Loss of hair due to chemotherapy

Hi twin station girl

I had chemo in 2022 and can understand the worries around hair loss.

Hair loss can depend on the type of chemo and the regime. Your team have said that you will probably lose your hair- so on that I would suggest waiting and see how it affects you maybe? With my regime I was told that I would definitely lose it all. Do you know which chemo drugs you will be having?

I did not lose all my head hair but I did shed a lot of it and it thinned all over. I was able to disguise this though. If your hair is naturally thick it maybe that any thinning is not so noticeable. I lost all body hair around 14 days after my first chemo. Head hair continued to thin during chemo - normally like clock work-14 days after chemo. I also lost more after chemo ended. 

Having your hair cut shorter is a personal choice and I do get that it may help with seeing less hair on your head and that it won't be such a shock if you lose it. It can also give you back a bit of control in the situation and with cancer any type of control feels important. 

With hair loss due to chemo, mine started to shed- so it was bits coming out rather than all drop out at once. Before it started to come out there was a bit of warning as about a week before my scalp started to tingle and feel irritated. 

Only you can make the decision of what is right for you. I would suggest being prepared and maybe think about whether you would be interested in getting a wig (I got one with an NHS voucher) and whether you might like to look into getting some scarves or soft hats so if it does come out and you don't feel comfortable, you have some options. One thing I noticed in particular was how cold my head would feel as I lost more hair so I would recommend looking at some sort of warm hat as well.

I wish you well with your treatment, whatever you decide.

Jane

Thank you Jane2511. I don’t have the information which chemo drugs being used yet. I’m prepared for the loss of hair but not sure I want to see it all go in large clumps as with another patient on same treatment. Her hair has grown back 4 months after chemo. My mother lost her hair but would never allow the family to see her bald - 30 years ago. Times have changed and I appreciate that patients cope differently.  I will see how things go.  Chemo booked for early March.

I had regrowth during chemo- and proper regrowth started at around 6-8 weeks. I took photos every month and I am glad I did as sometimes you don't notice it yourself and it feels like its not coming back but looking at photos - I could see it and that gave me confidence that it was just time. I am 16 months post chemo and my hair is shoulder length, wavier than before and probably in better condition than before- as I have tried to treat it gently. 

I think nothing really prepares you for that first shed, you know it is likely to happen but it is still upsetting. I would notice the most after washing my hair and would put off washing it until I realised the washing wasn't causing the hair loss, it was just getting rid of what had shed- and that is important because other wise your hair can matt and then that is hard to deal with. 

I wish you the best with your treatment and if there is anything you need, then please do ask

Jane