Shampoo & Conditioner

Hello Caks 

I have just noticed your post has gone unanswered and although I can't answer it myself - i am from the Prostate Cancer Forum - and also being a man with hardly any hair my advice on colouring and condition would not be any use!!.

However by me replying your post will be "bumped" back to the top of the forum and I hope someone will come along with the answers to your question.

I wish you well with the start of your treatment next week and if I can do anything else for you please don't hesitate to get back to me.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Caks 

i just used my usual shampoo and conditioner although I stopped the conditioner a couple of weeks in to treatment as it was making it greasy and didn’t need it . I wanted to wash it as few times as possible  as I felt , for no logical reason , that it might not thin as much if it was handled less .
All the best for your treatment . Let us know how you’re doing . 

xx

Hi Caks ,

Firstly welcome to the Macmillan online community, although I’m really sorry that you’ve had the need to find us. In answer to your query about shampoos & conditioners I suppose it will depend on what chemo regime you’re having with your treatment. I had a short infusion of mitomycin on day one of treatment then oral capecitabine twice a day thereafter each day of radiotherapy. I didn’t lose my hair, it thinned a little but not that anyone else would notice, it did go quite dry & was a bit frazzled towards the end of treatment & for a little while after but nothing that a good cut didn’t sort out. I used the Sea Magik range from Holland & Barrett which is paraben & SLS free & a really nice range with no nasties, the Maui range of shampoos & conditioners are also good & ‘clean’. My own cancer diagnosis made me take a real good look at what toiletries & cosmetics I was using & I now use 99% ‘clean’ products. 

Wishing you the very best of luck for starting your treatment on the 30th, please come back with any questions you might have. We’re here to support you however we can. 

Nicola 

Hi Caks

I had chemo in 2022. 

I was told that the best shampoos and conditioners were the very gentle ones- no additives, no parabens, nothing that coats the hair strands, no silicon. I used Simple shampoo/baby shampoo and conditioner throughout chemo. I only washed my hair twice a week. No colouring. I got some good spray in conditioner from tescos for children that was really good. In between washes I used dry shampoo. No hair spray, no hot tongs/straighteners etc. I left my hair to dry naturally for 90% of the time. Once the chemo had finished I continued to do the same for around 6-12 weeks until all shedding had stopped. 

Once chemo had finished I used a deep conditioning treatment once a week. (Garnier ultimate blends hair food- banana) 

I found that chemo soon stripped any colour I had in my hair (normally mid to dark blonde) but I used the spray in root colours by L'Oreal to disguise it. It also helped with any thinner bits of hair.

Hope this helps a bit. 

Jane

Thanks Brian appreciate your help!

thank you - I normally use Nioxin so and a black shampoo to tone my blond so I'm thinking these will be too strong - have read using a baby shampoo/conditioner which is mild and like you I'm going to try and minimise how often I wash it as it would normally be every other day thanks for replying 

hi - thanks for the info - my treatment plan sounds similar - short infusion day 1 then tablets and have been advised i shouldn't lose my hair however want to try and minimise how often I'm washing it and use a gentler shampoo - will have a look at those suggest - thanks for replying 

thanks for the info - aiming to wash twice a week and use a gentler shampoo to minimise any damage. I am normally blonde so roots can be noticeable but i've come across some cover up sprays which might help 

I found that the chemo took the colour out of my hair and the roots were not as noticeable as they would normally be. The cover up sprays do help though. 

Yes I did this too Caks , I went down to washing my hair just twice a week to try & protect it & to reduce using heat on it too often. 

Nicola