Chemo Curl - Myth or Fact???

[weezie1053]

I completed chemo in mid-Feb 07. My hair has been slow in growing back, but there are no longer any visible bare spots. I retired my wig in mid-July. I have always had poker straight hair. It was not only straight, but baby fine. My hair is now growing back curly and much thicker--especially on top. I have heard that this is God's gift to us after losing our hair. I have heard hair stylists say it will last, and others say it is temporary. I am so happy to have any wave or bend in each and every single strand of hair.

Just wondering if it is temporary or if there is truth to "God's gift?" I haven't seen any threads about hair after chemo.

Louise

[Mary Jo]

Hi Louise,

In my case, the "gift" was only temporary!!! Sorry! Before cancer I had thick hair with lots of natural wave and it frizzed A LOT when humid. I really hated that about my hair. When my hair grew back after chemo it came back very thick (as thick as before I'd say - maybe a bit thicker) and very curly. The back looked as if it were permed. Honestly though, I didn't like that. Each time I got my hair cut I'd lose a little more of that "permed" curly look. The top never was as "permed" looking as the back though. Now though, my hair is stick straight. It still is plenty thick (maybe not quite as thick as before though) but very straight. I've NEVER had straight hair in my life. All that being said though, I LOVE MY NEW HAIR. Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than before cancer. I no longer experience that dreaded friz when humidity hits. I wash, blow it dry a little bit, put some Matrix sculpting paste in and I'm off. It always looks great and I love it. So, I guess it can be our "gift" from God if we want it to be.http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif

Honestly though, as I tell others, there is no such thing as a bad hair day anymore. Once you've had the ultimate bad hair day (BALD) there is no longer any such thing in my book.

Happy "curling"

Mary Jo

[Becky]

My experience was just like Mary Jo's (except I always had a slight wave to my hair) and now my hair is just the way it used to be.

It was so curly in the back I couldn't stand it and kept getting it cut. Because of that, it took me longer to get my hair the way I wanted it (about 2 inches longer than my picture - its a bit different now than that as my pic is now almost a year old - time to get a new one).

But any hair was better than no hair!

[Yorkiegirl]

My curls were only temporary. My hair is still baby fine but a much thicker than what it was originally, and it's darker than it was before.

I agree with Mary Jo there is no such thing as a bad hair day now.

[harrie]

Before chemo my hair was just like Mary Jo's before chemo....wavy, frizzy in humidity. I had it chemically straightened and used a flat iron. I would LOVE it if it came in nice and thick and straight!!!
Maryanne

[Chelee]

Louise, Your hair is doing what mind did...in fact I asked almost the same question. :) I found the link for you in case your interested in everyones replies.

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28879&highlight=chemo+curl

My chemo curls are slowly disappearing...looks like I *might* end up with straight hair again at the rate its going. Like you...I was curious if it was eventually going to go back to the way it was or stay curly? Check out the replies on that link.

Chelee

[newgg]

Now you will hear a different story.....this gal had straight hair before chemo. Waited with great joy the possibility of having some wave or curls when the baby fine fuzz returned. NOT A CURL !!!! What a hoot ! Just one side that wanted to grow straight out from the side of my head. Had to keep it short for some time to control those wild hairs. After 3 years it is back to the same color and about the same thickness. As stated....any hair is good hair!
Take care, Hugs, Bonnie

[dhealey]

Mine has come back in very curly and I don't handle curly very well. I am keeping it very short until it straightens back out. My onc says that can be anywhere from a year to a year and a half. I' m just gratful to have hair again!

[PinkGirl]

Hi - mine came back thicker and with a wave. As it grows and I get it trimmed, the wave is getting cut off. It looks like I am going to have my former straight hair, but a lot more of it. But, my hair and scalp are very dry (used to be oily) and I have to remind myself to wash it. It never gets dirty!!! I also don't "stink" anymore - don't have to use deodorant.

[hutchibk]

OK, time for the the hairdresser here to weigh in...


Treatment of cancer with drugs may cause complete hair loss. This is because these drugs are designed to kill cancer cells, which are cells that are growing out of control. Other cells that are growing very actively may be affected too: these may include cells in the bowel lining and also in hair follicles. This leads to a 'break' in growth and an inherent weakness. Once the drugs are stopped, the patient's hair starts to grow back, but the hair that subsequently grows may look quite different from the old. This is because the growth patterns of the sensitive cells of the hair bulb may still be upset by the effects of the drug.

So essentially, it takes time for the inherent weakness/cell sensitivity caused by the chemo to be reversed. It is like baby hair, starting all over again... and immature hair (baby hair) is inherently weaker and often extremely unruly (curly)... and that combined with pissed off, sensitive chemo terrorized cells makes for interesting hair re-growth patterns. Over time as the drugs make their way out of the body and the hair starts to mature, it becomes stronger and often reverts back to hair as usual for most of us.

[mke]

Pre chemo my hair was fairly thick and wavy, and a little gray. I'm about 14 months post chemo and my hair is still fairly curly, especially on top. I might be a little grayer but not enough to make me colour my hair. I think my scalp might be a bit dryer, I don't seem to need to shampoo as often and use conditioner now when I didn't before. Like others I'm just happy to have hair.

