Hi , this seems a rather insignificant post compared to others .
I have just had final chemo cycle and wondering about shaving. I cold capped but unfortunately first time human error and only left on 20 mins post treatment not 90 as should have been. Two weeks later hair came out significantly all over top of head but not back/sides .I did continue with cc as still some left and to promote growth and very little more came out .
So do I leave or shave all off to get hopefully even growth and will I be like a piebald pony 
.
To so many of you with far more difficult times sending best wishes x
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Absolutely not an insignificant post at all! Hair loss is a massive worry to most of us. I’ve only had two treatments and have only had mild shedding up to now (touch wood). My biggest worry is losing just on the top of my head as the cap doesn’t seem to sit flush to my scalp there. I have images of looking like Friar Tuck! So I have made the decision that if that happens I will definitely shave, as I would want everything to grow back at the same time. Just knowing I’ve made that decision has made me feel a lot more settled about losing my hair.
Such a shame human error played a part though! Even with a lot of loss I’ve read that the cold cap works wonders for regrowth so definitely good to stick with it. Best of luck with your decision - you will still be wonderful shaved head or not! 
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I had to make this decision on Friday. My hair has started growing back, but the hair I managed to keep was getting long (spikey as I shaved it off after my first shedding).
I decided to shave all my remaining hair off and start again. Weirdly enough, i cried more doing it this than I did when i shaved it off the first time 
. Hope you can come to a decision that is best for you x
Thanks for reply. I am definitely more Friar Tuck than maid Marion .I feel it has to go start over and at least it’s woolly hat weather. !
Beat of luck
Hopefully you’ll soon have a new glorious head of hair .I’m going to to take the plunge off with the hair .
Best of luck to you
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Hi @sheils
I’m so sorry that human error has more than likely caused this hair loss on the top of your head. It goes to show that it needs to be used properly or it doesn’t work (see Amy Dowden’s doc on bbc, they put both caps on at once so they wouldn’t be able to check that the inner cold cap was snug, staff error)
For extra help and information you could visit www.coldcap.com Paxman’s own website and help for cold capping or Jasmin and her team at www.cancerhaircare.co.uk . As already said continuing with the cold cap can help with quicker and better regrowth. Both websites helped me and I cold capped and kept most of my hair with some shedding and two small patches above my ears, probably caused by my glasses, which I wore under the cap until I found the above Paxman website. You can also put in your chemo regime and they give % of how much hair loss from their trials.
The choice to shave is obviously down to you and what you feel and think is right for you. The above may have some solutions to help if you choice not to shave and offer ways to conceal instead.
Thinking of you🥰
@sheils I think the hair/shave/not shave question jas caused me more angst than all the side effects put together!!
I am coming up to my last chemo session. I cold capped and lost quite a lot after the second treatment despite the fit being good and the correct times to leave it on being used, so yours may not be human error. I then could get away with just wearing a wide hair band. It continued shedding steadily but not as quickly. Now I do have a friar tuck look and it is thin all over but I still have my fringe. I considered shaving, because of the spiky regrowth you mentioned, but went to my lovely hairdresser last week. She cut it into a short bob, just below my ears, so when I have a hat on it peeps out underneath, and so does the fringe of course. She said when there’s a decent amount regrown, in several months probably, to go back and we can discuss short styles, blending in with what’s there etc. I feel so much happier since I saw her. I wish I’d gone a couple of months ago!
So I’m not going to do the total shave as I’m near the end of chemo. Unenviable decision to make.
Hi there, I cold capped 3 times but I couldn’t bear the cold and I’d already lost after the first round so didn’t continue. No one tells you how painful the shedding is so mine was cut very short initially, then a close shave. 18 months on and I have a head full of the most thick curls, get compliments often! So I would say to help even growth, cut it or shave it depends how brave you’re feeling and look forward to being different for a while. Good luck and lots of love xx
Thank you so much.The link was really useful lots of information x
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Thank you so much that link was great x
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Hi
I didn’t cut my hair or shave it. I had shoulder length hair. Cold capping meant I didn’t lose all my hair, but did have two fairly large bald patches. I waited until my hair had regrown to about two inches and then had the whole of my hair cut to that length. I now have a good head of hair again with no bald patches, so it seems to be in the lap of the gods.
Thats what I’m planning to do
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I’d cut/shave to all same length / your growth will be easier and equal. Use a growth hair system to speed up the process
Mine few back so quickly and curly, although I’m bald again now
Like some of the others here I cold capped and lost 80% mostly down to a nurse telling me to take it off when I went to use the toilet on the first chemo. I learned on 2nd I could just unplug the tube and keep the scalp cap on.
I had cut it to chin length so still had a bit poking out under caps. I waited until the scalp was covered with new hair before trimming and never went shorter than just below ears. Took about a year to have all hair back to bob length again.
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Hi Shells
The whole cancer treatment journey seems to be full of situations like this when it’s really hard to know what to do.
I eventually asked my son to shave my hair off and it was a relief to take control. I didn’t cold cap and managed to keep my hair during chemo which really impressed the nurses. However the quality of my hair was bad- very dry and was thinning. After chemo ended my hair continued to fall out and a month later I looked like Golam’s sister!! It looked and felt awful, hence the decision to shave it off. I say decision but I didn’t have a choice really. It’s been great to see my hair grow back as it’s all even so I can see the new growth.
Trust your instincts I’d say, you know you best. Good luck 