Will I lose all my hair

It's very difficult to say for definite if you will or won't lose all your hair and how you will lose it . It all depends on a number of factors and on individuals. Such as what chemo you are having, if you decide to cold cap or not. I have lost about 80 percent of my hair having tried cold cap but gave up after 4 cycles of ec and 2 so far of docetaxel. I have shed hair constantly but some people lose hair in clumps all at once.  Ec is tougher on hair I believe but other drugs might not be as bad. When you know what's planned come back on here and people might be able to be more specific. 

Stay strong xxx

Hey. I lost my hair very early on and once it started to go my husband shaved my head for me. I wasted money on headgear and just didn’t wear any but your head gets cold quickly so nice beanies for the colder months. That was 18 months ago - it came back quickly after chemo finished and is still as strong as before but am sporting a new short cut which everyone says is so much better than before - a perverse benefit! 

I thought I would travel between treatments but realised it was better to stay close to the hospital just in case of side effects - but we are all different.

Good luck - it’s worth it. xx

Thank you!!!! I definitely will

This is helpful to know. Thank you. I considered being close to a facility for the just in case, so I only plan to travel back home as I've emigrated so I get to wait out the days with family and friends instead of dealing on my own.

If you try cold cap you may not lose your hair. EC is hard on your hair follicles, but paclitaxel is less so and often hair starts to grow under the cold cap on that one. I think the stats are that about 40 % of women keep more than half their hair with the cold cap. Some lose it evenly all over and for others it is more patchy. You really need a snug fit between the inner and outer cap, especially over the crown - no air bubbles!  If your hair is really long, you might want to consider a bob length style so there is less weight pulling on your hair follicles. You can call the cancer hair care team - they have a website about everything to do with cancer hair, how to look after it when cold capping and how to get a good fit with the cld cap to get the best result. There is also a paxman cold capping website - lots of chemo units have paxman cold cap machines. I phoned them and they were just so lovely. There are also the most amazing wigs out there and you would never know...

Another thing that I did was to have a powder brow so that when my eyebrows thinned towards the end of chemo, I could just fill them in with eyebrow pencil. Was really quick and easy and with my wig (I didnt continue to cold cap as the first time it was so badly fitted my hair fell out over my crown) you really would not know that I was on treatment. Some even tattoo eyeliner so that it doesn't show when eyelashes go too. Both grow back really quickly after chemo - I think I had eyelashes within 4 weeks of finishing chemo.

Good luck with the chemo, and ask the charities for advice so that you feel ready and happy with your choices for chemo x

Thanks so much for the thoughtful response. I'm trying to get recommendations for cold caps where I live. Hopefully it will help me 

I hope it will too. And even if you did lose hair on EC it would grow back faster with cold capping. It takes about 2 years to get to a short bob after losing all hair due to chemo, and I guess I never had that time frame in my mind. Hair grows at around a cm a month or so. But there are amazing bits of headgear, hair dressers who know how to look after chemo hair and even hair loss replacement systems for instant hair, once hair is 2 inches long all over. I doubt it would come to that if you cold cap, but I guess I am desperate now for instant hair, having only got 15cm atm. The hair loss replacement system is something I am considering and would have used sooner, had I known it was an option for me.

Good luck with your cold cap research and dont be afraid to be fussy about the fit of your cold cap - its your hair that's on the line! I think the chemo nurses will understand how important it is to you xx

Thank you so much! I'm definitely going to consider cutting my hair. I currently have really long hair, I always have so it makes me very sad to lose it. I will try everything I can to keep it at a reasonable length.

Hi Having a cold cap worked for me,  I never used a wig and whilst I had hair loss I was pleased how much hair I kept.  I finished my treatment in November and now have a full head of short curly hair. I had my hair cut to a pixie look  during chemo and had regular trims throughout.  My hairdresser has worked with me throughout.  Boots work with Macmillan about and advise on eyebrows, eyelashes and other make up ideas. I found it helped build my confidence.  My eyelashes are growing back as well as eyebrows.

All the very best

I am cold capping - did three cycles of EC and have done 3 of Paclitaxel/carboplatin so far. I haven’t lost my hair - it still looks good for which I am grateful but I understand it to be 50/50 whether it works or not. Cold capping extends the time you are in hospital as you have to have it on before and after treatment. It’s no walk in the park but doable in my experience.

As for other side effects, as I have been pretty ok overall although very tired at times - just have to listen to that and rest. They will tell you all the potential side effects and they do sound scary in that setting but you won’t get them all and I have got off fairly lightly - so far anyway.

In my experience the worst part of all of it is the damn waiting for results etc etc. I think just about everyone finds this hard.