I’m looking for some advice from anyone who’s a bit further on in chemo. I had my 2nd chemo 10 days ago and so far my hair is thinning but I still have a decent head of hair. It started thinning just before my 2nd chemo and every day I find strands over everything - pillow, clothes etc and brushing and washing it is a nightmare. I’ve got a wig lined up if it gets too bad but I am going to try and persevere with my own hair even though it doesn’t look great. Will the thinning slow down at all or does this continue until chemo finishes?
Yes your hair may still thin but you may not lose it all, Ive used the cold cap 4 times with differnt chemos and with slightly different results, it usually thins all over and can carry on thinning after chemo finishes, Ive always managed to keep enough hair to look “normal” and have managed to keep probably 90% at the best and around 50% at worst, How far into your treatment are you?
Dont forget we also become a bit paranoid as to how much is too much, so try not to worry we lose hair naturally every day.
A friend of mine also said that she lost about 50% - I think I am worrying because it seems to be shedding all the time and I don’t think I’ve got enough to last until the end of chemo if it keeps falling out at this rate!! I was really hoping that after the initial loss it might slow down a bit or even start growing again?
I had my 2nd out of 6 FEC 10 days ago, so still a bit of a way to go.
I have had 3 out of 6 FEC and used the cold cap. I have lost lots of hair at the top of my head, but it tends to fall out more when I wash it, so I keep washing to a minimum.
I am hoping that I will keep my hair with headbands until the end of the chemo. Currently I can get away ok without any scarf etc.
Just a quick cold cap tip - wet your hair thoroughly just before u put the cap on, a good dip in the sink and then a good spray of leave in conditioner, make sure the roots on top and to the back are really wet, uncomfortable but works for me! Dry shampoo is a god send and try hard not to blow dry when you do wash it.
If you hadnt used the cold cap you most probably would of lost it all by now its usually around 17 days after first one.
Youd be amazed how much hair weve got and how much we can afford to lose!
Hi,
I am having epi/CMF and just finished dose 7 out of 8. I wore the cold cap through the first 4 as epi takes the lot but have stopped using it for the CMF. I found I had a biggish loss about number 2 and got the monk look with a very thin top. I was told this would have been due to it not being on tight enough, so next time they nearly sat on my head! There was always some loss in each cycle but never as much as for the second when I nearly gave up. It actually continued growing from then on, but got gradually thinner each time. I have not worn my wigs at all and manage with a big stretchy wide black hairband, which was £2.99 in H & M, just bought a replacement recently. Kind people say I just look boho and I always wore dangly earrings, etc so it was a look rather than a mistake! My hair is now about 1 1/2 inches on top and all over but I have kept some chin length long bits that stick out my hairband. The back stayed with me and so did a wispy fringe. I also kept my eyelashes and eyebrows, which I think was due to the cold cap. I am really glad I stuck with the cold cap as I wil have a complete pixie cut before I complete chemo. I just went with the flow and made my decision on the day I went in. Lots of luck and if you are like me, even some hair makes you feel more like yourself.
Lily x
Hi,
I am having epi/xeloda on the tact 2 trail and like Lily above am now on cycle 7 out of 8. I used the cold cap for the epis (first 4) as like Lily says it’s a real bad one for taking hair & usually eats it for breakfast!!. I had quite long, very thick hair before chemo and I’ve probably lost about 60% but have got away without wearing a wig or scarves etc. It did continue to thin throughout all 4 cycles but I managed to keep almost all my fringe & some decent bits at the back and sides closest to my face. It’s now coming back quickly I’m glad to say.
At the end of the day, it’s personal choice as to whether you continue with the cold cap or not but for me it was a godsend. Just being able to keep some hair and not have all & sundry knowing I had cancer made it more than worthwhile. I also found that keeping washing to the bare minimum & not using a hairdryer helped.
Good luck with whatever you decide and hope your chemo goes as well as it can.
Carol X
I washed my hair last night and it started just falling off my head and coming out in chunks in my hairbrush so I decided to take the plunge and get it cut much shorter from the current bob to pixie cut and start wearing my wig to work. Had a bit of a cry as it all seems so unfair on top of everything else but now feel much better.
My hairdresser has had many customers with bc and he says that the pattern has been virtually the same for everyyone he’s seen who has tried the cold cap - big thinning after no 2 chemo and then slower but continuous thinning until about no 5. When the hair grows back it is always black and curly to start with(whatever colour hair you have) and you usually end up with better hair than you had before.
Anyway I’m quite pleased with the new hair cut and will persevere with the cold cap as I find it quite bearable - top tip to anyone else having it - take paracetamol and nurofen an hour before you put it on as it definitely stops you getting a headache from the cold.
thanks for all your help - I will definitely keep hair washing to a minimum and try dry shampoo and will make sure they ram the cap on tight for my next chemo
Hi Susie,
I know how you feel so big hugs. I have now gone full circle and I am looking at a rather unruly pixie cut again, with a mind of itw own.It comes in a stylish badger formation of black with grey stripes in the most inconvenient places!! It is definitely not curly, very fluffy like baby hair and you know, I don’t care because I am so glad so it is coming back. A pack of organic hair dye is waiting for it to grow a bit more and then I will be out of my hairbands too. So I hope it cheers you a little to know I am back to where you are after number 7. It will be slightly different for you as you keep epi right through so will need to hang on to the cold cap for longer. However you are probably not having 8 doses like us, so not much difference in time.
Hang in there, it will all come right
Lily x