QUESTION ABOUT HAIR LOSS...AGAIN

[Maryanne]

Question: this is about the hair thing again. Joel had his chemo today for 5 hours and all went well.

His doctor claims that he will lose his hair in about 5 days. Now the doctor says he should shave it now as his counts will be down and it is better to shave it now. What does that mean?

My question, don't you buzz it off or do you have to use a razor? Is it dangerous to use a razor? Isn't the doctor being a little over protective.

I am concerned that maybe he will not lose all his hair and just have it thinned. So why do that now Unless the doc used a extremely aggressive taxol that he knows this for a fact.

Just a little confused. Any comments on this. carbo/taxol was done.

Maryanne

[SDianneB]

I was told the same thing -- you "will" lose your hair in about 2 1/2 weeks after the first chemo. It didn't happen. I think it's related to the drugs though, and the ones he's having may be more likely to cause hair loss. I finally did lose my hair from the PCI, but not from chemo.

I was told by the oncology nurses in the hospital to not use a razor on any part of my body until I was done with treatment. They were cautious about bacteria getting into my system while your counts are low. They also gave me strict instructions about frequent hand washing, and keeping everything clean in my bathroom.

Even though you may not realize it, your system can be really "down" while you're getting chemo, and the least little thing can cause HUGE problems. One of the nurses said that most people they see who get infections get them from their own bodies -- like e-coli from not washing their hands, etc. Some of the things we live with daily when we are "normal" can sneak in and cause havoc when our resistance is down.

I'm not an expert, but this is what I was told when I was on chemo. Hope it helps.

Di

[bbays]

I had Carbo/Taxol first in 6 weekly doses, then 2 stronger doses. I didn't lose my hair until the last 2 doses.

I had my husband give me a buzz, because I too was told not to use a raisor.

I did end up losing all of my hair, so buzzing it made it a lot easier to lose than if I had more hair.

God bless,

Barb

[Donna G]

My hair started falling out in clumps while taking chemo, my husband wanted to "buzz" it all off to get it over with. I said no, wait. Glad I did. Not every hair fell out. My hair was very, very thin but I had a little. When it started coming back it gave the hair dresser something to work with. Just my preference. Donna G

[karen335]

I too had Taxol and radiation. Had 7 weekly tx's only had thinning. Then I had 3tx's, every 3wks. that's when I lost hair. Like Donna, had a few sprigs here and there. Reason she said do it now, his counts will be down and blood platelets maybe low and bleeding. Just my thought. People do not use a razor any more. They use an electric shaver. Maybe your doc is old fashioned... lol

God Bless and prayers,

Karen

[Fay A.]

I had Taxotere and Carboplatin. I lost the hair on my head and everywhere else....along with my eyebrows and eyelashes. An electric shaver is okay as long as the hair is not shaved down to the scalp. No razors at all for the reasons listed above. Even with the hair "buzz cut" there will still be hair loss (if you are going to lose it). The difference for me was with the buzz cut is was short and spikey and all over the place. Hard to clean up. With it longer it was easier for me to keep it picked up. At the time it was a contest between me and my dog, Houdini, to see who could shed the most. And tell Joel the way I handled it was "If I'm going to be bald with no lashes and eyebrows I am going to have some FUN with it." And I did....

PS Have him wear a pullover hat to bed... helps to keep the hair confined to the cap and not all over the pillow and sheets.

[cindi o'h]

Mar,

My hair was fairly long when I lost all but 3 hairs. It was a mess. I think that I would have felt less overwhelmed if I would have taken control and put my own thoughts and action into shaving my head. I felt more like a something bad was happening to me that I had no control over. I wish I would have buzzed it.

My brother John's hair, came out differently from mine. He did not lose all of it. My gosh, he had the thickest head of beautiful hair. He had the nurses buzz it. Then he had his little boy use masking tape to blot the short hairs that would stick to the tape. It was a way for Jay to climb on his Dad, for them to be close and a way to keep Jay busy.

Cindi o'h

[mhutch1366]

I lost my hair 18 days after the chemo. In anticipation I had gotten a very short haircut, and when I started to see hair coming out, I got it shaved (clipped) off. I didn't lost my eyelashes or eyebrows, but lost the rest.

The soft caps at night also prevent heat loss, and for me at least, itching.

Hair did grow back much the same as it was before.

I did get a wig but found it hot and heavy, and very strange to wear.

Good luck! and keep us posted.

XOXOXOX

Prayers,

MaryAnn

[Justakid]

My story is the same as Barb's, I lost all mine once I had the stronger chemo.

I had long hair that was cut very short after surgery, then we used the clippers when handfuls started to fall out, then (I was bad) I used a razor to get the rest cause the tiny pieces were still falling out.

It was kinda cool pulling handfuls of hair out and it not hurting.

Like Fay said....it comes out everywhere else too! I was mostly upset about the loss of my eye lashes, they were my most beautiful feature.

Good luck!