Hair loss during Chemotherapy
Hair loss during Chemotherapy
Everyone associates a bald head in connection with a cancer treatment most commonly known as chemotherapy. It’s the time in the cancer journey when you can no longer hide you’re fighting cancer. While I was 100% prepared to lose the hair on my head, I was caught off guard in other areas.
If you truly think about it chemo is going to affect most hair follicles on your body. What other hair will you most likely lose?
My long hair was cut prior to my surgery for several reasons.
- I wanted to cut my hair on my terms. Toby gets no say in the matter.
- I knew I wouldn’t have the energy to do anything with it as I recovered from surgery.
- After the mastectomy, I couldn’t raise my arms up so shampooing short hair was way easier.
- I thought it would be a fun activity during our family & friend getaway.
It started to grow back a bit, but one day made the choice to take it down to the numbs (aka no guard). Was it a shock? YES!?!?! There’s a big difference between short hair and bald. BUT… I wanted to get used to it before it actually fell out.
A lot of this process is mental. Processing my hair leaving ahead of it actually falling out was something I had control over.
My first chemo infusion was twelve days ago, and this morning… my hair is officially leaving my head.
Hair, I’ll see you again in 2023!
cold capping, hats, and wigs
While losing my hair wasn’t a huge thing for myself I know it can really impact others. I had shaved my head before starting treatment. My journey started with surgery, so I wanted the most low-maintenance hair I could get. If you are someone who is really panicking over hair loss, you can try COLD CAPPING. It’s not 100% guaranteed, but it has worked for some. I don’t have first-hand experience with it, but I know other women who did it and worked.
The cap cools the scalp and constricts blood flow to hair follicles, making them less sensitive to chemotherapy’s effects. This process could lessen hair loss during chemotherapy. Patients typically wear the cap for 30 minutes before treatment, throughout the session, and for 90 to 120 minutes afterward. If you’d like additional information, please visit the American Cancer Society website.
If you do lose your hair and you want a great hat to wear, my favorite one was the Pistil Women’s Diva Beanie. My head is very sensitive to pressure, so hats can be hard to find that don’t cause me an instant headache. I had one of the hats that stretched out, and I utilized that one for my bedtime hat. You heard right! Bedtime! You will be shocked at how cold you get without hair on your head, and bedtime is no exception.
If it’s summer, remember that your head doesn’t normally see the sun, so a good SPF hat can be extremely important.
Now, let’s talk wigs. I know ladies who LOVED playing with different styles of wigs. I mean why not?! Have you always wanted to try a new hairstyle? Well now’s your chance. Wigs weren’t something I used either. Check out some info here if you’d like more details and resources. Also, check with local groups in your area. I know organizations like Breast Friends here in Oregon have wigs you can borrow. There were also offerings at Transitions located inside St Vincent’s Hospital
EYELASHES
Aside from the obvious of not putting mascara on, one thing happened while my lashes were MIA. My eyelids would overlap constantly, especially when I slept or closed my eyes hard. I don’t know if this was just a weird thing that happened to me or if others had similar experiences. Either way, I thought I’d share my experience.
NOSE HAIR
Hair loss during chemotherapy doesn’t stop with your head. Nose hair falls out as well. This is one area that caught me by surprise. Personally, I dislike long nose hairs and found it a treat not to worry about them, but the hair has a purpose. If my nose ran, the fluid fell straight out of my nose. LOL, no dribble. Thankfully, allergy season wasn’t in effect during that time, or else things would have been interesting.
Want to learn a bit about my own cancer journey?
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