hello
i finished chemotherapy in dec 07. i now have hair but it has been very slow in coming and is nothing like the thick abundance which i enjoyed before! it is quite wirey and thin although i am very glad to have it, i think the problem with regrowth has been to do hormonal disruption (I now have extremely low oestrogen levels for someone who was pre-menopausal before they began chemotherapy and has not been on aromatase inhibitors until last friday),
I have two sets of questions for all you lovely people who have any experience or knowledge about hair related issues. first, is femara (the aromatase inhibitor that i am on) likely to make my hair even thinner - i notice this can be a side effect - what experience to people have with this?
second, i want to get some highlights put in but am worried in case this damages the hair - anyone gone down the highlighting route post-chemotherapy? should i worry?
many thanks for all thoughts
xx
jo
Hi Jo:
I haven’t done the highlights yet but colored it myself with lady clairol - shampoo in hair color. It shampoos out after 6-12 washings and so far no damage at all. My hair was real straight before and now it has come in more gray and wavy. I like the wavy part but the gray I can live without. I am going to the salon this week and will check on the highlights as I would like to get them. My last chemo was in Sept and the hair has been coming in slowly but surely. I started taking pre-natal vitamins and that has helped the growth and texture. I am not sure about femara. Good luck with the color!
Diane
I’ve just had my first highlights - 15 months after finishing chemo. My oncologist advised no strong chemicals for at least a year as residual chemicals from the chemotherapy would be present in the hair and might cause damage.
I’ve had it cut three times now, so hope the chemo’d bits have gone, my hair is in good condition and the same texture as before, and there is plenty of it. I am still on Herceptin and Arimidex.
I did have it coloured at my regular salon twice before having highlights, with a gentle (no ammonia) colourant as I couldn’t stand the grey! Your hairdresser should be able to advise, but if your hair is quite slow coming back, and thin, I’d err on the side of caution and go for a gentle colour first, before moving on to the highlights.
Good luck
xxx
Iv,e heard it said that hormonal treatment can cause hair thinning but i,m not really sure as i,m triple-neg.
Mabe you could ask your bc nurse or onc nxt time you visit.
I know it sounds vain but i thought that was the worse side affect of chemo losing your hair, it,s soul destroying
i know you get used to it but i was just so relieved when it started to grow and i was lucky it,s grew back same as before
quite thick and no grey, i finished my chemo aug08.
Love Reneexx
Thanks for your comments. that’s interesting about thew vitamins diane…justme, i think i may take your advice and leave it for a while. and good idea to ask a bcn renee - i will definitely do that.
all the best
Jo
xx
Hello Joanna
My hair took quite a long time to get going too and I believe a year of Herceptin also slowed down the growth.
I finished chemo in May 07 and waited until January 08 to have highlights. My hairdresser said he wouldn’t do it sooner than 6 months after finishing chemo. I put a gentle water colour on while I was waiting.
My hair has now come back as thick and fast-growing as it was before chemo. I’ve been on Aromasin for 18 months and so far haven’t noticed my hair getting thinner, but it is a labelled side effect of all the aromatase inhibitors. I take a pill called ‘Hair and Nails’ which may help.
Good luck
Anthi x
Anthi
Thanks for your post - there is hope! And good to hear that Aromasin hasn’t had any adverse impact. I will check out the Hair and Nails potion.
Best
Jo
xx