I know I should be grateful for having recently got my hair back…but I’m so self concious about it being so short. I look about 20 years older and its making me feel really down. Its been growing back since around February and its only about 2inches long. I feel like everyone is looking at me when I go out. I felt like that when I had my wig on too. I stopped wearing my wig because it was just too hot. This whole illness seems to be taking its toll on me now psychologically. If I mention to anyone Ive had breast cancer I feel like I’m going to burst into tears. Its so hard to keep a front up. I feel so unattractive and frumpy and totally fed up. Everyone tells me I look fine, but they are hardly going to say I look like a mess are they?! Anyone else feel the same? Have thought about going to the doctors to see about antidepressants because I’m not sleeping very well due to the hot flushes with Tamoxifen and Ive heard they can help with that too.
Hi Paris,
Have you been to the hairdressers, perhaps a colour on your hair would make you feel a bit better, have you had it styled recently, yes even with 2", when l spoke to a hairdresser she said to come as soon as it starts to grow, as the fluff! needs to be cut off to make the hair stronger.
sandra x
I have finished active treatment and am now on tamoxifen and still have days when I am just sick and tired of not feeling 100% well.
BUT a good diet, brisk walks and yoga makes a huge difference to my outlook. I truly believe that exercise the the best anti-depressant available. I have lost weight and my skin is glowing so it really helps me feel good and positive. I have recently gone wig-less, my hair is very thick but only about 1 inch, but because there are other positives I am not so self-concious.
If you are not exercising already, why not just try getting up every morning, put your trainers on and just walk, as briskly as you can for half an hour. Do it every day, in the fresh air, preferably close to nature.
I know it is difficult but you do have the power to change things for the better. There are lots of great posts on here recently about positivity and you can choose to make a difference to your own life!!
.
Hi Paris,
I feel excatly the same regarding my hair, have you heard of the racoon hair recovery programme? They fund 70% for hair extensions and you need a minimum of 3 inches of hair, worth looking into. x
Hi Ladyvictoria…you have just given me some hope. Thank you! Ive had my hair coloured and styled as much as I can without taking too much off, however I still feel awful. Ive just registered with the racoon hair recovery programme and hopefully will hear from them soon. Thanks again for your message.
you’re welcome! would love to know how you got on with the extensions if you decide to go ahead, I have 1.5 inches to go! and getting married in September! In the mean time I’ve using rosemary oil on my hair and it’s quite thick and it came back to it’s original texture and colour. x
PLease don’t despair,it does get better. I have just reached my 3rd anniversary since dx and having no hair seems like a dim distant memory,
I remember going to my hairdresser when it was bearly an inch long and grey and begging her to just do something with it. She wouldn’t touch it until my oncologist had said it was okay to colour it. He said it was fine,and so she coloured and just kept snipping the ends off. I bought products to spike it up,and made the best of it that I could.
I was very upset at the time as I had always had a lovely thick,long blonde bob and I didn’t recognise the person looking back at me from the mirror. BUT,I persevered and was convinced that it would be back to normal by the time we went on a cruise which had been booked for the minute I finished Herceptin - it wasn’t,but by now I was getting used to it. That was 16 months from dx and then suddenly it just started to put a spurt on and by 20 months it was back to normal.
Three years on and I just laugh about it now, and although I vowed I wouldn’t,I still complain about bad hair days !!
Karen
Deleted- duplicate posting!
Hi Paris
I know how you feel as i often feel the same!
My chemo finished in April, and i guess i have about an inch of hair growth. I hate it, it is not me and miles away from my lovely dark thick hair that i loved before it fell out.
However, I have also registered with the Racoon hair recovery programme and am hoping that once my last lot of reconstructive surgery is out of the way, i will have at least 3 inches of hair to have some extensions put in.
Chin up, the hair loss is so hard i know, but it will be back for sure.
NASREEN X
Hi
I’m in same boat. Finished chemo in March. Hair about 2 inches long and was grey but I had it tinted blonde. I HATE IT! My hair was quite long before and dyed blonde. I feel so frumpy and old. Boyfriend just dumped me which doesnt help. I’ve decided to get it bleached at the end of the month as that will be 6 months since last chemo. I spose I just want to feel and look feminine again!
Julia xx
Hi Julia,
Your boyfriend clearly doesn’t deserve you, hope you meet someone fantastic…x
Me too! What a rubbish bloke! xx
Decent ones are thin on the ground tho! I’ve registered with racoon as well.
Julia xx
Yay, we can start a ‘racoon thread’ soon…!
Happy hair growing all!
Hi all,
My name is Lawrence and I am the Racoon International specialist for Precision Hair Design based in Cardiff.
I have been working with Racoon extensions for a number of years and can’t explain how wonderful it is seeing a clients energy at the end of a Hair in Recovery service.
If anyone is in the area then please feel free to contact myself for advice, if not give Racoon a call to find out where your nearest Hair in Recovery specialist is! We all know somebody who has suffered from medical hair loss. It may not be chemo but perhaps alopecia and may other reasons. Racoon will offer a 40% discount off all hair, bonding and products for a whole twelve months - we’re here for you.
Here at Precision we also offer a private room should this make you more comfortable.
I hope anybody who reads this feels they can give me a call/ drop me a message if they need more advice. I’ll be more than happy to help.
Best Wishes!
Lawrence