Hi All
It’s been almost three weeks since my first chemo (AC) and my hair has been shedding over the last week. It’s now coming out everywhere and is pretty thin, so I’ve decided tonight will be the night for shaving it off. What did you all do? Did you shave it right off, or get a number 2/3/4 or what? Will it get stubbly and itchy? Also do you use anything on your scalp to keep it soft? Any tips much appreciated. I’m pretty sure there will be a tear or two when it’s shaved off, but hey ho, I know what’s coming, and I guess its all part of the process.
Ax
Hello
Sorry that you’re having to face this. I had my hair shaved off to number one before starting my chemo, that way I felt more in control. I have heard that other people use almond oil on their scalps, if that is any help.
Louise x
Hi Scotta
I shaved mine off on day 10 after first FEC. I went for a mohawk personally, kept it for around a week and bit then shaved it all off to a number 0, it was great craic. I found my scalp was in terrible nick, I got lotion to put on it to help with the dryness, it was paraffin based cream… now i’ve got a great shiny dome head.
It’s a good idea to start with a high number and then work your way down to as short as you fancy. I think we started on 4 and then went done to a 2.
Good luck,
A x
Hi Scotta,
I shaved mine down to a number 2, I then felt in control, but not totally bald! I also used E45 shampoo, it did a perfect job.
Good Luck with the rest of your treatment.
Lynne.x
Just a quick butt in, I was advised to use Aqueous cream BP by both the hospital and a friend who works for Coping with Cancer. Not quite there myself yet but have it in at the ready!!
Hope you decide what is best for you, personally I have vowed to leave mine but no-one knows until it happens.
Best wishes
Val
Last June my husband and our daughter chopped mine off as short as possible with scissors and then clippered it to 6mm. A few days later my husband wet shaved what was left. I sat with a glass of champagne in my hand as it was done! I got a bit of a shock when I looked in the mirror, as I had a brown stripe down the centre of my bald head where my parting had been lol! It took ages to fade!
I moisturised my head 'cos it got a bit dry. Aqueous cream is good. I wore a “Buff” to bed as not only was it cold but I also found the slight stubble “velcroed” my bonce to pillow.
It IS a shock when your hair goes, but you will be amazed how soon you become acclimatised to it. I had a nice wig which I always wore with narrow scarves to match my outfits, tied like a hair band, although in summer I sometimes just wore straw “bucket” style hats (think Audrey Hepburn)!
I had my last chemo (Tax) in November and now have a full covering of 2 inches of hair so have ditched the wig.
There will be tears, but you will get through it.
All the very best with your treatment…
xxxx
Thanks all so much for your replies, it really did help, and made me feel loads better about the whole thing.
It’s done - yay - although I only got a number 4 (with a 2 at the sideburns) and I’ve left a wee fringe as I’ve got a huge forehead. Although I’m sure that will go in a few days. And no tears! You are right, it does feel liberating - I’ve taken control. No more shedding great long hairs everywhere - yay! I’m kinda getting used to it already!
And my other half was a star - he shaved it for me, which I’m sure couldn’t have been easy, especially since I’ve had long hair forever!!!
Maybe I’ll go have that glass of champagne now - thanks justme - great idea!
Ax
Hi Scotta
If you are concerned about your forehead you can get great fringes which are velcroed to stick to your hats, ideal for just going out walking,or to the shops, saves putting on the wig and takes the harshness from your brow. I thought it sounded a daft idea when they told me at the hospital, until they persuaded me to let them demonstrate on me and it does make a great difference. Yet to use mine but hair is leaving me more and more each day so wont be long!
Val
x
Hi All
I am also feeling a little anxious now that my first chemo date is looming. I really need to get something sorted. Has anyone got any idea which are the best wigs to get? I believe the scalp gets quite sore so is there any tip for wearing something between wig and head or do they just fit directly. So much to think about and this on top (excuse the pun). Any comfort tips or wig guidance would be great.
Lady called Val gave us a really funny story on another thread. It’s great to share experiences the very funny ones along witth those offering support and guidance.
Thanks
Sarah
Hi all!
First time here, about to start FEC on tuesday and am starting to get nervous. I’m going to try the cold caps as they say that there is a chance that I may not lose my hair with them but I must admit to being a bit of a whimp when it comes to the cold so not sure how I will cope, has anyone else tried this and did you still cut your hair?