[Jeanette]

I always had straight hair too. Very thick though. Mine came back and I could not do a thing with it. It did come in curly, but it was out of control, one side was longer than the other and parts of it was no curl at all. Finally went to the hairdresser and by the time she finished ctrimming it , it was so short I could have cried. I realise she had to get it evened out , but it took so long for me to grow it back , It was like losing a friend. Now though it is back to normal and just as thick. Jeanette

[DonnaD]

Louise,
Like Bonnie I had straight hair before chemo and have straight hair again. I was hoping for curls. Last chemo was the beginning of March and I gave up the wig in July.

Thank goodness the spiked look is in, because it is not growing all that fast and has a mind of its own. I do love it though. I wash it , put in a little gel and spike it. Got it highlighted ASAP because it came in very brown, and I was a dark blonde before. Yep, there are no bad hair days now, just hair days :). Life is good.
Donna

[tricia keegan]

Mine was straight before and came back curly, having had it cut about four times since chemo ended it's nw back to straight again so definatly temporary for me.
Strangely though my friend always had curly hair that she hated but her's grew back straight!!

[Sherryg683]

Brenda, I was a hairstylist too, years ago...lol. Almost 18 months since I finished chemo and my hair is still CURLY...I don't like it though. The texture is dry. I have always worn my hair very short on the sides and long on top, straight with long bangs (like my pic). Now it just curls like a poodle and I have to round brush it and pull to get it straight. Now to top it off, I have developed a huge bald spot at the top of my head, alopecia areata. My dermatologist said it was probably because my immune system was OVERACTIVE and attacking my hair folicles. Can't believe that with all the chemo stuff that my immune system is overactive. He gave me some steroid shots and hopefully it will grow back. I can still cover it with this poodle curly stuff on my head, but let's just say..I've been having a lot of bad hair days lately. When I want to look decent, I wear my wig...sherryg

[Shad]

I had a little wave in my hair prior to chemo. It, like many of us, came back in ridiculously curly. I had my hair stylist straighten it a couple of times. The curl is fairly tame now. My color is MUCH darker. When people compliment me on the beautiful color, I tell them "my oncologist did it". :)
Shad

[hutchibk]

Sherry - just remember that you are on Herceptin, and though it is not a chemo, it is a strong med. As you will remember, meds make their way out of the body through kidney, bladder, intestines, capillaries (as in hand/foot syndrome), hair and nails. Any med that is not natural to the body can affect hair...

Mine comes back exactly like it was before except that it gets grayer and whiter everytime. But it has always been wavy and it comes back wavy.

[Sherryg683]

Brenda, is that your hair in the pic. I love the way your hair in the pic. That's the way wig looks and I love it, it just itches so dang bad. I figured it was probably the Herceptin still messing with my hair. I will be on Herceptin forever, so I guess I will have to deal with this curly mess. My sons hair is very curly and we put a straightner in it. I am thinking about putting one in mine but I'm afraid what it may do, what do you think? Although, it can't look much worse than it does now. My color still doesn't take right either. I use a semi permanent hair color and the roots never seem to take the color...sherry

[hutchibk]

you know... with meds in your body, it doesn't surprise me that the color doesn't take very well... I have considered coloring mine when it grows in a little more, but I know that the color may not look anything like I expect it to due to the meds. I don't know if a straightener will work, I have never used them. How about just getting yourself a ceramic iron and straightening it with that?

That's pretty much the style and cut I have had for several years. It is not nearly that long right now, as it has only been growing for 4 months this time...

[Vanessa]

My hair came back curly, also. Right now I have short, curly hair. I also have about 1/2 the hair I had a week ago. My new chemo, abraxane, is taking its toll. It will interesting to see if I lose all of my hair. I did not lose it all with TCH.

[weezie1053]

Thank you all for your responses. I had no idea I would trigger such a tidal "wave" (no pun intended) and hair raising stories. Seriously, I learned a lot. Patience is not my strong suit, and I have been coloring my hair as soon as I had any length. It's hard enough to accept the weight gain, puffiness, etc., and I wasn't ready to go gray--not yet. First two times I had my hair colored, it had too much red. The hairstylists told me it was due to the chemicals. The third time, the stylist said it helped her to know that the chemicals were turning me flaming red, and she was able to tone it all down. Wish I could wear a bag over my head, but I work in a retail environment and with the public. Never know when the media is going to throw a mike in my face as well. I will enjoy my thicker hair as long as it lasts...

Louise

[sassy]

My hair was dark brown, very thick and somewhat frizzy--I curled it and have worn my hair curly since high school days when I used to do everything to straighten it. It came back very curly and almost black; still a darker shade of brown, which I do like, and the curl has relaxed quite a bit. I blow dry it with a round brush and have still have "nice" curls. It may be more relaxed because it is longer and very heavy, so the curls pull out some.

Like Pinkgirl--I don't stink and don't sweat under my arms--but I seem to sweat enough everywhere else to make up for it!
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