hair all cut off - itchy scalp

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I had the remaining tufts of hair cut off this morning - fed up with leaving a trail and finding it in my food. My scalp has been getting drier since I started FEC on 17th Oct. - it’s driving me mad at the moment and I wonder if there is anything I could put on it? Had my 2nd FEC on 7th Nov.

My friend who cut my hair off said it looked as if there was a rash - almost like a heat rash on top of my head. I’ve been wearing a cotton jersey hat to keep my head warm - as my wig makes me itch even more!

Any tips or creams/lotions I could use?

Ali

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Hi Alisons
I lost all my hair after my 1st epi and had sores on my head of infected hair folics. Try not to scratch them as you don’t want infection i found either olive oil or almond oil put on with cotton wool soothes and oils the scalp.
Hope that is some help
Poppet

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Hi Ali
I have added the link to a Breast Cancer Care publication called ‘Breast cancer and hair loss’ which you may find helpful to read, it contains advice about colouring your hair after treatments, it contains information about looking after your scalp :

breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/bcc08_hairloss_web_0.pdf

I hope this helps.
Best wishes
Lucy

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this sounds absolutely stupid but my hairdresser told me to still use conditioner on my scalp as it soothes the hair follicles and it did make it feel better!
Anna

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Thanks all, for your advice - will go and buy some almond oil I think. I’ve always liked the smell of almonds.

Got my head wrapped up turban style today for a change - it also helps keep my ears warm.

best wishes, ali

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Hi Ali - I read about keeping scalp healthy in my aromatherapy book when my head was itching and I looked like I was shedding dessicated coconut everytime I touched it. It said to use Jojoba oil and a drop of tea tree for dry, itchy and flaky scalp. The tea- tree is an antiseptic and jojoba oil is generally the oil used in anything to do with hair…supposedly. The tea tree doesn’t smell too yummy and if you have children it may remind you of the dreaded headlice solutions, but it worked for me. I put my buff on as the oil is greasy (like most oils Ha ) and because it feels wet, I felt cold. I also put a towel on the pillow, just in case my buff came off. I then showered the next day and also used conditioner, like annamarie’s hairdresser said. Not had any probs since.

I’m sure you will be bombarded with lots of ideas, and you can try lots…

Fiona x

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My head got sensitive after my hair started to fall on FEC but I started rubbing vitamin E oil (which did contain sweet almond oil) for the rest of the chemo and my hair is growing back now and it never got dry or itchy after I started with the oil.

adding a drop of TeaTree can help with itching (or lavender which is also antiseptic but teatree is also antifungal).

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I used Body Shop Vitamin E facial mist and it kept my head moisturised and stopped it from drying out. I also found washing it with an Olay Daily Facial cloth and warm water was good. I found my bald head had to have it’s own little beauty regime!