Hair loss with FEC

Hi everyone
I had my first FEC chemo on may 30th 2013 which was okay and I luckily have had no nausea or sickness. I was just wondering when I would start to lose my hair. I have had it cut short in anticipation and am going with a friend to London this Thursday for a wig fitting but I keep giving it a tug every morning and so far so good!

Hi Beckyjane64

Welcome to the BCC discussion forums, I’m sure some of the other users will be a long soon to offer you their experiences and advice. In the meantime you might find it helpful to read the BCC booklet on hair loss, it contains lots of information, which you may find useful. To order a copy or to read this on line just follow the link below:-

www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/treatment-side-effects/breast-cancer-hair-loss-bcc54

Best wishes Sam, BCC Facilitator

Thank you I have juhad downloaded it and had a read - very helpful

Hi Becky
I found that my hair started to fall around 12 days after by day 15 I had had enough and shaved it to a number 3 by second chemo I had very sparse amounts of tuffs so shaved it completely , but not everyones the same best of luck hun hope you manage to enjoy your trip x

Becky,
I kept mineuntil into the second cycle, but had it cut really short in a pixi cut at the beginning to prepare. Not so promising it seems that seven months is not unreasonable period for hair to grow back again after treatment!!!
hope the wig fitting goes well.
Jude

Hi,
my hair thinned from day Five and started to fall out from day 12 but then settled until second cycle. I didn’t need to wear a scarf until after second cycle when I developed bald patches. But I had a pixie cut before first cycle and a grade 4 before second cycle which I am sure helped as less length and weight to pull hair down and out!
I am now day 12 after 2nd cycle and I wouldn’t go out without a head covering as firstly I would be cold and secondly it’s not a pleasant look for others to see!
a friend who had chemo previously has advised washing hair as little as possible if you want to keep it for longer. Also don’t cover head when indoors as if head is too warm the hair will fall out quicker. Not sure how scientific this is!
i didn’t think hair loss would be a bother but I am fed up oit leaving a trail so going to get it removed completely this week.
its only hair (!) which will grow back eventually and as I said to my poor worried mum, I would rather be bald then have cancer!
good luck to you, I think those of us on FEC are lucky as the side effects for most seem much less then expected so far. I am on FEC T so only one cycle of FEC left before the change to new drugs!..
x

Hi Beckyjane- You probably realise by now there is a lot of variability in when the hair starts falling out and it seems a very individual experience. It was day 17 of cycle 1 for me- all my grey hair fell out suddenly in 1 day leaving the original colour (lol) which is apparently slower to slough off. I haven’t got around to having it shaved. The scalp is very tender, feels a bit like when you first put your hair up or pin it into a new style or a new set of roller (remember them?) only all over my head. I’ve discovered (thanks to a fellow May Moonbeam) the Aloe Vera gel you can buy in Holland and Barrett. Makes my hair look odd but oh so soothing for the scalp. I’m covering my hair now mainly to keep hairs from gently drifting all over my clothes, the food, the cats etc…

Thank you to everyone for all your advice and so it appears that between 12 -15 days is the most common after first chemo but could be longer. I have had it cut quite short (sorry my photo seems to be sideways!) but may do the shave option if it gets tufty. Also how common is it to lose your eyelashes? Would really not like this.

Thank you for the advice about washing hair too often - at the moment I am doing it every I other day because I keep thinking I won’t be able to do this shortly. Will try to leave it a bit longer in between washes.

Hi Penny
Thank you for the advice and maybe I should join the may moonbeamers being a fellow first chemo in may. I"m not sure how to do this though?

My hair started falling out on day 14 of FEC 1 by day 17 it was so thin and patchy and scalp was very tender so I shaved it off with OH’s beard trimmer. As soon as the hair had gone my scalp stopped being tender. I wear hats by suburban turban and really like my wig which I wear when we go out or have company round. It took 3 months before I let OH see me bald as I didn’t want to upset him, but now it’s too hot to wear anything indoors so I just go commando. He’s now shaved his hair right down so we look like the Fester Twins I’m having FEC 7/8 this week and it’s 6 months since I lost my hair but it’s just starting to grow back. It’s just grey bum-fluff and I’ve been advised by hairdresser to leave it till it’s 1cm long after chemo has finished and then shave it off again so good hair can grow without the unhealthy stuff on the ends.
Hope this helps
X Yvonne

Beckyjane - I’ve only lost a few eyelashes and about half my eyebrows on FEC but everyone I know on FEC-T has lost all theirs
X Yvonne

I am on day 11 of FEC 1, only noticeable hair loss is nasal hair, I have a runny nose when I exercise. Legs still growing and head firm.

Hi Becky- just come over to May Moonbeams and post! I will try to bump it up for you so it should appear in the current list of active topcs or latest posts.

Becky - I will be getting 4th chemo this week. I’ve been using Talika Lipocils for lashes and brows since start of chemo and still have both. Brows have thinned a little and I have lost a few lashes but still enough there to work with. The product is available from Space NK - good luck!

It was shortly before second session I started loosing my hair. By chemo number 3 everything has gone. I kept some eye lashes and my eybrows thinned quite a lot. Eyebrows never went back to full, dark eyebrows I had before.
Good luck with everything!
Valia
x x

Hi, like many others hair started coming out about 14 days past first chemo (6 x FEC) and had it shaved soon after as it was so uncomfortable. Slept on my forehead for 3 days!! I lost some eyelashes and eyebrows became sparse but never lost the whole lot. 9 and a half months since last chemo, eyelashes all back but eyebrows a little patchy. On the plus side, I rarely have to shave armpits ( could be effects of rads, but only had single mx not double) only a few hairs on each armpit and forearms not as hairy! Always like to look for a silver lining in all this!!
Good luck with everything,
Gaynor xx