When will I lose my hair

Hi Chooks, 

i am after 2nd round of EC chemo,

when I asked nurses they said, hair loss will be before my 2nd cycle, and it was, about day 12 my scalp was itchy, and my pubic hair was shedding, then  day 14 I was taking so much hair out of my head, got to midday and decide to shave it off completely (I already felt like the hair didn’t belong to me anymore), I am 3 days after 2nd cycle and almost bold, still have eyebrows and eyelashes though. 

Mine started coming out before my 2nd cycle too, I think in that 3rd week, some time around day 18 I think.

I had cut my hair off ahead of chemo and donated it then shaved the rest, so it falling out was no big deal as I was very used to the short look. That really made me feel more in control.

I never lost all of mine completely but did look completely bald, It took a while for it to fall out, several weeks I think. Some people have it all fall out at once.

I didn't lose my eyebrows or lashes until I started docetaxel (I had EC-T).

I have loads of hair now, 7 months post-chemo and it has come back the same colour and loads of it like it was before. It is a bit more curly I think (I always had wavy hair) which could be down to it being so short, but I like it! I haven't had mine cut yet, just letting it grow. 

Hi Chooks,

I had EC chemo and my hair started to fall out after my second round. It was coming out in big lumps coming up to my 3rd round so my husband shaved my head for me and I felt so much better after. I still had a tender scalp but not as bad as having the weight of my hair on my head. I was told just having your hair trimmed to a short style would help with the tenderness as there is less weight but I decided to go for the whole lot off to make it MY choice, not chemo's! Hope you are feeling ok x

Hi Chooks78, it depends on which chemo drugs you are on, I started on EC and started loosing my hair after the first cycle, it all went all body hair, eye brow and eye lashes, pubic hair and of course heard hair.  It started growning back as soon as I finished EC but a year later it has only grown to 2" long, my eyelashes and brows are still not fully grown back but that might have been effected by the targeted therapy.

Hi   It all depends I had EC x6 and like others was told hair would begone by Second cycle it stayed til about mid way between  3/4 then I went for really short cut hairdressers kept it cut til just before no 6 then shaved so new hair had shape to grow into . 

Glad to report finished chemo Dec19 went into march 20 Lockdown bald came out July 20 needing haircut . Had mass of thick chemo curls .  Need hair cutting every 4 weeks now ( got lazy so keeping it short ) 

Its not the same for everyone but tender scalp tends to be signal for hair Shedding . Must admit it didn't bother me being bald and deciding when to shave was quite liberating .

Well I decided it had started to come out so I got my husband to give me a number 3 cut with the trimmers. Doesn’t look too bad. It doesn’t bother me at all 

Great you took control it will so much more comfortable I also found bamboo sleep caps and daytime beanies a great help . It was around this time of year and cool at bedtime so kept head warm and no loose hairs around pillow .

Thru the day I couldn't be bothered with wig but would use a beanie hat with hair band for different colours because it was colder as winter went on nobody knew any different . Unless I noticed someone staring ( rude ! ) then I would take hat off ! It was their problem not mine.  

Thanks! I have a nice soft chemo hat and just ordered more of the same. I’m not going for a wig just hats. Luckily I had my eyebrows semi permanently tattooed for my daughter’s wedding so that makes quite a difference!

Hi there

Like Farmeranne. I started to lose mine before 2nd cycle of EC. Took control and cut short in stages, getting a number 2 cut from my brother during lockdown, at this stage. After 2nd cycle it was coming out so much I got him to do a wet shave. Scalp felt much better after this. I went on to lose all body hair.

During the docetaxel a very slight fuzz started back on my head. I am 8 months since chemo now. I have a full head of hair- all covered now but very slow growing. Maybe an inch long and definite signs of curly, although my original hair was straight. Colour also is different, previously ash blonde with some white. Now black with grey. I get the targeted treatments too and thought that might be why is is slow growing. Just glad to have eyebrows, eyelashes and even pubes again.

Chooks78 that's brilliant! I found that once I'd shaved mine off ahead of chemo, it really wasn't that bad and my hair falling out ended up being the least bothersome of my side effects. It wasn't sore and it grows back, with plenty of short hair styles to enjoy as it get back to long. I never would have experienced that without chemo as I would have kept my hair long.

I started chemo a year ago and finished in Jan, so hats over the winter really are no big deal as everyone is wearing them