Thanks
Maureen
hi maureen and sarah,
just thought i’d join you as tomorrow is my first chemo at 1pm… i was diagnosed on the 14th and am having 6 sesions before my op… i’m trying cold cap, if i feel up to it i’ll tell you how i got on. also looking into the back up of a wig, thought if i have to go down that route i might have a complete change of style, colour or something!! i’m having my hair cut tomorrow morning, read somewhere that it is helpful…
actually feeling quite anxious as i know this is best coz the beast has to go but i don’t want all the crap that goes with the treatment. i’ve read up so much that i can’t remember where i found all the good stuff and have decided i’ll now just go with the flow.
well all the best to you both hope we all get on fine… always scary going into the unknown so good to think that in a few days time all will be revealed.
must sign off, need my beauty sleep you know,
love
helen
Dear Sara and Val, sorry you’re just starting all this…I’m ahead of you but just wanted to say it might not be nearly as bad as you expect. I got a wig, hats etc but have spent loads of time ‘going commando’. People that know you quickly get used to it, and strangers dont stare. Kids are the funniest; they do stare but often ask you (if you smile). Babies sometimes cry…I have about 2mm hair now, and people DO stare, I think becuase they are wondering if I have cancer or maybe a wierdo who shaves her head for fun!!!
But its great NOT having to keep washing your hair and NOT getting up every morning to look in the mirror and think OH NO what am I going to do with it? I’m really used to this now, and feel very inclined to keep it short.
Good luck to you two and anyone else just starting
Zoe x
Hi Maureen, Sarah & Helen,
Though I would send you a quick email - I am 31, 30 when I was dx. I had short spiky hair but it didnt matter, when I was told I was getting chemo all I could think of was my hair…
I was advised about the cold cap and I decided to give it a go. My BC nurse said people with short hair stand a better chance of keeping it. Me and another girl (she has a bob style haircut) started at the same time - well two chemos down and I had to shave it off, it wasnt working unfortunatley. It was devasting to lose it but once it was shaved I was fine after a few tears… but… the girl who I started with hardly lost any! we sat on our 6th chemo and you wouldnt have known she was having chemo!!!
I guess what I am trying to say is - give it a go, it works on some people and not others but it is worth a try.
Good luck with the rest of your treatment, the forum is great and never be afraid to chat, rant, cry or laugh.
Love Lynne.x
Hi Maureen - I had the cold cap some 5 yrs ago - had FEC chemo, offered it but told it only worked in some 10% of cases. Luckily for me, it did - hair thinned on top, but not a problem. already had short hair so didn’t need it cutting.
The treatment does prolong the chemo time, a half hour before, and an hour afterwards, but as I was retired this was not a problem. I had the up to date cap - like a motor cycle helmet, strapped tight to your chin, and connected to a freezer unit beside the chemo chair. It is very cold, but I didn’t get headaches, in fact I used to fall asleep. The chemo nurses were great, wrapped me in a duvet, gave me a hot pad for the chemo arm, brought me free hot drinks and a picnic type lunch, which my husband ate as I felt nauseous. So glad I went for it…I did get a free NHS wig (voucher up to £120) which is great for a bad hair day. Ask your bc nurse about the voucher as I am not sure every hospital does this.
Take care, and good luck with your treatment.
Liz.
Thanks all for your comments they really help. I really wasn’t freaking about losing my hair until a close ‘friend’ said that with my rotund shape and a bald head I would look like Matt Lucas, now I know that he was trying to make light of the situation but it has really made me panic, I can’t lose the weight any quicker than I am and certainly not before my hair may fall out so I think that I will take the advise that i’ve asked for and have mine cut to try to save it. I’m having a mastectomy afterwards and when I asked my husband of 33 years if he would still love me with a bald head and only one boob he just put down his knife and fork (why do I always ask dumb questions over dinner?) and said if I can still love you during childbirth whilst you’re breaking my hand and calling me all the names under the sun, twice and if I can fancy you when you have experimented with the afro perm, badly, then I guess that I will always love you as long as you remember to love me when i’ve gone permanently bald! Ain’t he a gem - he then complained about the potatoes.
Maureen
I shaved - aka cut it down to a number 6 (in fact it was shorter, as I clippered myself I didn’t keep the inclination of the machine standard). I never lost it ALL after that, kept a duvet all over the head, but definitely not much.
for moisturizer, I used whatever cream I had on hand - the lighter the better. Nivea makes some foam stuff for the face that worked well… note that the nurse told me NOT to use oils or heavy stuff, because the head already has oil glands so it gets too oily.
now it is growing again, love that part.
