Hi all, I have just started weekly Paclitaxel (plus Carboplatin every 3rd week) for TNBC. I intend to chop my very long thick hair before it starts to fall out but of course I’ve been dithering trying to hold onto it for as long as possible… My hairdresser can’t see me until 8 October, which is one day before my 3rd weekly Paclitaxel. From any of your experiences, does that sound like it will be ok? Appreciate everyone is a bit different. My nurse said not to expect any loss at all between treatments 1 and 2, but after that was a bit vague. Do you reckon it will be safe to wait until one day before treatment 3?? (appreciate there are bigger problems to worry about, so thanks for indulging me!)
Hi Daisy
I was told I’d lose all my hair after week 1 of Paclitaxel. I’d already had three cycles of EC so my hair was on an Annie Lennox no 6 buzzcut but I held onto it to the end of treatment, even if it was a bit sparse. It’s a question of can you tolerate your hair sliding out daily? If you can bear not to brush it and if you wash it under the shower, just placing the shampoo on your scalp and smoothing it gently with your palms rather than massaging it in, then just letting the shower rinse it rather than using your fingers to assist, you’ll probably hold onto your hair till your appointment and only you will notice any significant loss. But losing long hair is more noticeable and maybe potentially more traumatic (?) so make sure you have a decent wig, perhaps? Personally, I didn’t find it that important - I lived in cashmere (why not?) beanies outdoors. I had a great wig but only wore it a handful of times, more for the sake of others than myself! AND you have the great delight of new growth to come - it’s like stroking a puppy!
Be ready for what hair loss really means. Nasal hair is a great loss - if you get a runny nose, There’s no stopping it and you may get sore. I found losing my eyelashes the worst though I held on to some eyebrow. Losing pubic hair was the most intriguing as I tended to pee in any direction except the one expected! But the hair you want to lose, leg hair, held fast to the bitter end. There’s no logic, no pattern and we all seem to come out of it differently. Try to see the funny side of it and it will take you a long way in dealing with what some find quite traumatic.
All the best for the rest of your treatment x
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Hi Daisy
hope you ok… I had a mastectomy in 2018 and didn’t find losing a breast as traumatic as losing my hair this time round…so I get how you feel.
im on week 11 next week having paclitaxel. I didn’t start to lose any hair until after 5 th treatment… then it started coming out In handfuls and that freaked me out so after week 6 I cut it all off…I’ve lost all my Arm and leg hair ( which is fine!) , but still have some ( ? Half) my pubic hair and no loss at all of eyebrows or lashes. Although I’m expecting them to go on my next chemo EC .
i actually don’t feel that bad about the hair loss anymore…well at least not devastated any more… just a bit sad!
take good care X x
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