that need a crown of hair. 

Good luck with it, stay strong, you are beautiful xxx

HI Sky,

Mine started to fall out at the end of week 3 of Chemo , at quite a rate initially so I had it cut short rather than shaved as it was more thinning rather than losing hair in clumps. I'm now at the end of week 5 and I haven't lost much more i.e. i probably have 50% of my hair - but I'm glad I didn't take the full shave option , it might all fall out at some stage but a close scissor cut looks fine .

Good Luck with everything 

Hi Sky,

My hair came out in clumps after my first chemo even though it was cut short and my scalp hurt too.  I ended up shaving it off before my 2nd chemo and I actually felt much better afterwards. It didn't hurt afterwards and I didn't have the distress of running my fingers through my hair and getting a handful of hair. Although I had a wig, I didn't actually wear it and opted for a scarf as it was during the summer months and the wig irritated my scalp too much. 

Good luck with the rest of your treatment 

Xxxxx

Hi Sky. I'm having my 3rd chemo tomorrow. I used the cold cap, but so far have lost about 60% of my hair. I usually have alot of hair , so to other people it just looks thin. I got it cut to chin length after my second chemo and it seems to of stopped falling out, for the moment as it's not so heavy. I was getting a burning scalp, but that has stopped too. I'll see how it goes, but glad I never jumped into to get it shaved off or a pixie cut. If it starts going patchy then I may opt to get cut shorter or shaved, but will do it in stages, as I've always had long hair. Before my first chemo I got it cut to my shoulders and doing it gradually has been less off a shock to me. I havent used a hair dryer in it and only wash it once a week, but have still used my straightners as otherwise it was frizzy. Good  luck with whatever you decide!

Unknown said:

I got my hair cut the other week so it was short just above my neck and its been falling out ever since. I'm moulting all over the place.

My scalp has been feeling more tender every day and now it feels like it's been burnt in the sun even though I haven't been out much since my first chemo. 

I was reading online that it's best to shave to help ease the pain. 

Does shaving really help?

To shave or not to shave...umm 

I'm not too fussed if I should, would this be easier...?

Any thoughts and advice I'd love to hear them.

Thanks Sky xXx

I shaved just after I had my second chemo as my hair started coming out in clumps, so it was getting thinner and thinner and my scalp also hurt.

I had my wig ready and I purchased some scarves as well.

It's hard when you first look in the mirror... but it's honestly easier when it's gone!

Lisa x