Chemotherapy Permanent Hair Loss

['lizbeth]

I am curious if anything worked for others. I have the Aveda shampoo, but not the other products. My hair started falling out in gobs at first with it . . . hmmmm. Minoxidil, Rogaine - expensive and not that effective.

Argh . . . I'd like more hair for Christmas.

[srmink]

I used Aveda for several months. Love the smell, and how nice it makes the superfine hair follicles I have feel. It did not result in any new hair growth nor did my hairs get any beefier. Sure smells good, tho.

I just completed 6 months of Rogaine after seeing the dermatologist who said it's worth a try. They told me to go to Costco and buy the extra strength men's foam version and I did. It's not expensive for as long as it lasts and I used it all over my head. Acutally I had 3 dermatologists come in and look at my hair and shrug their shoulders and acknowledge that there are 2 case studies published about permanent hair loss from Taxotere. I had a biopsy that showed I do have hair follicles, just not very many. Didn't need a biopsy to tell me that. I may have had some minimal new growth on Rogaine because I do see some shorter hairs here and there, but it's a single hair here and there, not like grass. Not enough to do me any good. I quit yesterday after 6 months of faithful use. I gave it a really good trial.

I think I've exhausted all avenues these past 2 years. The woman who did my permanent makeup swore she could make my hair return by "needling" my scalp. That didn't work, either. My pcp says that the chemo killed hair stem cells. I'm guessing she's right and you can't resurrect the dead.

I do try and keep things in perspective and recognize there are worse things. My wigs are really flattering, but they're wigs. I'm 65 and can probably accept this much better than a 40 year old, but it still really just plain hurts.

[pennyvphoto]

iodine is meant to be of some help .