OK - I know there aren’t magic shampoos! But I’ve bought some of the caffeine shampoo and Nioxin and thought I would give it a bash to see if it helps.
How long should I leave it after my final chemo? And does it make a difference that I used the cold cap so have some hair left? I don’t want to do anything too soon and make it all fall out!!
Thanks!
Sandytoes,
I used the lush bar ‘new’ whilst on tax chemo as hair was growing back. I started using alpecin shampoo and hair tonic straight after last chemo. I didn’t wait for 3 weeks to expire. Not sure if this would be recommended by the onc team but my thoughts were that if the hair was making a reappearance, I would encourage it.
I wouldn’t have thought having the coldcap would make any difference. I know a lady who used the coldcap and had a bald patch. She used the caffeine shampoo and had good results.
I’m still using caffeine shampoo 3 months after chemo and I’m so happy with the hair I’ve got (I even had some bleach put on the tips to brighten it up for my birthday).
Happy hair growing xxxxx
caffeine shampoo??? Does it really work? Tried the Lush one and don’t think it helped my bald head produce hair, but I think Aloe Vera gel massaged in made a difference… got a litle (very little) fuzz now… so caffiene?
Jane! Probs not - but bought some ages ago when there was a thread with people raving about it! Thought it was worth a go…!
I have got impatient with my hair growth, I’m 6 weeks post chemo now and have about 1cm of hair (grey) but on the right side of my head I have less, I guess its like what happens to babies as thats the side I lay on to (try) and sleep! But I want it to grow faster as I was hoping to have enough by xmas to have it cut into a style!..
Charlotte, from what I read it take about 4 months from the end of chemo before wig-wearing women can ditch the wig. I am three months post chemo and I am not quite there yet …
Hi all
I am now 7 months on from last chemo and am still wearing my wig outwith my home. I have about 1 inch of hair growth although a bit longer at the back. I don’t like the texture or waviness, very much ‘chemo hair’! However, I have coloured it with a peroxide free hair colour and it has taken very well. I am getting it trimmed over the next week and hope that the hairdresser will give me some tips on how to straighten it a bit! Another tip, for me anyway, don’t wear dangly earrings with my short hair, not a good look!
I do think my hair growth has been slow, it seemed to spend time thickening before the growth lengthwise started and I think my continued treatment with Herceptin may be slowing it down too. However, wig soon to be discarded!!! Good luck all. J.
Hi there!
I’ve tried the caffine shampoo and the Lush bar (which smells great) as soon as my chemo finished, but my BCN said there is nothing out there that stimulates growth!! I ditched my wig 3 and 1/2 months after chemo as I was on holiday and it was just too hot with it on. It was very short. I’m now 5 months after chemo and it’s about 1 1/2 inches long all over, gorgeously soft, a lighter colour than my original hair but not grey. It just looks like a very short hair cut, rather than someone who has had chemo. At first it seemed to grow from the sides upwards and it took about 3 1/2 months before I had hair all over.
It just takes time … I’m the most impatient person ever, and I’m trying to enjoy the different stages of re-growth, it’s just starting to go wavy/curly - can’t wait for that I’ve always had dead straight hair.
Good luck all with the hair regrowing!
Rachelxx
I’m only three weeks post chemo and started using the Alpecin straight away - two days after last chemo! Hair is growing slowly - and it didn’t all fall out … not sure if its the shampoo or not … I used the cold cap but it didnt work … didnt go bald but had my hair clippered and it’s about an inch all over now.
Hair only grows in the follicles, which are down in your scalp, so the main thing is to avoid drying or damaging your scalp. One specialist site suggests only washing twice a week with a gentle shampoo and using a light conditioner to avoid damaging the new growth. (It doesn’t say for how long.) My scalp felt a bit scaly when the new growth started, so I brushed it very gently with a soft brush once a day to remove any flakes of skin–the stimulation felt pleasant, as well.
I’m 5 months post-chemo now, and my hair is over an inch long now. It doesn’t seem to be doing much, but people I see fairly often tell me the growth is noticeable.