Coloring Hair

[CPA]

I am posting a question for my other-half...

Her hair is grown back almost an inch (she says it is an inch). Prior to chemo she colored her hair "back" to her "natural" color. Now, she is worried about coloring and wants to know how long everybody waited after chemo/herceptin before re-coloring their hair.

Thanks...

[lu ann]

In the last 2 1/2 years I have been on some type of treatment for all but 14 months. My hair fell out from the taxol treatments I had 2 years ago. Since then I have been on chemos that don't make your hair fall out. I have been carefull not to use harsh treatments on my hair. The longest break I had between chemos was Dec. 05-May06. I had my hair chemically highlighted using foil and hair color with peroxide. My hair turned out beautiful. I started xeloda treatments in May and had my hair permed shortly after. I did not have any adverse effects from the chemicals. Most people I have talked with wait about 3 months before using permanent hair colors. You can consult with your doctor as well as the beautician that will be doing the procedure. they should know when the best time would be. Blessings from Lu Ann.

[Bev]

Hi, I lost my hair in Sept 05. Finished AC Nov 05. Finished taxol Feb 06. I tried coloring my own hair the end of June 06. Gray didn't cover. Had a shop do it a week ago. No problem.

For me that initial 1/2 inch came in gray, but later my hair came in it's natural color. Reminded me of waves on the ocean, whitecaps.

It is amazing how important our hair is to us. Good Luck. BB

[chrisy]

I had colored my hair before I had chemo, so I'm not sure what color it really was;) quite a bit of gray, tho.

When it came back in, it first was almost white on top, very dark in back and lots of gray. Now it has grown out and is mostly blond - and I have actually had 2 people in the past week tell me how beautiful the color of my hair is - nobody ever did that before! So your friend might want to wait and "see what comes out" - she may be surprised and get something she loves au naturel! I'm glad I waited - and found out now I don't want to do it any more!

[lu ann]

My hair turned almost completely gray after I had taxol. It was a different texture, too. I had waves and cowlicks all over the place. It soon settled down but the gray remained. I will probably be on continued treatment so I will alternate highlights with perms maybe every 4 months as long as my hair remains healthy and is not falling out. Blessings to you from Lu Ann.

[RhondaH]

and 8/9/06 is when I had my first cut and color since lossing it 4/05. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[Becky]

My last taxol was 1/31/05 and I colored my hair memorial day of 2005 - so about 4 months later. I had about an inch of hair. I did what your wife did - colored it to my natural color. Was salt & pepper and now its pepper. I do the roots about every other month.


Hope this helps

Becky

[tousled1]

Before I was diagnosed I had auburn hair. Now that my hair is growing back it appears to be coming in brown with a lot of gray. I don't quite have an inch of hair and it seems that the hair on the crown of my head is slower in coming back. Not sure what I'll do about coloring my hair when I have enough. I guess I just can't think that far ahead. I seem to be thinking one day at a time.

[astrid]

I was also wondering the same thing. I thought I used to be blond. I ended chemo in Mid March and now have very short hair. My hair seems to grow much slower than the hair on my legs and my eyelashes have fallen out for the second time. Anyway, my hair is now blond and gray and dark, but I kinda like it, but I also miss my highlights. I like my new curls as I had straight hair before and was wondering if highlighting my hair will hurt my new hair?? I also hesitate to get it cut because I don’t have very much, but it may make it look not so much like a ball??

[CPA]

Thanks, everybody.

I knew we would get good advice from this board.

-Rich