Hair Loss

ginnyg898 · 09-22-2010, 04:29 PM

I am starting my first round of Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin in a couple of weeks and wanted to ask about hair loss. Can everyone share when they started to lose their hair on these meds and how long it took for it to be gone?
I have an appt. to have my hair cut pixie short next week, but I want to wait until the lost possible minute to go.
Thanks...

Patb · 09-22-2010, 04:52 PM

Mine was 17 days after my first chemo and it
started falling out fast so I just had my hairdresser
shave it all off. I was prepared with wigs, scarfs, and
hats so everything worked out. As a four year
survivor, its hard now to remember being too upset,
just wanted to live and do everything I could to do that.
Best of luck with your journey. Take care.
patb

kklouisiana · 09-22-2010, 05:11 PM

My hair fell out in huge amounts the second week after first chemo (adriamycin). I had my stylist shave my head then. I have 2 more treatments (taxotere) then in November my hair should grow back. It's funny that the hair on my legs grows out fast and my hair on my arms is still there but my head is a goblin head; good for halloween this year. I'm thinking I'll be "uncle fester" from the Adam's family. God bless you and your new adventure in this wild and crazy life!

v-ness · 09-22-2010, 05:39 PM

hi ginny-

i started chemo october 8 last year and 13 days later i felt this signature tingling and my hair started coming out, a little at first, then a lot. when it started coming out in earnest my scalp hurt a lot and it was hard to sleep. i cured that by giving myself a crew cut, then getting it shaved the next day. it's amazing how fast after chemo it starts. i thought i'd get through 2 chemos - no such luck. you'll know it when you feel your head all abuzz. good luck with chemo. valerie

das · 09-22-2010, 06:47 PM

You may want to look into the penguin cold caps or elasto-gel caps. There is *some* evidence that for *some* people using cold caps can help preserve hair.

vlcarr · 09-22-2010, 08:29 PM

Mine didn't start to come out until about my 3rd round. I did have an extremely sore scalp right before it started to come out. I had mine cut short and then my hairdresser came to my house and shaved it for me. That really did help the soreness.

Best of luck to you. Mine is growing back but it's just a frizzy mess. Thank goodness for hair gel is all I can say!

Chelee · 09-22-2010, 11:49 PM

I did TCH and it was day 16 or 17 that it came out in big clumps. I wish I would have just cut it before hand...that would of been much easier. At first it seemed like I was going to be lucky and my hair wasn't going to fall out...but wham...all of a sudden within 3 days just big clumps would come out and it was gone. Grew back all course and curly. Here's to your treatment flying by and this being all behind you.

Chelee

ginnyg898 · 09-24-2010, 09:45 AM

Thanks all for your responses. Yesterday I went out with a friend and got a beautiful wig. I feel better already knowing I am ready for the inevitable.

joletta · 09-24-2010, 10:03 AM

Hi genny,
i got a shorter haircut right before starting treatment, then it fell out a little about 10-12 days later. on the 14th day I had my hairdresser shave it before her shop opened and left w/one of my wigs. Within the next few days all the little stubles came out in my hats and stuff and i realized I really made the right decision.
i bought a wig called yaffa wigs through ebay. you can go on ebay & type in yaffa wigs or try yaffawigs.com
They are very beatiful human hair and can be styled however you want..It will feel like your own when wearing and move like your own and some even have scalp like features.
if you have any questions, please send me an email i can send you out some pictures.
best of luck throughot this journey im confident you will do well

joletta · 09-24-2010, 10:12 AM

Just read how you got your wig already. That will make things a little better esp. since you seem to like it. I wore mine around for a little bit before shaving it to get used to it.

BonnieR · 09-24-2010, 05:53 PM

My hair sort of shed gradually. No clumps, no sore scalp. It just kept thinning until I looked like an ostrich!
I was prepared ahead of time with wigs but disliked wearing them so mostly used other head coverings.

ginnyg898 · 10-14-2010, 02:43 PM

Well, it has been 10 days since my first chemo and the tingling i keep hearing about has begun

I had my hair cut into a pixie cut last weekend and have been in wigs ever since, so I am ready....I sure do miss my waist-length hair though

DanaRT · 10-14-2010, 03:17 PM

My chemo drugs were TCH also. The hair began to thin a tiny bit on day 14 and was really coming out by day 17. My neighbor shave it while we watched The View. I had hats, scarves and wigs ready but preferred ball caps! At home I went bald. I found with these chemo drugs I always had a dusting of hair, even had to shave it two more times because the back was growing and it was uneven. The eyelashes and brows were the last to go and grew back in very quickly! My last bing chemo day was April 4th. I was wearing my own very short hair by the end of June.
Best Wishes Ginny!

Dana

DanaRT · 10-14-2010, 03:19 PM

Ginny, Waist length hair would be missed! Now that it's been 2 years my hair is long again. It grew fast and came in much thicker---no chemo curls.

You will do well.

Dana

ginnyg898 · 10-19-2010, 03:44 PM

Well, it is day 15 after my 1st chemo and my hair has started coming out in handfuls the last couple of days.

I dont think anyone can be completely prepared for this

karen z · 10-19-2010, 07:27 PM

Ginny,
You are right. I certainly was not prepared and felt the experience (and all related experiences) pretty surreal. But, as others have mentioned, you CAN do this and you will have your hair back pretty quickly. After treatment is over it may actually shock you to realize how few months you were without hair- it doesn't necessarily feel that way "going through".

joletta · 10-19-2010, 08:40 PM

This is hard as i said before today was my last chemo treatment I should be getting some soon mabe?? I still faithfuly were my wig daily. Only my hairdresser saw me bald not even close family members, well ok my 1 yr old & 6 yr old..didnt want to make an issue out of it around them.
My wig goes to the shop weekly for a great style!
Best of luck to you, please keep us posted and ps how did 1st chemo treatment go? keep in mind there may be ups and downs but most of this can be a mind game..try keepin positive and keep yourself looking good to feel good!
This posted picture was my shorter version of hair after dx also a straighten version, it was long thik with nice jessica simpson curls..oh well its coming and brown indeed havent seen that since 15! Just happy to get back. keep in mind it will go by quick and it is a small price to pay in the realm of things.

MaryAn · 10-20-2010, 04:58 PM

My hair fell out on the 17th day. And it made me laugh so much. My mom asked why I was laughing and i told her that out of all the side effects that was the most non threatening so I figured i would enjoy messing with my hair falling out. My friends asked if I felt back about not having hair and i told them that I am not my hair so that was the last thing I was worring about when i talked about the side effects of the treatment.

ginnyg898 · 10-22-2010, 03:01 PM

@Maryan: What a great way to look at this!

Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences