Hair Loss and Chemo?

[Calintay]

Hi everyone - I would like to know when some people who have had hair loss when did it happen after the first time of recieving chemo? My mom is 15 days from first treatment when should we expect this? It is going to be a shocker. Thanks!

Prayers for all!

Calintay

[daggiesmom]

As I remeber, I started to lose my hair after that second treatment. It came out sort of gradually, but it did finally come out by the time my third treatment was done. My husband took his beard trimmer to what was left (with my blessing, of course). It was hard on me, but, in the end, it was just hair. It grew back actually better than before, thick and healthy. Don't worry, it's just hair. I know it's hard to think that when it's coming out. I used to look in the mirror and think to myself "who is that, it's not me". But , after a while, you realize that you're still you. Just a little different, but stronger and better than before. Be strong. You'll survive. I wish you all the best.

Love,

Joanie

[Calintay]

Treatment? Okay my mom is having chemo week one and week five and radiation all five weeks. So would the second treatment be week five or just the second week? Sorry I am confused =(

[stand4hope]

Calintay,

I think it depends on the type of chemo and each individual person. My husband lost his hair with WBR, and it started growing back with chemo. They said he probably wouldn't lose anymore. He lost none with his second line chemo (gemzar & navelbine).

Peggy

[Calintay]

Cisplatin and Etoposide is what she is getting

[Andrea]

When people refer to treatment they mean each time the patient actually gets chemo, so for your mom, if she is getting chemo week 1 and week 5, the second treatmetn would be week 5.

I think hair loss is different for each individual. My mom started "shedding" after her second treatment, but she never lost it all, only half.

Are they considering surgery on your mom?

Keep us posted on how she is doing and how you are doing. There are a lot of daugthers on here (like me) helping their moms battle

[Don Wood]

My wife began to lose her hair significantly after the second chemo treatment, so she went ahead and had her head shaved. This avoided the trauma of seeing it come out in chucks. She then wore a wig, some turbins and a floppy hat until her hair grew back after the chemo was over. Don

[daggiesmom]

Cathy,

I had Cisplatin and Etoposid (sp) and radiation at the same time; Four rounds of chemo 3 day every three weeks and radiation two times a day for 16 days. Everyone is different as far as treatment goes, but I know for a fact that Cisplatin is sure to make you lose your hair and will also cause neurapothy (numbness) in feet and hands down the road. Don't worry, like i said before, it's only hair and it will grow back. I will pray for a good recovery for your mom and for your family - because cancer involves the whole family, not just the person with the disease .

Joanie

[Haylee_38]

I am not sure of the type of chemo my mom had. She never lost her hair it did thin some.

[karenl]

Hi

Mum started losing her hair around the 3rd cycle of Cisplatin and Gemzar. She only lost about half of it, and it grew back beautifully when she stopped chemo. She is just completing her 4th cycle of Taxotere, and has not experienced any hair loss as yet!

It's only hair - it comes back!!!

All the best

Karen

[Donna G]

I had those 2 chemos. It is the Etoposide that causes it. At about 2 weeks it started falling out in huge clumps. My husband wanted to shave it so it would quit falling on my dinner plate. I did not let him. It never all fell out but it was very very thin! Donna G

[Frank Lamb]

I had 7 rounds of chemo & 35 radiation treatments and never did lose my hair.It thinned but I didn't lose it.I was on carboplatin & taxol.

[cindi o'h]

Calintay,

I had about the same as Frank. I had Mondays chemo for eight weeks and radiation 5 days a week for those eight weeks. My hair thinned all over but not enough to make anyone else feel there was anything wrong.

After a little break, I got adujunctive therapy: 3 big cycles; each one 3 weeks after the last. The first cycle was a big enough dose to kill my hair cells. My hair fell out in a matter of two days.

I ordered one of those skull caps from the catalog that ACS puts out. It was soft enough to wear to keep my little head warm. And it was nice to wear under a wig so that the wig didn't itch/scratch my tender scalp.

Best to you and yours

cindi o'h

[mhutch1366]

Calintay,

I lost my hair on day 18 after my very first treatment.

I too loved those little soft turbans from the ACS catalog.

I wore them instead of wig.

I kept the ivory velour one for Sundays.

Good luck to your mom. I DID have my hair shaved off when it came out in clumps. Didn't want to see it, and then there was the fiddle factor -- if I fiddled with it, it came out, alright. Kind of like not peeling a sunburn.

XOXOXOXOX

Prayers always,

MaryAnn

[SDianneB]

Mary Ann -- TOO funny! That was my "theory" too -- just don't mess with my hair, and it won't fall out! Yeahright.

I never lost my hair during chemo, but was prepared to lose it when I had the PCI. I actually completed all the PCI without it coming out, but about a week later, I started shedding. I've lost a few clumps, but still have hair covering my head, just thinner. I'm wearing the little knit turbans too - love them, and may not want hair again!

For the past 2 days, it's only a small amount coming out. If that holds up through the weekend, I'll probably make a trip to the hairdresser and get it cut off really short again. (I had it cut really short when I started chemo thinking it would all fall out and it didn't.)

