Before chemo I had thick, brown hair with some gray and lots of wave. After chemo it came back curly in the back (very curly - looked like a perm) and wavy and thick everywhere else. Since a few haircuts and highlights the curl is gone. (also hardly any gray at all) I still have lots of hair (meaning thick) but my hair is pretty straight now. Especially on the top. But that's ok. Like lots of others said I have hair, so who's complaining? Like I always tell people, "since being bald there is no such thing as a bad hair day anymore." Hahahahahahahaha!

Mary Jo

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


Treatment of cancer with drugs may cause apparent 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. Often, once the drugs are stopped, the patient's hair starts to grow back, but when it reaches the surface it tends to break. 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 regrowth 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.

I LOVE the image of "pissed off, sensitive chemo terrorized cells" (*laugh*) . Thanks.... (Sure describes my fingernails to a T)

chemo curls disappeared with my first haircut a year after my last chemo treatment. Hair back to what it was like before!

fun subject and "sad" party....read last paragraph
 

I am having fun with my curls. I have never had curly hair before chemo. My last chemo was Aug 06. I keep it short and fluffy. I am sad to say that I think the right-hand side is starting to go back to my normal, stick-straight. I look a little lop-sided right now (my hair, not my perfectly matched breast prosthesis).

I, too, am happy to have hair and happy to be here.

Sunday we attended a beautiful party for a dear girlfriend (age 52) that invited 170 friends to say "goodbye." I had never been to something like this. There was so much love under the outdoor tent, that we were all honored to be invited. She has fought pancreatic cancer for 14 months and her team of doctors said there is not much else they can offer her.
She was beautiful and fun. Her husband was a fantastic host. I do not know how they had the courage to do this, but you could tell they were pleased with the opportunity to be with all their friends and share the love and support from us and from God. The invitation said, "sorry for the short notice on the celebration party.....we think God has planned a different future for Emily."

I still pray for miracles for everyone who needs one.

Catherine

Hi!
It has been 1 1/2 months since my very last chemo treatment. There seems to be quite a bit of hair growing back, but it is only about 1/16th inch long so way to early to determine if it is straight or curly. My head looks like a huge dark 5 o'clock shadow around my head, but I can still see my scalp. It is getting very warm and humid over here in Hawaii and I wish I had enough guts to go public with my head bare because it would feel so much better then the wig, scarfs and caps in this weather. My head is shaped REALLY funny in the back so no way can I go public bare-headed.
Maryanne

Paulie Walnuts
 

Hi Chelee
I'm behind you in terms of where I'm up to with treatment, and have enjoyed smiling and laughing along with everyone's comments so far. Great response! And so nice to have a bit of a lighter topic. My hair was shoulder-length, thick, brown and wavy before chemo fallout. Now, 7 months after finishing chemo, it's curly, very dark brown but with more grey.
Depending on the weather, the look varies from mad professor to quite cute, or Paulie Walnuts, my husband called it, referring to the new streak of grey at the front.

Funny, I had curly, I mean curly like people always asked if I had a perm before chemo. Now my hair is straight as a board. And I've been off chemo for 2 years!