Hi, I’m starting chemo soon, I’ll find out Wednesday which day exactly. I have got got to make the same decisions, do I try the cold cap? shave my hair,before I start, if so how short? or just let it fall out on it’s own, it’s not that long now- a short bob. I’ve found all the comments really helpful, it doesn’t stop the thought of loosing all my hair very scary, but it’s nice to know I’m no the only one it’s ever happened to.
Hi Alisonkw,
You’re certainly not the only one - there are so many of us in the same boat! And I can say that it isn’t nearly as upsetting/scary as I’d anticipated. I’ve now lost the fringe (it was thinning so much) and gone to number 2 - didn’t fancy complete shave incase it got stubbly itchy!!! I’ve had long hair forever, and whilst I got it cut to above shoulder length bob when I started chemo, I didn’t get it shaved until it started shedding. It started shedding last monday, (so 2 weeks after first hemo) fairly slowly at start, but lots by the end of the week. When it got to the stage that my 18 month old picked a hair from his mouth - poor toot, I was thinking the time had come to shave. Despite having thick hair, it was getting patchy at sides by Saturday so took decision to shave it off, and it wasn’t that bad or traumatic - honest!!!
I’d give cold cap a try - it works for some, and although it can extend your treatment time by 2-3 hours, it would be worth it for keeping your hair I think. I didn’t get great contact all over, and blacked out (infection I think) after one hour before first treatment, so decided to remove it from equation when I actually got first chemo (deferred a few days after I blacked out), but it didn’t feel all that bad to be honest. Good luck with it all,
Ax
Hi , just to add sorry cant remember all the names on this thread . I have just finished my chemo
last week and am waiting for the regrowth now but I can remember vividly when I lost my hair and it is awful but you do get used to it.
I wore a wig from about day 17 after fec when I cut it off as it was getting on my nerves falling everywhere and bought a couple of wigs . If you are going to splash out I would recommend going for ones with a scalp. I have had so many compliments about it and feel pretty confident going out in it. I wasnt sure if I was going to be a wig person but my 6 year old wanted me to look like mummy so she would recognise me at the school gates so that swung it really. Some people dont know I’m wearing it but if others compliment me on my ‘hair’ I do tell them (everyone I wanted to know knows anyway)
my wig is from the renee of paris range and I got it from a specialist wig shop. I dont wear any cap underneath and have never had to use the tape that was given to me . For 150 quid it has been worth it . I was never given the option of the cold cap but dont think I woul have gone for it , two hours in hospital was long enough for me going through the chemo.
cally x
Hi Alisonkw
I could have been reading my own posting! Everyone is indivdual but this is what I did.
Talk in depth to your onc about the cap, mine has very strong reservations about it, he wanted me to have top to toe chemo and there is a very slight risk if your head is ‘frozen’ the chemo does not quite get there. He would have gone with my wishes if I wanted to have it, but a friend who suffered bc 7 years ago advised that losing your hair is the least of your worries in the scale of what you are going thru, she was right.
When the time came for my hair to take a journey, firstly to stop any stray hairs at the early stage, I just wore a thin beanie hat around the house and to bed, so there was none of the trauma of waking up and finding my pillow full of hairs, I’ve heard this is devastating. After a couple of days of this I went in the shower and it just came out in handfuls, but I felt at least I was in control. I just kept combing it thru and put all of my hair in a neat pile at the side of the shower. Timing was of the essence, I was rushing out so didn’t have time to get upset about it. Put on my wig and off I went. Next day I knew what to expect so went into the shower and repeated the process, Proclaimers blasting in the background to help me along! I still have a small covering so off in shower again now to see if it finishes off the job.
I know everyone must feel the same about losing their hair, but I was ridiculous, thought of chemo and side effects didn’t enter my head, all I thought about was how on earth would I cope without hair, and talked about it to anyone who would listen! But honestly Alison, it’s gone now and I didn’t even shed a tear, too many other things to think about. Also ask your hospital about wigs, I must have been very lucky after reading some of the stories on these threads, I was referred to a shop called Natural Images, and the wig I chose would have cost £175, possibly how not even my family knew I was wearing it. Praise where it is due to the NHS for this one.
I hope all goes well for you and you come to make all the right decisions.
Best wishes
Val
xx