Who decided to shave it off?

[Guest user]

i'm a low maintenance person too - and 2 months on from epi i have ultimate wash and go and apparently statement hair - a colleague i haven't seen in ages but clearly doesn't do goss. went whoa today.... what's your hair saying - everyone else went OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH nooooooo and i said...cancer makes u do statements. Poor man - i thought he knew.

when my hair started falling i had a no 3 but it was sore and the only thing that helped was pulling it out. i always kept leg hair (typical!!!) but other areas were not sore.

I found wig v hot and scarves a pain - my sons aged 19 and 21 said do what you do at home mum - we'll come with you for a bit...and ok - it's i'm bald but people were fine and i forgot i didn't have hair...i have half a centimetre now and it is weird having hair back!!

we all have to do this the way that suits us.

take care

Jen xx
ps we might have a bald night at the dew drop inn soon!

[peacock]

Well, its gone! Good riddance too (but I did have a few tears) and OH took lots of patience and was very gentle with me, he did it lovingly!

I rushed straight out to try on my wig, its so itchy! Is there anything you can do to make the scalp bit less uncomfortable?

I quite agree Anita, I've never done much with my hair either - I do hope it grows back thicker and curlier though.

[Guest user]

Hi Peacock and everyone else

I cut my own hair off just before FEC #2 and found it quite liberating too.

I have never been hight maintenance with my hair and only usually have it cut twice a year! I have never had it dyed or streaked but when it comes back I am going to have it cut more often and streak it. The wig I have is dark auburn (my own colour) and it has red streaks in the front. I have had so many people comment on how lovely it looks. When my hair grows back I am going to be more proud of it and show it off to its best and take more care of it.

I do think it is best to cut it off rather than suffer it falling all over the place.

Good Luck!

PS...........HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY VODKA FOR FRIDAY!

[peacock]

Just wanted to say thanks ladies for all your comments, I want it gone now but can't get OH to do it! Our daughter doesn't want it off either, so looks like I am overuled. To the hairdresser on Friday so I think I will ask her to tondeuse it (that's a French word for lawnmower ha ha) but that is what they call it.

Vodka - wishing you a very Happy birthday for Friday, and hope all goes well with your 2nd chemo. Let us know how it goes.

[ForumMember]

Happy Birthday for Friday Vodka and welcome to the naughty forties

AJxxx

[Guest user]

Hi

Just to say happy birthday Vodka

Debsx

[nicky08]

Hi

I'm now nearly a week after FEC No3 and still have quite a lot of hair. It has thinned to a baby like fluff all over but I'm surprised there's so much of it still. I had it cut to about 1cm all over after FEC no2 and it then fell out some more, as per usual before the next treatment but it's still very visible and I'm quite OK about it although I do cover up as it's very patchy. I'm glad I didn't shave it all off (although I think it will go eventually) as I still have a short fringe which makes any head covering look better (for me anyway). I wear a wig when I go out (eal69eal) and my wig does stay on very well. I just have to be careful my own fringe doesn't show if it slips back slightly but overall it blends in very well and it's not very noticeable. My OH says you have to really look very hard to see where the wig and my own hair meet.

Also my hair definitely grows between treatments, at this rate I will be able to comb my fringe right over the top and down the sides and ditch the wig LOL

Nicky x

Vodka, and anyone else having chemo this week, good luck and hope you recover well. And a big Happy Birthday to Vodka on Friday.

[Guest user]

My hair was so cr@p the day before FEC 2 (my birthday) I got my hairdresser to clipper it off. She also styled my wig. Wig has been a big hit but is too hot in the warmer weather we've been having so I've worn hats and scarves more. I still like the wig, though, as I can go out, e.g. to the shops and no-one need know I'm having chemo. Finished chemo today and have some baby fine fluff on my head, like a peach. Eyebrows are very motheaten, as are lashes but with pencilled brows and mascars with that white primer, it seems to fool most people.

After clipping, it took about 2 weeks for my head to stop being sore but that seems longer than most.

Am off now to look for info on getting hair back again!
a
x

[Guest user]

My husband and daughter scissored off my hair and then used clippers on No. 6, on Father's Day last year, with me sitting on a chair holding a glass of champagne. Then my husband shaved it off for me a few days later as I couldn't stand the soreness that comes with the hair falling out any longer, the soreness stopped when it was gone. This was about two weeks after starting FEC.

I had to wear a Buff to bed at night, as I felt so cold (even though it was June at the time) and because I found my stubble "velcroed" me to the pillow at night, lol!

I wore my wig a lot, it was a jaw length blonde one, and I used to tie scarves (headband style) around it. I also had a selection of hats...Baker boys, as they come down low, a lovely "Audrey Hepburn style" straw bucket shaped one from Accessorize, as well as my Buffs. As soon as I stopped FEC and started Taxotere my hair began to grow again (although my eyebrows and lashes fell out whilst I was on it).

Good luck Peacock xxxx

[Guest user]

don't bet on it.. I'm day 10 past 2nd chemo and only had a thin layer a couple of days after 2nd chemo but what's left is refusing to budge... just looks silly, like soft downy baby hair on a tired 30 something!

[Vodka]

my hair was looking like a 3 year old had tried to cut it so on Friday my OH gave me a number 2. we both cried as it was very emotional but now we are used it and it looked alot tidier. the rest of my hair is thinning very fast and i get my 2nd chemo today so i guess i'll be bald by Friday which is my 40th birthday - what a birthday present to get! ; D

[anne5]

Hi

I decided I could not stand bits of hair falling out so got my husband to give me a grade 1. I had to have the wig in the house - just in case, but actualy never wore it. Kept to bandandas - had a different one for every day of the week, and my mood.
I found the hair shaving quite liberating - it would be something I would never ever of done except when on chemo.
I got so many good comments about my bandandas. when i finished chemo and hair started growing back - decided to brave it and go commando (head I mean!) - it was fine. Have now decide to keep my hair quite short.

