i start FEC T next Monday and I am desperate to keep my hair! I am trying the cold cap. I had my pre chemo assessment today and the nurse told me the best thing to do was to have a short hair cut before starting the cold cap. However, my whole reason for doing it is to avoid going really short or losing it all so I don’t know what to do. My hair is just below my shoulders and very thick. I think I will get it cut to a chin length bob which I can cope with but I feel it is defeating the object if I have it all cut off! Also long bits might be useful to disguise thinning!
I feel I am obsessed with the hair issue but right from diagnosis and through two lots of surgery it has been the one thing I have dreaded more than anything else! I don’t think I would be so scared of chemo if I could keep my hair!
I didnt cold cap so lost hair within first cycle I shaved it off to a number one but the “chicken fluff” I have left has grown whilst on EC I exoect it to fall out at some point im going to use my hair growing back to do cool things with it like spikes a quiff and when I can wild colours I have always had long hair and id never have had the guts to chop off to a pixie so im going to do it while growing it back
I would say maybe get shoulder length and layersvor thinned out to save some weight you have nothing to lose by trying if it works you have shoulder length thinner hair if it doesnt then you are where you would have been if you hadnt cold capped.
Hi Claire / I cold capped and just finished chemo before Christmas. I had my shoulder length hair cut into a short bob, it just made it easier to manage on the days I didn’t wash it. That’s the thing I struggled with not washing hair every day! I washed it every other day. I guess if your hairs long like you said you can wear it up to disguise thinning. My hair has thinned evenally all over, but I don’t have any bold patches. Good luck with it, if you can stand the first 15 mins then you will be fine. It wasn’t half as bad as I imagined, it’s just the extra time that’s a pain! Sending love xxx
I had pre chemo almost waist length thick red hair. Still do now too although not as thick and have a bald patch. I am cold capping and on fec-t. Had 2 fec so far. Hair has thinned out a lot but still have so much that noone has noticed anything. I have changed my parting to a side parting to sort of comb over a bald patch but there is no need to cut it. Just plait it every day/night so it doesn’t get matted and it requires less combing. Only wash once a week with organic shampoo so no harsh chemicals.
Don’t let cancer dictate what hair length you have. Too many people get negative about the cold cap and say cut your hair or that it won’t work. It does work, possibly not for everyone but if you don’t try you don’t know. Don’t cut your hair to a bob unless you want to. Also check out the thread bald patches. It has links to ideas a girl with thinning hair and bald patches due to alapeacha (might have spelt that wrong, stress related hair loss) has posted on you tube. I found them incredibly helpful. Hope you do too.
Xx
Hi, I had the cold cap and didn’t lose my hair. It was very thick to start with which probably helped and by the end of my 4th cycle it was quite thin on top, but I kept a pretty full fringe so got away with wearing a bandana. I had a shoulder length Bob which I kept. Although I did have it cut short after my chemo finished as it had started to get a bit wispy and had a life of its own lol