Hi everyone, I’m very lucky to have really thick hair and still have some after 5 cycles of chemo…I have my 6th and final cycle next week…it is very very thin now and I am balding quite a bit but wanted advice…am I better to just leave it or should I have it shaved off? Just wondered what everyone’s experience is of it growing back? I thought if I left it, it mfihr not take as long to grow back or is it better to shave the rest off, would that help it grow? Any advice is really appreciated
Donna xx
Hi Donna
Like you I have very thick hair (white and shortish) but I disliked the feeling of strands falling away and I’m one of those annoying people who fiddle with their hair so I got my hairdresser quite early on to do a no 6 buzzcut, which I absolutely loved. It survived both EC and Paclitaxel treatment (my oncologist said I’d definitely lose it by the third of the 9 Paclitaxels) and it held on determinedly, though it never grew longer. However, it got thinner and looked sadder so, by the end of my chemo, I was wearing my wig socially - which was rare as I felt so crap lol. After chemo, I continued to lose hair then, about week 4, the growth spurt began. It was patchy so I was glad I’d had a buzzcut because only I noticed. I think the contrast between the tiny regrowing stubble and long strands would be more obvious - but it depends entirely on how you feel about your hair. For some, hair loss is a huge, almost depersonalising factor; for me, it was not an issue, though losing my lashes felled me!
Hair regrowth seems to defy logic. Hair you don’t want grows rampant - particularly face hair in my case. I’d never realised I had most of it. Nasal hair is growing fast, as are eyebrows (though I still have some stalwart survivors I have had to clip to blend in). Eyelashes are growing longer than I’ve had since teenage. Pubic hair seems very reluctant to grow and leg and arm/underarm hair are very slow. Head hair is growing thick and soft. After 9 weeks, it feels gorgeous but it’s very short (no 2-3?) and multicoloured, not the pure white of before. The hair that survived is also growing fast so I have some maybe 4cm long and most barely a centimetre. It’s a good look!
Hope that helps. Remember, you usually continue to lose hair after treatment ends. I certainly wouldn’t suggest a shave but maybe a crop or a long buzz? Does your hospital have a Macmillan support team? Mine offers a hairdressing service, though I haven’t used it.
Hi Mrsj13,
wheni started to lose my hair, it was dropping out all over the place, i cut it to about 2/3 inches all over. My usual length is just below my jaw in a bob… now it has thinned and have bald patches mainly at back and sides but wont buzz it…
i have my 7th session tomorrow and still have my eyebrows n lashes so far.
good luck… mini mad xx ??
Hi Donna, I have secondary bc with mets in the bones, liver and omental layer. I’m on eribulin and my hair started falling out, I was sick of eating it lol, it was everywhere. It started to look really straggled and my hair is thin anyway. I decided just to shave it off, well got my husband to do it. I won’t wear a wig, had one 10 year ago when I had chemo and only wore it once. I prefer to wear head scarves. I buy them from new look and shops like that. I tie them in different ways and they look really good. I’m glad I shaved mine. And don’t have to mess about doing my hair?♂️?♀️. Hope this helps.xx