How did you hair grow back?

Ironically I finished chemo July last July and loved being bald and wearing my wig! As it grew back slowly it was dead straight but grey…aaaggggg!! (Used to be dark brown). 2 areas have only just grown back (like where you’d have horns)! I dyed it dark brown but it came out jet black and looks ridiculous so I’m still wearing my wig outside the house! Use a gentle hair dye to start with..

To be honest, I’m loving the baldness/ buzzcut life too!! Especially in this heat when’re having! But I do miss tying my hair up! I still have my wigs that I will 100% be using up until I feel my hair is at a normal length (for me). But every now and then I do like to get my kiwi fuzz head out but the greys are bugging me! Damn the chemo! I will 1000% try a gentle dye to start with. Thank you so much for the help!! ️

Hi Helen

Am sorry to see that you have breast cancer and are going through chemo. I hope that it is not making you feel too unwell. 

My chemo was last year between May-August. I did use the cooling cap and kept some of my hair however I still lost a fair bit.

Hair regrowth for me started between the 2nd and 3rd chemo cycles. 

My hair is normally a dark blonde colour and I do have colour in it. I found that I started to lose hair around 14 days after first chemo. My hair also went very light and fluffy- almost white at one time.

By my last chemo session it was a sort of grey/blonde colour and quite limp and fine. My regrowth really sped up about 6 weeks post final chemo. It came back quite coarse and dry and a greyer colour. I had to use a lot of conditioner for several months. I coloured my hair at 3 months post chemo and since there it looks similar to what I had before although a bit shorter. I think a lot of the shortness though is due to the chemo curls. Mine aren't tight curls. more waves whereas before my hair was pretty much straight. 

It was recommended to me not to use any dye for around 3 months post chemo and when shedding had completely stopped. I was told that my hair might take colour differently and be more unpredictable. I did use a lot of the spray in root touch up colours in a dark blonde shade and they are pretty good. You still have grey hair, but it blends in a bit and makes you feel a bit more like you. They wash out so are a temporary quick fix but worth a try. 

With using the cooling cap I didn't have any bald spots but did thin a lot all over, particularly the sides at the front. As my hair grew back it was all different lengths and stuck up in all directions. I had my first hair cut post chemo last month. My hair dresser says the condition is good but I have waves and kinks where there weren't any before. My normal hair dye now covers any grey bits.

Hope this helps

Jane

Mine started out growing back white and wispy when I was still going through chemo, but after I stopped, it started to come back in very slowly and grew in its normal colour - light brown. It was very slow going at first and probably for about 12-18 months. It's only been the past 6-12 months that it has been growing at normal pre-chemo speed. Should say that I've never dyed my hair, ever. Not sure if that makes any difference.

Hiya Jane,

Thank you so much. I've been on chemo for nearly 6 months now. Luckily they started me off on the roughest one first so that's done and out of the way. Just waiting on news when surgery will be now. 

It's weird, the back of my head, the hair is coming through dat, but it's everywhere at the front where the grey has now set up residence! I would happily walk around with my buzzcut out if I wasn't so grey. I'm hoping that because I'm still young that it'll eventually turn back to anything but grey. I'm going to be on chemo for at least another year or two so I'm not sure if regular hair dye will be an option for me, but I was already thinking about using the temporary spray one and now you've said that, I think I'll certainly give it a go! I'm down for trying anything at the moment! 

My hair is growing back all over, but just like yourself, it's growing quicker in some places than in others, so my partner just gets the clippers on it once every few weeks to try and make it look somewhat tidy.

I really appreciate all of your help and advice! 

Hope you're well and that your hair starts doing what it's told! 

Helen x

Yeah mine is literally a very light/ white colour mostly at the front of my head. Literally the last place you want it! If it was the back then I wouldn't care as I can't see it! Haha! For the time being I'm currently keeping it short as I will be on chemo for a little while yet and I don't want to start growing my hair out for it to then just fall out again. Plus the buzzcut life is so much easier I cant give it up right now! I used to dye my hair when I had it. Never had any problems with hair dye but obviously now being on chemo a lot of things are affecting me that didn't before so I didn't want to risk going straight in with dye and then regretting it.

I really appreciate your help! Thank you! 

Helen x

I am older and was substantially grey before the chemo. It came back pure white. Over a few months it went a little more mixed in tone, but still substantially less colour than it had before. Sadly I am back on chemo and the 6 months of regrowth has all been for nothing as it is falling out again….

Hi Helen 

I hope you’re doing ok on the chemo and the side effects aren’t too bad 

I’m also youngish in my 40’s and had long brown hair with only a few greys before treatment .
I finished chemo last autumn and my hair came in white then grey then darker grey !! Err what’s happening ?? I felt older than my years anyway from the treatment and with the grey hair it eventually made me feel worse , so I dyed it back to dark brown . I didn’t realise how much it was affecting me until I went back to brown and then I really started to feel more like me . It’s huge and curly /wavy , it was straight before  

xx

Hi Jane. I will be starting chemo soon and am considering cooling cap, I would appreciate a bit of info, is it really unpleasant while you have it on, does it extend your stay much whilst receiving chemo. Would you recommend it.

Im not bothered about the grey bit, already grey, you never know I could go back to my mousy brown LOL

Hope you are recovering well.

Denise x

Hiya Denise,

So sorry to hear that you’re having to go through treatment. Stay strong! 
I myself didn’t have the cooking cap. I personally just didn’t want to do it. But others I’ve met during treatment have done it and they’ve had fantastic results! They’ve kept almost all of their hair. 
it does mean that you’re in treatment for longer. About an hour is added on both before and after chemo, and you have to do the cold cap with every treatment. It is very cold, but if it’s something you want to go through with then go for it! But don’t feel bad if you don’t. I backed out of doing it last minute but regret nothing. 
you do what you feel is right for you! 

All the best,

Helen xx