I had my first chemo last Tuesday 22nd April, had minor side-effects, much less than I expected, but my hair still here! When exactly does it start to fall off? I am getting quite anxious. Now that I know it is going, I want it to go as soon as and finish with all the expectations.
If anyone has gone beyond this point, please let me know when to expect the hair loss day…
Ta xxx
Hi Stylish
My hair started loosening about a week after chemo and then started coming out quite quickly. I did have a lot of hair so it seemed I was losing so much and it just went on and on. I also tried the cold cap but it didn’t work for me. By the end of chemo, I was left with a bit at the front and a bit at the back so I got a trimmer and trimmed it all. Before chemo I had my hair cut to shoulder length and then a friend cut it shorter for me when it started coming out.
I really think everybody has a different experience though and this was mine.
Best wishes
Ruby xx
hi stylish, not everyone loses their hair. but in my case it was after the second session of chemo…So i got my husband to shave it all off…AFTER A FEW tears had a bit of a laugh about it , he let me shave his as consolation …must be love !!
HI Stylish,
I had my first fec treatment plus the cold cap on April 18th so today is day 14. My hair is shoulder length and very thick and until today was okay. Then this morning after a shower, strands began to comb out, even though I combed it with an afro comb and very gently. I must admit I had a little weep because even though I expected it it is still a shock…
Its not noticable as yet but it probably will be by this time next week so Ive decide to get it cut short and then shaved as it worsens. To be honest Im more tramatised by this than I was by my masectomy.
Good luck
Marie x
Hi Stylish
Here is a link to a booklet published by Breast Cancer Care called ‘Breast cancer and hair loss’ which you may find helpful to read:
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/hairloss_2004_v2_0.pdf
The booklet also contains information about our free ‘HeadStrong’ workshops which explore the many issues faced by people experiencing hair loss which may be available in an area near you, for more details and further support please contact our confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm.
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi Stylish
Mine started to come out after 2nd chemo and very quickly upto then not been too bad. I was absolutely dreading losing my hair and was more upset about my hair than mastectomy refused to do the cut short thing. Once it had been shaved though it was ok I had got really fed up with hair all over the place and the final straw was when my youngest said I looked like Andy from Little Britain. I have got used to now and I am looking forward to all the styles I will be able to try once it grows again.
Sending you hugs
Karen
XXX
Hi All
I had my 1st FEC on 15th April and my hair had started to drop by the beginning of this week. Yesterday I gave myself a 3/4" crop all over as I was sick of the hairs dropping everywhere (even as I sat on computer typing!). I haven’t regretted it and will probably cut it even shorter in the next couple of days. I am due my 2nd FEC on tuesday.
I have a friend who had BC 5 years ago and with hindsight she said she would have cut it off rather than go through daily rituals of ‘mopping’ up fallen hair - she said it prolonged her agony. My advice is do it as soon as possible and put your wig on. I went out yesterday to pick up my son from school with my new wig on and felt fine. I took him to school this morning and have been in Tesco too…the sooner you get used to it the better.
Anita
Hi Stylish,
I had my hair cut shoulder length the day before i started FEC, I used the cold cap to try and preserve my hair!! Somebody else in the chemo unit told me that there hair started falling out 3 days before there next chemo and that is exaclty what happened to me. It didn’t come out in clumps more i started to notice it on my shoulders and my pillow, this continued through chemo till my 4th when i lost all my hair. As it was quite gradual you get used to it, and i went out and got a wig after the first chemo which i still wear now (last chemo was in march) although am on my second wig.
Hi everyone, Im new to all this after having a lumpectomy and mastectomy i have now justed started chemo. I had my first chemo on 25th march and was dreading the cool cap more than anything else. I have noticed more hair on me than usual and have now decided after having the cool cap on my first session that im not having it again. This may sound odd but the thought of it makes me feel physically sick and so i think i have enough to put up with so thats that. I have a lovely wig and feel confident at the moment with it. So its get out the clippers time if i start thinning and off it will come. Its not forever, they say it starts growing back 3 to 4 weeks after chemo is finished and who knows i might have the curly hair i always wanted…
Hi Ladies
I had my 4th chemo yesterday and I had noticed that my hair had started to come back over the last couple of weeks so mentioned it yesterday, the chemo nurse said that on this regime it had been reported that ladies have had hair coming back after 3rd chemo though it does sometimes go again. So fingers crossed it will stay has anyone else had this happen?
Karen
hi lovelies
my experience was I had cold cap for 1st FEC but my hair started falling out the week before my 2nd one so I got it shaved grade zero. My hairdresser did it for me, i think she was more upset than I was, once it started coming out I just wanted rid. For me, the waiting and wondering if and when it would happen, was worse than when it actually happened at which point I though ho hum I am gonna be bald for a few months let’s get on with it.
a positive thing about losing your hair is you don’t have to spend time doing your hair you just have to choose whatever wig or scarf you fancy wearing that day, put it on and off you go. I am also enjoying experimenting with different styles of wigs as I was very “safe” and stuck with the same hairstyle before I had chemo.
I have noticed that although I am still losing some hair (I had grade zero rather than total smoothy) the hair that has not yet fallen out is still growing but it is not yet growing back where it has fallen out. I think if I had shaved it with a razor so my head were totally bald and smooth, any hair that hadn’t died would appear as re-growth where it may actually be continuing growth of hairs that have not died if that makes sense?
I am just saying what will happen will happen I’m not checking myself every day waiting for it to come back as I am confident it will do in its own time.
Thanks for all your comments, they were really very useful. It is actually approaching my 2nd Chemo and my hair started falling off today! I can actually pick my eyebrows without any tweezers…!!! I feel a little bit apprehensive, even though I was expecting it. Never mind, all for a good cause!
Had my head shaved on Monday, had enough of all the hair everywhere. Any one else done the same? By the way has anyone heard about Low Dose Naltrexone?
Hi Stylish
I also had my head shaved last weekend I found my head to be very sore after first FEC 28th April, so got OH to shave it, which seemed to relieve to soreness. the past couple of days it has started to fall out and I have small spiky pieces of hair everywhere, and tiny bald patches appearing all over. My second FEC is on Monday, My OH also let me shave his head in support, it was a good feeling to get a bit of revenge.
When is your second Chemo?
Best wishes
Nikki
-x-
What I didn’t realise is that once the hair has fallen out, it doesn’t continue to fall out (surprisingly) after subsequent chemo treatments. Okay, it won’t exactly grow profusely, but in between chemo sessions what does grow will not fall out.
I had my last chemo in September 2007 and although my hair is short (I have had it cut once to even up the ends), it is about double the thickness than it used to be, and much darker. I heard it said once that the only good thing a woman gets out of this b?*&%r called breast cancer is a better head of hair than before, and I can thoroughly agree with that. Shame it applies to the legs, too!
Wishing all you ladies out there all the very best with your treatment. I have finished mine, and can only praise the wonderful treatment I have had.
Bubs XX
Shaved my head a few days ago, I had the cold cap for my first session but by day 16 it was starting to fall out, I had long hair, I was loosing it all over for 2 weeks and couldn’t cope with that anymore, so off it came, I wear headwraps now, there nice 