I was diagnosed with TNBC in Feb 2025 and started chemo on 26th March.
I'm on Pembrolizumab, Carboplatin every 3 weeks and Paclitaxel weekly. I'm cold capping.
Just about to do my 4th chemo and I've not experienced any hair loss yet. I'm just wondering if I've passed a key milestone and can relax a bit about my hair now? or can it happen at any time?
After 12 weeks I will then be starting EC and I guess that could affect my hair differently too and I'll cross that bridge when I face it.
Thanks for any advice - just want to be prepared.
Hi Guitar Babe
I had carboplatin and paclitaxel chemo in 2022 for my endometrial cancer. I also did scalp cooling.
I will pop a link here with my experiences. But my shedding started at around 14 days after each chemo. As you can see from the photos- I did have shedding but I did keep some hair. I kept up my hair care the whole way through and I believe that was why I had the success that I did.
The Changing Faces of Cancer- Scalp cooling, Hair loss and Regrowth. - Macmillan Online Community
Carboplatin normally just causes some thinning but it is the paclitaxel that can cause the total hair loss. For me body hair started to go at around 14 days post first infusion.
I didn't have the EC but perhaps someone who has will come along and be able to share their experience of that one.
Home - Paxman Has some good advice.
Good Luck with the treatment.
Jane
You're welcome. Good luck and remember if you do lose some hair- it is to be expected and it is not a sign that scalp cooling is not working. I remember when I noticed I had no hair on my arms and still had hair on my head- for me that was reassuring. If I hadn't have continued my head hair would have gone at the same time.
