Hair Fallout

Anybody have any good stories about radiation and their hair?  I start radiation on 1/7/13 and my doctor told me to expect my hair to fall out and maybe not return!  I'm hoping she's wrong.

Here's what happened to my sister and has happened to others I know: The hair fell out in the area of the surgery incision during the third week. All that grew back was a fine down, like a baby has. Although this is a large, hairless site, her hair has now grown long enough to cover it. Unfortunately she got a short haircut as soon as the hair loss began, which greatly increased the time it took to get long enough to cover the bald spot.

 

Depending on the type of treatment it should return. A bit patchy and thin in the areas where the radiation hits in higher concentrations but overall it normally comes back

In the meantime enjoy your bald head. It was rather liberating (for me) not having to worry about it. A bald head is a tribute to your courage and a badge of honor. Nothing to be ashamed of! Where it with it dignity befit a warrior.

Hux....

 

There may be a gender difference here...!

On Dec 05, 2012 3:01 PM siblingof wrote:

There may be a gender difference here...!

Maybe but I can honestly say when I see a woman unabashedly displaying her Bald head I personally have the highest degree of respect and admiration for that woman. To me this woman who is demonstrating strength, courage and ferocity. Anyone who doesn’t see it that way isn’t worth a dime in my book.

Hux...

 

On Dec 05, 2012 3:01 PM siblingof wrote:

There may be a gender difference here...!

I know things could be worse, but it's a personal part of me and all women know, when you're having a bad hair day, you're whole day is ruined! 

 

On Dec 05, 2012 3:24 PM huxley2006 wrote:

On Dec 05, 2012 3:01 PM siblingof wrote:

There may be a gender difference here...!

Maybe but I can honestly say when I see a woman unabashedly displaying her Bald head I personally have the highest degree of respect and admiration for that woman. To me this woman who is demonstrating strength, courage and ferocity. Anyone who doesn’t see it that way isn’t worth a dime in my book.

Hux...

 

Thanks for your reply, I hope I can feel the same way that you think........... thanks again.

My husband lost about half of his hair due to radiation.  at least 50% of that grew back completely.  He has a patch, about 25% of his scalp that has a very fine short layer of hair.  He keeps his hair short now, but his tumor was the frontal lobe and it would be a noticeable patch no matter the length.  This seems to not be the norm however, from those I have talked to.  Our RadOnc told us that red hair is more susceptible to  radiation.  This is a good thing for treatment, and bad thing for hair regrowth.  We are a year out from our last radiation treatment. 

On Dec 06, 2012 4:29 PM slbbw wrote:

My husband lost about half of his hair due to radiation.  at least 50% of that grew back completely.  He has a patch, about 25% of his scalp that has a very fine short layer of hair.  He keeps his hair short now, but his tumor was the frontal lobe and it would be a noticeable patch no matter the length.  This seems to not be the norm however, from those I have talked to.  Our RadOnc told us that red hair is more susceptible to  radiation.  This is a good thing for treatment, and bad thing for hair regrowth.  We are a year out from our last radiation treatment. 

The only hair loss I suffered was along my left temple where I received proton radiation.  It seems to be growing back in, albeit slowly.  I never heard before about red hair being more susceptible to radiation.  Before I began radiation (and concurrent chemo) my wife offered to give me a buzz job.  I declined, because if my hair started falling out onto the pillow I wanted to know about it.  Never mind the fact that my body is covered in enough hair to weave a rug :)

(Insert the Cowsills singing "Hair").

My daughter had surgery on the right side of her head, they shaved that entire side, then she shaved the rest after.  She started radiation as her hair was growing back.  She then lost 2-3 rather large spots, clear down to bare skin!  Dr said she needed to be prepared for that to NEVER grow back again.  Said he would be surprised if it did. Well SURPRISE!  It has all come back in.  She has one very small spot that is just above her ear, on the incision that doesn't have any hair.  However, you can only see it if you know it's there and if the wind blows her hair just right.  Her dr was SHOCKED to say the least!  He was sure it would never come back.  So, please have hope, if it doesn't come back, then wear your battle scar proudly!  If it does, then you are also a lucky one.  My daughter is 26 now, and she never had a problem going bald either.  She did get a wig and wore it only when she felt like it!  I totally agree with the other posters too.  To see a woman with her bald head shows so much strength!  I'm not sure I have that strength myself, but my daughter said, hair is just dead cells....so I'm missing it, who cares, I'm still me and proud of it!  For me, hair is important!  I totally understand where you're coming from.  I know she did fine when she shaved her head, that she dealt with really well.  But when the hair actually started to "fall" out, she took that hard at first.  Be prepared for that, it's hard.  But you have to be strong to face any of this.  Being worried/scared is SO normal!!  All I can offer is be yourself!  The people that love you, will love you no matter what, and those that don't know you, just don't worry about!  Easy for me to say....I will pray for you to be strong and beat this thing!