Please take care, love

Anne x

[Guest user]

Hi Peacock

I also took the plunge and shaved all my hair off. Mine started falling out 2 weeks after first chemo. Got so fed up with my scalp itching and malting like a dog, it was the only thing to do. It did feel wierd at first because my hair was shoulder length and being a little vain felt something of me had gone!!

I did get a wig fitted but tend not to use it, just feels to strange to me. Wearing loads of trendy hats in different colours is great for me. I look at it it and say, no more bad hair days for a while!!! 🙂

It is hard at first, but with lots of support you will get through the bad times 🙂

Kirsty xx

[Guest user]

I could do with some advice here. I successfully retained all my hair for 3 FEC using the cold cap, it was amazing no-one knew I was having chemo!. Now I've swapped to Tax it's all falling out. I have a large Monks crown and so can't go out without headgear. I haven't yet ventured out with my wig as can manage with a cap as I still have hair around the sides. The big question is should I just shave the lot off? I am scared my wig will fall off as I still have hair underneath, do you think my wig would stay on better if I shaved my head? A hairdresser friend has advised I don't shave it but I'm not sure......... I agree the whole shedding hair thing is pi***ng me off!

[ForumMember]

Hi Peacock

I thought it would be just too depressing to have my hair falling out all over the place, so on day 14 of FEC, when it was coming out when I brushed it, I decided to take the plunge! Had a "hair today, gone tomorrow" party, with a few close friends. A couple of glasses of wine to fortify me, and then my OH was brave and did the deed with the clippers, and my daughter was chief photographer. Believe it or not it was all very jolly and good humoured and amazingly untraumatic. Worked for me anyway! That was January, I wore a wig most of the time, but now have an inch of hair and enjoyed the feeling of the wind through it yesterday - have put the wig away now. So good luck all of you, it's a tough time, but you'll get through it! Sarah x

[Topper]

I had a little party. I invited some friends round and gave them lunch.

One friend has always wanted to try hairdressing but her daughters won't let her near them. She cut my hair short... actually she was rubbish and her customers would have sued her if it were for real.

The second friend brought her son's hair clippers, she was experienced and first gave me a number 3 cut. I decided to go shorter and she gave me the number 1 cut.
Friend number three has a video camera and filmed the event. It was great fun.

She continued to do a bit of film every month when my hair started to grow. My hair is now three inch long curls and I have a video entitled "This is your hair"
( not "This is your life")

I never wore a wig as I just couldn't find one to suit me. I did put stick on tattoos on the side of my head and wore hats ( It was last winter)

It is only a temporary thing and isn't going to happen again so I thought I would get the most fun out of it!

[Guest user]

Hi All

I have a very short crop at the moment and I seem to have to pull at my hair for it to come out at the moment. I have FEC No 2 on Tuesday so not doing to bad. But felt so much happier when I used the clippers to get it really short although my son used the NO 7 I wont worry about taking it right down now. Its all quite liberating really in a strange way.

Any way scarves are THE fashion item this season apparently!!!!!

Good luck all
Debsx

[crispy]

Hi Peacock

Had my hair cut short and visited headstrong lady before first chemo. Became fed up with wispy bits just after second chemo and had my head shaved by a friend who is a hairdresser. She used clippers and my head felt much better afterwards. I used a ladyshaver to deal with the stubbly hair that came through the day before each chemo.

My wig was initially styled with some hair underneath and there was a offer to check it when my hair fell out. I returned twice to the wig lady, once after I'd had my hair shaved and then a lttle while later when the wig flattened.

Go with whatever feels comfortable. After my time with headstrong I mainly wore hats and scarves and only wore my wig in work. Once my head was shaved I felt more confident than with wispy hair.

Lv Crispy

[Guest user]

Hi Peacock

I shaved my hair off, no itchiness, I didn't wear a wig it didn't suit me at all. I wore stylish head scalves and hats. Folks said that my regrown short hair suited me but missed my colourful head creations.

Go for it girl, its a lot less mess than waiting for it all to drop out.

Carol

[ForumMember]

Hi Peacock

I have added the link to a Breast Cancer Care publication called 'Breast cancer and hair loss' which you may find helpful to read:

http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/hairloss_2004_v2_0.pdf

The booklet also contains information about our free 'HeadStrong' workshops which explore the many issues faced by people experiencing hair loss which may be available in an area near you, for more details and further support please contact our confidential helpline on 0808 800 6000, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm.

Best wishes
Lucy

[ForumMember]

Peacock

Yes the 2nd chemo will finish it off.

I did have my wig styled whilst I still had hair, he just put it in a hair net and put the wig on top. Then when I went to collect it he pulled the chair away from the mirror shaved off my hair (blessed relief it was in the end) with clippers I think, put the wig on and finished styling it. He used what felt like a baby wipe over the head and it really soothed the sore bits. I only had a sore scalp whilst my hair was falling out, not after it was shaved.

Best of luck

[peacock]

I'm left with a very thin crop of hair and its still falling out. I had it cut very short last week, but I don't think it is going to last much longer.

I'm fed up with strands of hair dropping all over the place, all down my shoulders and its getting on my nerves.

I can't have my wig styled properly until there isn't any hair left because it will still slip off whilst she's trying to style it

How many of you took the final step and actually shaved it off? If so, does it leave you with an itchy scalp, did you use hair clippers? Any tips or suggestions because I am really getting to the stage where I've had enough now.

2nd chemo is on Monday, so I suppose that will finish it off anyway.