The package inserts for the Carboplatin I had list hair loss as a "possible secondary" side effect. The inserts for the Etoposide list it as a primary side effect. I had oral Etoposide over a 10 day period for 4 rounds, but didn't experience the hair loss.

Looks like we're true to form here in that we are all quite different in how we tolerate all this.

Di

[lindseysmom]

Calintay,

My hair started to come out about the second to the third week. I first notice my scalp being a little tender and then a good amount of hair coming out in the brush. I went ahead and had my husband shave my head. That way I had some control over it. It really did not upset me. I wore mostly bandanas, hate the wig. Tell your Mom her hair will come back better than it was before. My hair is so thick and curly. Also the chemo put me into menopause. I would be taking to bandana off because of the hot flashes and the a few minutes later I would be putting it back on because I was freezing.

Best wishes,

Dee

[Guest TeeTee]

My mom had chemo with the same drugs yours is having. She had it days M-F then the following Monday. They told her it would fall out 14-18 days after her last day-and that is what happened. Anohter survivor suggested cutting it very short to get used to it-which is what we did. When it falls out it is a nightmare-mom was distressed and upset-it was everywhere-which of course upset her more. We got hairnets and clothing brushes. It took about 3 days to really slow down.

It didn't bother me or my little girls-but of course my mom was having a hard time with it. Now that it is gone-she is actually doing very well. I think the process of losing it is hard-but once it was gone-it seemd to be OK. And the fact that we didn't make a big deal about it (other than to help her anyway we could) really helped.

Teresa

[Nushka]

I remember exactly when my hair fell out. It was two days before my second set of chemo. I wore my wig for the first time at my wedding. After about a week of it falling out in the shower we decided to shave it. It was a shocker...but I put my wig on and let is stay there each time I left the house. I wore soft caps and hats at home. It took it from May to December to stop wearing something on my head besides my hair. It was about 1 1/2 inches long when I left off the wig...and very curly. Now it is still wavy and very thick. I get compliments on it all the time.

Nina

[kimblanchard]

First of all, not 'all' chemo will cause hair loss, but if the Dr. has mentioned that this will be one of the side effects, then Im not sure if its the same for everyone, but my Mom's hair began to fall out after about 3 weeks on chemo. Hope this helps!! It was very upsetting for my Mom, she learned to live with it and enjoyed getting new scarves to wear, etc. Her hair did grow back however once she finished with the really 'strong' chemo that she was on in the beginning. Best of luck to you!! God Bless.

[pammie]

So thankful your mom has a sweet daughter to hunt up info for her. After the second chemo I gradually lost all of my hair. I had very thick hair about shoulder length. When I would lay down on the pillow my head would hurt in various places where the hair was coming out. The pressure of the pillow seemed to push into my head and it HURT! i wish i had short hair when that happend. Loosing my hair hurt me physically more than any other side effect. Kind of strange. If a person has thick hair or long hair I would reccomend cutting it or thinning it before it starts coming out to alleviate some of the discomfort. I purchased a couple of wigs before my hair came out so i could match the color fairly well. I love babies and will be waiting to hear from you about yours. pammie

[SDianneB]

Pammie -- I had mine cut off before starting chemo, but didn't lose it with chemo. Go figure. I had that "needly" feeling in my scalp though. Addie said she had it, and maybe others did too, but I managed to keep my hair through that. It grew out some, but when I had the PCI, it started falling out, but appears to have stopped now, or at least is just shedding a little rather than hunks of it coming out.

I also recommend getting it cut, as the tangles will make HUGE hunks of it come out, whereas when it's shorter, it tangles less and doesn't seem to pull away from the scalp as much. I had a few sore spots on my scalp from the radiation burn, but not too bad. That is where I lost the most hair from.

I look like a hillbilly whose granny put a bowl over her head and cut her hair. Seriously, I have hair that just covers my head, with a receding hairline over both ears! What a visual, huh!

I guess there isn't an easy way to lose one's hair, but I agree with you that cutting it does help some.

Di

[paddy]

Hi Calintay,

My husbands hair started coming out after the second chemo treatment. It didn't actually "come out", rather it "broke off" in large chunks. I think it is better to shave the head when this starts happening as the hairs can cause itchy skin and it doesn't look pretty all over sweaters or such. The Our oncologists office had a brochure available which gave all sorts of suggestions for head coverings, perhaps you could find one at your Mom's oncologists office.

Love,

Paddy

[MelanieLR]

It took about 3 treatments before my hair started falling out. When it did, it was coming out in huge clumps. When I clogged the drain in the tub, I had my husband shave it. I've been using hats of all sorts but I do suggest that your mom get a very soft comfy cap that she can sleep in. My head was freezing while lying in bed till I got one. I had 6 months of chemo & I've been off for 3 weeks now. My hair is starting to come in - about a half inch long - but it's still very thin where I had the gamma knife radiation. I've been told that it might remain that way. At least it seems to be curly now. Maybe with a little curl to it, I can hide the thin spots. It also has come in almost black, I was dirty blonde. What the heck, I've always been adventurous with my hair, this time I don't need dye.

Take care,

Melanie