so, I'm hoping someone can shed some light on facial hair and the radiation mask. I prefer to wet shave because I find electric quite harsh... so, how important is keeping facial hair under control and the fitting of the mask? Am I over thinking it?
I don’t think actually growing facial hair is too critical. It could be more of a problem if you lose a very full beard though. I stayed clean shaven throughout my treatment, and I was trying so desperately hard not to lose weight by eating lots of custard, cream etc that I actually put weight on and the mask became uncomfortably tight. One day my face was so dimpled when they took it off, like a golf ball, that they decided to loosen it - which they can by do up to 3mm apparently by inserting 1mm plates between it and the RT table. However, if it gets too loose then that can cause problems. Good luck with the treatment. It’s hard going but very effective.
Not much to add to what has been said but I was very much a wet shaver, the consultant said I needed an electric one & the next day my wife bought one. I don't think the shave is anywhere as good & to be honest the bits I didn't want to wet shave were the bits that stopped growing hair so in hind sight I am not sure I needed it. I now still do one day wet & one day electric just because it was quite a bit of money & I feel it was a waste otherwise but 7 months on & its only on its 3rd charge.
I hadd a shortish beard and used an electric razor once a week or so to keep it in shape. Lost it from my neck after 4-5 weeks, and on my face from my ears down (except moustache) around the end of treatment. Got rid of the Hitler moustache a week or two later. 12 weeks after treatment now a little is coming back on my face, but my neck is like a baby's bottom all the way around.
Hi Mike, I’m 10 months post treatment and my beard is sort of back on face but not as rough as it was, my neck is still about 99% like a babies bum. It’s very strange feeling , I’ve went from needing to shave twice a day if I was going out out to needing to shave at best once every three days or so , the barber doesn’t even bother with the back of my neck as nothing there !
