Having my last chemo today (4 ECs & 12 Taxols) and my hair is finally growing back albeit patchy. I shaved it at the weekend with no. 4 (previously only no 2) but was wondering how long it need to be before a hairdresser can do any sort of styling/cutting on it?
I’m not worried about my toe nails (1 gone and another going) but now 4 of my finger nails are getting really discoloured so expect them to go some stage. Any advise on how to manage losing finger nails?
I’m not stressing about losing the nails but am consciously trying to minimise yackiness for my girls and longer term thinking about return to my office job.
Thanks x
Hi there
After three FEC I had the first of three taxotere which I had a toxic reaction to. All of my finger nails came off, they loosened from the cuticle, so I put a plaster on to avoid them coming off too soon, but they mainly came off with no pain at all. First one I didn’t want to look at, but there is a nail of sorts ( thickened skin? ) underneath. My onc told me not to cover them up ( as advised by the emergency cancer number ) but to keep them clean and dry and to moisutrise them well. The tips of my fingers were more sore as they have not been exposed before. Hope this helps, it’s just a bad side effect and they will grow back. Only lost one toenail, just waiting for the others to fall off as I know they will as they look dead !! Good luck.
I was advised by chemo nurse, to wear black or really dark nail varnish to help prevent nail loss, as it stops the sunlight getting through.