Posted my reply under another heading, that was a bit daft.
Any way firstly thanks to everyone for their words of support and encouragment over the last couple of days.
I now have a number 3 thanks to my friend (also a hairdresser) she even let the kids do a bit to try and make them feel included. Hubbie tried but he was hopeless.
Don’t know how long this will last, probably not very long but it felt like a halfway point between watching it fall out in clumps and going completely bald, it will give me a chance to get used to it before it all goes.
Surprisingly i didn’t cry i think all my tears over my hair had been shed by this point and having the kids be part of it helped. My youngest has asked me to either wear my wig or a hat when i pick her up from school today, i will do this for her but it doesnt look that bad. I will need to be better at putting on my face though the shaved head with no make up is not a good look.
I feel better now its done and my head is not as sore. Thoughts to all of you who are going through this. I have decided to view it as another step in my fight. 2nd chemo next wedensday and i can then say i am a third way through, sounds good when i say it that way.
Well done!! Its a brave thing to do but I bet you feel so much better!! and yes it is another step in the fight!
I shaved my head a week ago and had 3rd chemo on Friday and the little shaved bits are coming out now, so that’s the next step to a real baldy head! Well, its not forever and what a wierd experience to live through??
I’m now quite comfortable at home and in the garden with my shaved head and don’t give a fig what anyone else thinks if they see me. But I have to confess I’m very worried about eyebrows going -anyone got any top tips???
That’s another hurdle out of the way ! I finished chemo on 31st August and am very impatiently waiting for my hair to come back - especially my bloomin eyebrows and eyelashes.
Believe me, you do get used to it. Last night for example, my daughters (14 and 10) and I were having great fun drawing funny eyebrows and eyelashes on me with my eyeliner and eyebrow pencil - we were in hysterics, although OH thought we were being very childish ! I never would have thought a few months ago that I would be laughing at myself !
Hannah, good on you girl for not caring what anyone thinks if they see you - as I said, I lost my eyebrows but being fair anyway, it wasn’t that noticeable. I have been using an eyebrow pencil though, but very faintly. Was more worried about my eyelashes going, but couldnt be doing with fiddly falsies, so just used brown eyeliner and eyeshadow.
Lots of love to you both, and anyone else about to join the VERY short hair club - I promise you, its not that bad after a while.
My number 3 has started to fall out this morning with vengeance. I now have big bald patches every where and it is so itchy. I now just want the last of it gone so i need to shave it all of. What have people used when they have shaved it? The clippers will only take it down so far, i wondered about using a disposable razor for sensitive skin, any thoughts?
Im starting to get in the same position as you, my number 3 is coming out still so I have bald patches on my head however I am loath to shave it, im trying to hold on to any hope of it staying(sad I know coz deep down I know its coming out) but I keep finding little hairs on my pillow. However I still have really thick patches that arent shifting so I dont know wether to shave or just keep my bald patches…
Sorry you are going through this too. My head is just so itchy that it has to go. I think i will feel better once it is all gone. I also have more that a few bald patches, my daughter said i look a bit like a shedding guinea pig. Children aren’t they sensitive!!
Your damn right its hard - this has been the most upsetting so far but I know its a journey that I/we have no choice in taking but it will come back.
Im quite lucky as my head isnt very itchy, but that could change. I know every morning I wake up with less hair and getting balder…im just trying to hold onto the thick bits…then there is less to grow back in those parts…LOL
I havent got children but I know exactly what you mean, my 7 yr old niece said oh aunty lynne your going to be bald soon arnt you…with a big grin on her face…arent children delightful!
what I ended up doing with my remaining stubborn few hairs was washing them til they all came out! I literally put my head over the bath, got the shower hose, put some shampoo on and massaged it in for ages. Then I rinsed my hair until it had all come out. It prob took about 15 mins and was well worth it as up 'til that point it had been driving me mad!!
Hi
I’ve been washing out the remainder too. I just been and bought a wig. Terrified about wearing it - will it blow away on the breeze? will it hang to the left or right in an odd way? but i like it. its a completely different cut and colour and normal…not sure how much i’ll wear it but i’m glad i’ve done it.
Jo
x
My leftovers of hair appear to be “here to stay” lol…I gave up and got myself a buzz cut at a n. 3, and for a week or so I kept finding those “mini-hair” everywhere, each time I was showering or putting some cream on my scalp… to avoid itchiness. Since a week, I have stopped shedding, I have about 30% left all over (some kind of a velcro-style head, if you see what I mean), and it is actually still growing… I’ll go tomorrow for my 3rd chemo.
What irritate me a bit, is that doctor told me that the cold cap would be useless. I really am wondering if I did it, I might have actually KEPT my hair, and avoided all this heart-wrenching adventure… or maybe that is just wishful thinking.
Anyway, now I am looking at it, and thinking that if it keeps growing, and by December I’ll be finished and all of my hair should restart normal growth, I might get a head of hair faster back… so I am massaging like crazy, LOL
Hi
wow do I know how you feel. I go for 2nd chemo tomorrow and am already shedding hair big time. I have had to hoover the bed the last two mornings! I am wearing a bandana to stop the hair falling into food when I am cooking. The shower was a nightmare with hair attaching itself in clumps all over my wet body! I am thinking I just need to get it shaved straight away but haven’t quite got the courage yet!
Jewjew
I clippered my hair weeks ago to basically a number 1 - and all the little stubby bits continue to fall out in the shower , bed etc but not noticeabley like having long hair. I am just gonna wait for it to come out by itself but have bigger bald bits and less shaved bits every day. I just did not want to irritate the scalp!!
Take care - its is the awful bit but as most people say its ‘dooable’ and unfortunately jusst part of this horrible journey we have to go on.
On the odd occassion that I wear my wig I always use ‘toupee tape’. I got a roll of it from ‘Trendco’ when I got my wig, it was v.cheap and is really good. Its just gives me the confidence that its not gonna blow off!!!
Good advice - thanks Kelly, I’ll get some…Having that happen is just too awful to think about - just do not want to contemplate that Gone with Wind scenario!
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