Hi everyone
I am due for my last chemo session on 10th June and then on a week’s holiday before start of rads. I know I will still be bald on my holiday, but then got quite excited about the thought of my hair growing back - I do miss it so. Does anyone know how soon it starts to come back and at what point can I go without hated wig and scarves etc? I look in the mirror and don’t recognise myself without hair. It seems very shallow but having my hair back, even though it will be grey would be such a boost.
I have recommended this site to people who have bc and hope they take it up as it stops one feeling so isolated. When I come on it I feel part of a large, wonderful community. In the “normal” world I feel I am the only one going about with a wig and feel sorry for myself for the injustice of it all. Hair seems like miraculous stuff and I envy everyone with it!
Sorry I know I sound obsessed but it is something I can look forward to!!!
lol for each and everyone of you going through this long difficult journey.
Judy (((()))) xxx
Hi Judy
I finished chemo mid march and now have a number1 covering but it is growing fast
Hi Judy,
I finished chemo in December 07 (on the 21st to be precise!) I was on Taxotere and my hair did start to come back while I was on it (which I believe is quite common on that particular chemo). At first it was very patchy and I started to panic as to whether it would stay that way, then it gradually got thicker. I stopped wearing my wig about mid-April, my hair was still very short but I didn’t really care too much as I’m a window dresser and the windows were starting to get a bit hot by then. My hair is getting longer (it seems to be growing a bit quicker now) and I love it as it is like an elfin crop! I have had a lot of compliments on it, and a couple of back-handed ones along the lines of ‘You looked much older when your hair was long, that style knocks years off you’ Another plus is that it only takes me about 5 minutes to wash and dry it, I do have to dampen it down every morning as I think it is trying to curl and sticks straight up in the air.
My eyelashes are a reasonable length now, but my eyebrows are growing really slowly and I’m still having to draw them on every morning, but I have been rubbing vaseline on my lashes everynight and I’m sure it’s helped - it definatley conditions them.
You’re not being shallow at all, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a lovely full head of hair - which you will have very soon. I must add, my hair came through really grey (I had pretended to my work colleagues that it was naturally brunette!) so I bought a completely natural hair colour from Holland & Barrett and slapped that on the night before I went wigless.
Anyway, enough of my waffling, I wish you the best with the rest of your treatment,
Tracy x
Hi Judy,
I finished chemo mid September, and stopped wearing a scarf at the end of January. Like Tracy said, it was very patchy at first (Nov/Dec time) but then it thickened up, and now it is much thicker than it ever was before.
Hello Judy
Only a week to go - well done!!!
I had my last chemo at the end of january, and ditched my wig when I went back to work at the beginning of may.
It was very short, but four weeks on is looking great and will need a trim soon to neaten it up. I have to gel it down a bit and it’s a bit greyer than before, but I’ve been told I look younger with it short.
Like Tracy above I like to call it elfin, although some may call it goblin!
That said a couple of weeks ago a complete stranger said how much she liked my hair. I said it wasn’t through choice, and she said I looked great and it really suited me. Made my day!!!
I’m sure getting the sun on it will help it grow! I went to Malta in april, and took my scarf off to sunbathe, but wore a swimming hat in the pool.
Hope you have a lovely holiday!
Tracey xx
I finished chemo mid february and I had the first comment yesterday by someone who I had never met that they thought I had a very trendy haircut! I could have kissed the person!! Found it hardest about 5 weeks ago when I lost the “chemo look” and looked like I had possibly chosen this hairstyle and got some strange looks from people. Best thing is having eyelashes which are now long than I have ever had in my life! Now find the cropped hair quite liberating…
Thank you all for your replies. I am very impatient and want it to come back immediately after last chemo. Well - want doesn’t always get!! Before I lost my hair I had it cut to about 1/2" and it looked ok, a bit masculine, but who cares? Can’t wait!
I do miss my eyebrows and lashes, but I find plenty of eye makeup (which I don;t usually wear) plus a little brown eye shadow on my few remaining brows does the trick. Tracy thanks for tip re vaseline on eyelashes, will try it on brows too.
Good luck to you hairy ladies
Judy
Hi Judy
Just to add to this one - mine took a bit longer than some ladies here. Finished tax at the end of October last year and finally went commando last week. So six months for my head hair. Still short but think it looks great. Eyebrows and eyelashes came back much quicker, and happily body hair still grows a lot slower than before. Haven’t had to shave my armpits for ages! Once I think since chemo stopped. Yippee. There is a god!
Take care
Dilys
xxxxx
Hi all,
Oh I SO sympathise with the impatience about waiting for the hair! If any other well meaning person says “it will grow back” I may have to punch them - I KNOW it will grow back, its just so slow. I would say that its like watching grass grow, but my grass grows way quicker!
I finished chemo (inc Taxotere) mid April, 7 weeks ago. Its growing back but still very patchy and as its very white/grey, hard to see. I cant wait to get rid of the wig though I know it looks fine and makes everyone else feel comfortable! When I take it off in front of close friends or family (due to raging hot flushes) I can almost see the jolt it gives them as they remember that yes, I have had cancer. Its the real “chemohead” look that I would have looked pityingly at until that perosn was me!
I am going for a ‘wig trim’ on Sat 14th, think it might be better a little shorter and hey, makes me feel normal to go to the hairdresser!!!
Hi Judy and all
is there anyone on here who wouldn’t liek to have hair again!!! i do commando because the wig was just too hot. If people look at me i just look them in the eye and give them a huge smile and a wink… or if i am feeling bolshy one of those ‘do you want a barnsley kiss?’ looks!!
I finished the epirubicin (i’m on xeloda now) about 5 weeks ago and my hair began to grow after 3 weeks… it’s still very much baby fluff and i fear i may be doing a dalmation look… but hey, it’s hair!!!
I have to keep reminding myself to cover my head when i am in the sun. I too have a hol booked for when i finish chemo in July - we deserve the treat!! have a lovely time.
jen x
To answer the initial question - NOT QUICK ENOUGH -. My last chemo (tax) was 20th Feb and I stopped wearing the wig at the end of May. It is still very short, but I don’t get starred at by people who don’t know me! Someone told me that the wig impedes the growth, but I’m not sure if thats true.
Hurrah for hair - Pauline