Hairfall after finishing chemotherapy

Hi Recon 

I had 3 cycles of EC, during which I lost most of my hair, and then 12 cycles of paclitaxel. Like you, I didn't lose hair while on pacli and, in fact, it started to regrow towards the end of my treatment. 

Once I'd finished treatment I continued to use only the mildest shampoo on my head and didn't use anything else, eg oil, and my hair continued to grow back and didn't shed. As you say that your hair only sheds when using the oil, could you perhaps try not using the oil and see if that helps your hair to stop shedding and regrow?

Anne

Hi latchbrook,

It’s really reassuring to hear that your hair started growing back while you were still on paclitaxel — that’s what I had been hoping would happen for me too, but it hasn’t quite turned out that way.

Thank you for sharing what worked for you. I hadn’t considered that the oil might be contributing to the shedding, so I’ll try leaving it out and see if that makes a difference. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond and share your experience — it means a lot.

Recon

Hi hope you’re ok.
I finished chemo in May - I had 4x EC and 4X Paclitaxel. I did cold cap but lost all on my crown, above the ears and around the hairline. I found EC to be so brutal for hair loss!.  I was still shedding hair up until August then it slowed right down. I lost my brows and lashes about a month after finishing chemo too.

My brows did come back quickly, but my lashes slower. They seem much finer atm and grow in random directions so I’ve had a few ingrown lashes!

I found my hair all of a sudden grew. It seems to be growing at different rates? Above the ears seems longer - but that’s straight and the crown and back shorter but maybe because it’s wavy?

I managed to have it coloured and trimmed in September which made me feel better.

i had really long, thick and wavy hair before and have found the hairloss a real struggle. In some ways harder than the BC. I grieve for my hair - if that makes sense! Something my family don’t understand, they’ve been amazing but have said ‘it’s only hair and it’ll grow back!’ That really doesn’t make me feel any better! They just don’t get it!

I did find Rosemary oil helped, especially with my brows. I bought some from The Rosemary Oil company and would massage that into my bald patches/brows before bed. Also vitamin D. 

I was told the chemo can stay in our bodies for a good year, so it can take that long for things to start returning to normal, then add in any new meds you may be on…….

Hope it gets better for you ️

Hi. I did a few posts about hair loss. I finished chemo in Aug this year and the exact same thing happened to me. I expected it to stop falling straight away but it didn’t. I can’t remember when it stopped but it will. I am now using watermans shampoo, conditioner and serum and have noticed it is now thickening up really well, not much length in it yet though. EC made mine fall out too, didn’t lose much on paclitaxal (had cold cap) 

Hi, I had 60% but now left with 40%. I've experienced a significant amount of hair loss. I now have noticeable bald patches, and I don't see any new growth. I've stopped using oil completely because I believe it was contributing to the shedding.

Hello Newjourney, 

It’s really reassuring to hear that your hair, brows, and lashes are growing back, even if slowly and unevenly. Like you, I also had long hair before treatment, and I dreaded losing it more than I can explain. My family is very similar to yours — they’ve been supportive, but they tend to say “it’s just hair, it’ll grow back,” and I don’t think anyone truly understands what it feels like unless they’ve been through it themselves. It’s such an emotional loss, and I completely get what you said about grieving your hair.

I’ve also lost the most on my crown and around the ears, and I really struggle with how different I look. I don’t feel like socialising much at the moment because no matter how good a wig is, it still doesn’t feel like me or how I used to look. I lost almost all of my eyelashes too, though I’ve managed to keep a good amount of my eyebrows. I’m not sure if they’ll thin further or stay as they are, so I’m just taking things week by week.

It’s interesting you mentioned rosemary oil helping — for me, rosemary and castor oil didn’t seem to make a difference, and I actually noticed more shedding when I massaged oils in, so I’ve stopped for now. I’m hoping things settle soon and I start seeing those first little signs of regrowth as well.

Thank you for sharing your experience — it honestly helps so much to hear from someone who truly understands what this part of recovery feels like. I’m really glad things are improving for you and hope they keep doing so.