How quickly will I lose my hair?

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

Thank you so much Jane - what an excellent post.

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. 

Hi. I am on same regime as you and am week 2 into cycle 3. I also cool cap and haven't lost any hair either! I still have my eyebrows, lashes and body hair. I actually asked my consultant if chemo was working because I became obsessed with not losing hair! He said some people don't lose it but I will more than likely once I start EC. I do shed a lot of hair though but as I have thick hair, it's not noticeable. I even cut my hair from mid length long to bob to prepare for losing it  wish I hadn't bothered haha as I don't like my new cut!! Good luck with your journey xx

Hi I have had the same treatment plan as you following diagnosis of tnbc in October 2024. I lost v little hair until cycle 2 of EC. I lost lots in that cycle but not so much in subsequent cycles. I then lost a fair bit more for a few weeks after the last dose. In all I lost somewhere between a third and half of my hair and I keep it up now which makes the thinning unnoticeable. I used a John frieda thickening spray until the last dose after which it seemed to thin at the sides to help. I tried a rosemary scalp oil after my final dose - I’m not sure if it caused or just accelerated the final hair loss. Since then I’ve steered clear of all products and have splashed out on a Phillip Kingsley ‘no colour no scent’ shampoo and conditioner- expensive but then again I’m no longer having highlights (!). I’ve just realised I’m replying v late to your post so it may be too late to be useful. Either way I hope it’s all going well for you.