One year after chemo finished and hair still so very very thin!

[anni]

Hi

Really sorry to hear about your hair.  Did you have Taxotere as one of your chemo drugs?  If so it's probably not good news as there are lots of women - including myself - who have had permanent damage / hair loss following this treatment.  I have not got a full head of hair 3 years after my last treatment.  I did use a shampoo and conditioner called FAST - available on Amazon UK - which does seem to help with the existing hair growth.  There is also a new product just coming onto the market called CG428 which is used twice daily to massage into the scalp.  At present I am trialling it for 3 months so it's early to say whether it will stimulate new growth.   There is an international group called Taxotears whose members give each other on-line support.

I have had far more misery about my hair than the cancer and have spent about £2,000 on wigs, real hair weaves (attached with surgical tape to a bald scalp but which you can swim and shower with it on your head!), tattooed eyebrows, scarves, hats, coloured powders, etc etc.

I thought I would never get over the upset and every day was waking up thinking how ugly and old I looked - and how it reminded me of cancer....However I had some excellent advice from my Reiki teacher - which was basically 'What good does that do you?'   The answer was 'none' and so I have done my best to accept the situation.  Instead of hating my wig I have decided to have a little fun with them and bought a couple more in a range of colours  (you can get prescriptions on the NHS - at least I think you can but not sure if in all areas of the UK) - if you are permanently affected.   I thought I would never see myself writing this but at least I can say my 'hair' now always looks immaculate - and the rest of the time there is just about enough to do a 'comb over' - but the scalp still shines through:(

At least you are getting some attention and help from your doctor - where I was treated they have not been helpful and at first tried to say it was a 'new' condition which was unusual.  In fact it has been known for years that Taxotere can do this but they have waited until it affected many women for it to 'sink in'.

They now say that they have changed their consent sheet for this drug to say that hair may not grow back as I have argued that if I had been informed and given the choice I would not have felt so depressed about it had I chosen to go ahead with the treatment with full information.  Unfortunately their information leaflets to cancer patients still say that hair will grow back after chemo.

[sandra2812]

Hi Janis. Know how you feel and sympathise with you. Finished my chemo in March 2013, had FEC and Dosataxol, 3 of each. My hair has taken ages to grow back and seemed to get thinner!!! I used FAST shampoo and conditioner which helped, then I started taking Viviscal tablets for hair and nails, and I have noticed an improvement, they are expebsive, but definitely worth it!  I found other thickening shampoos didn't help at all.

Good luck, let me know how you get on.

Sandrax

[Charity11]

Hi Janis, I used nioxin shampoo treatment, no 1 when my hair started growing around March this year, I have a full head of thick hair now, my chemo treatment finished in December 2014 and have had it cut twice. I only went without headwear end of May but have not looked back since. My chemo was FEC-T

Best wishes

Charity

[Janis20]

Thank you Naz,
I have tried every shampoo, lotion etc only resulting in walking around with a crispy head! I massage my scalp every day with various oils. Thank you for the link but my hair is too sparse for extensions. I am now under the Dr who has given me another lotion and waiting on numerous blood results. I have done some investigation and apparently one of the drugs I had, twice ( with a severe reaction the second time that the dose had to be altered) has this side effect! It was quite new the first time I had it and the effects were not fully known. It seems that they now have evidence of this and the makers are looking into it. One of the myths to chemo is that your hair grows back, fuller and curly! For many it does. I am seriously thinking of going for a consultation for a hair transplant but don't know if I have enough for that! And I don't want to get ripped off either! I am in Hertfordshire so if any one knows of a specialist hairdresser that can help with a comb over cut that would be great.

[NAZ]

Oh bless you Janis, I can see how upset you feel about this and understandably so. Have you tried massaging your head/scalp to try and stimulate growth? Perhaps a good hair dresser could pass some helpful tips onto you, one who has experience of working with post chemo hair?

Have you seen this? http://racooninternational.com/products/hair-in-recovery I went for a consultation after my chemo as my hair was horrid after chemo and I desperately wanted some length and volume.  I don't know where you are based, but maybe give them a call to see where you nearest salon would be for advice?

What about a volumising shampoo, does that help?

Hopefully others will be along soon to share tips..

Yes you are alive, but as you say, you also need to be able to move on or at least put BC in a box so you can get on with living and that can be hard when you are faced with a daily reminder.

Take good care and sending you huge hair growing vibes! 🙂

Naz x

[Janis20]

I first had breast cancer in 2009 and had 6 treatments of fec&it. In 2014 I was diagnosed with breast cancer again in the other breast. I had the same chemo. The first time I had a full head of hair re growth even though it was thinner than before. Now I find myself with fluffy hair that is so thin you can see my scalp! It's so upsetting and its stopping me from doing so much as I am so conscious of it. I am wondering if any one has any tips, ideas anything to help or advice. I know some people will think but your alive what does it matter, but I need to move on and can't when I look in the mirror- which I try not to- I just see cancer!