About to cut my hair

Hi Jem42- I totally understand. Hair loss is horrible. I don't know if you have heard of Paxman/cold capping or whether it is suitable for your chemo regime but I used it and saved a lot of my hair. It doesn't work for everyone. My chemo was May 2022- August 22. Shedding began 14 days after first cycle but i cold capped throughout. My hair got a lot thinner and I had about 1 month at the end where I had to hide the thinnest bits by brushing my hair over, using sprays and it did upset me. However my hair 6 months chemo is still here, thinner in places but growing quickly. I had shoulder length hair before. I did save a lot though and i would do it again. It was uncomfortable for the first 30 mins each session and it did lengthen the days on which I had chemo but for me it was worth it. I bought scarves and had a wig fitted at the hospital before chemo but honestly only wore it a couple of times. My hair after chemo was thinner, greyer and coarser in texture. I waited a few months before colouring it and it is now almost how i would like it. I think by the summer I can have it cut again into more like a bob shape that I had before- slightly shorter and wavier but ok. 

Hi Jem42. Hold on before you cut your hair!

Does your hospital or chemo unit have the Cold Cap System, PAXMAN or similar unit, if so you won't lose all your hair.  Look up 

https://paxmanscalpcooling.com/

I used it and my hair went a bit thinner but it grew back quicker than if I'd have lost it all due to chemo drugs, call up the oncology unit and ask. X

I second this, Jane, I'm so glad I used it, PAXMAN my hair is growing nicely and almost back to my old self, a graduated bob style. I would recommend to anyone. X

Thank- I've arranged a coldcap with my consultant but she did think hair loss would occur - but I'm still planning on using it

I've arranged a cold cap to go with the treatment. I'm still planning on cutting my hair short as I wouldn't like to see a mass of hair on my pillow if any of it does fall out. Also I hope to uses some of it for hair pieces if I can find  someone to make them!

Brilliant! Like I mentioned, hair loss is inevitable in any case but you will keep most of your hair, just need to ensure the Cold Cap is snug fit and makes contact with the scalp. If you want, you could take couple of paracetamol half hour beforehand so it's not too much for you, if you persist the coldness of it on your scalp, I promise you after half hour or so you won't even notice it, you u just get used to it. My nurses said they'd seen good results. In the midst of it when I was losing some hair I decided to buy one of those shark wand hoover things as it's nippy to get out and vacuum up all the loose hairs I was leaving behind on the sofa, on the pillow and on the floor! I just got it out and vacuumed away the hair. Good idea to keep your hair if you can xx

The paracetamol is a great idea I'll have to leave myself an alert to remind  me to take 30 mins before my appointment 

I had mine trimmed to shoulder length before the chemo. During chemo I didn't loose the length but thinner generally all over and went a lot lighter. Although I lost some through shedding on day 14- it was actually growing back between treatments. There were no bald patches. I do believe that when it started growing again after chemo- within a month- it came back a lot quicker and thicker. I am sure it protected the hair follicles. There is a facebook support page for Paxman which I found helpful. I always took pain killers about an hour before and it was ok. And if you don't like it- you can always have it taken off. 6 months post chemo I have coloured my hair and although it is still a bit finer than before it is thickening up quickly. If you didn't know I had chemo- you would not be able to tell. My chemo was paclitaxol and carboplatin.

I believe mine has come back a lot quicker as well. I only had thinning all over but it is really thickening up now