CancerCompass message board discussion started by chillywillie on 4/29/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,23565,0.htm Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Will  my hair return to how it was before chemo? It is a slightly different color now (2 months post) with  a lot of white hairs and much thinner. chillywillie Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/29/2008 chillywillie wrote:Will  my hair return to how it was before chemo? It is a slightly different color now (2 months post) with  a lot of white hairs and much thinner.I can tell you that I have known four people including myself whose hair did return very similar to their hair pre treatment.  However, in my case the hair that began growing was wiry, grey and patchy when it first came in.  It did not grow uniformly on my head.  The front was more wiry than other areas.  I did go have it cut after 3 months of slow growth and that seemed to help start the process of new hair.  It did take almost a year for my hair to look good again,.  One other thing that happened is that I developed three centers where my hair grew in.  three cowlicks at the back of my head!  one area in the back came back curly,.  the rest of my hair is straight but a little thicker,  I did wear my wig until about 7 months post treatment.  Then it was summer and I just wore my hair very short.  I have always had short hair cuts so it wasn't a big deal for me.  One other item of note.  When I started treatment I made the decision to have my head shaved when the first clump of hair fell out.  I just couldn't handle dealing with that every day.  It may have helped  or not, but it made me feel like I was in control.  I think it took so long because I did have radiation after chemo.  Here's a hug (  )  and a prayer that all goes well for you. cheche Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT It is known that hair can grow back a different colour, especially grey or curly after chemo. I suppose it's as though you've had a chemical perm or colour! Finished chemo in June 2006 hair started growing back about 3 monthsafter. As soon as I got stubble on my head...off came the wig! I had thick, straight hair before chemo and when it grew back it was still thick but quite curly and only a slightly different shade of brown, a bit darker I think. I hate curly hair but everyone else seems to think I look great with it. I get it cut about every 3 months and it gets straighter every time.  justkay Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT My hairdresser said I should shave it again after my hair started coming back. Do you know if that's true? It's coming in weird, about 1/4 inch. robatyak Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT I can relate to the previous response.  My hair grew back very harsh and wiry, I also have 4 cowlicks, I never had one before. My hair is now very strong and grows quite fast. It is now 9 months since chemo and I have a haircut every 6 weeks.  I do like to keep it short however.  I have a few pics of my hair on my livespace. http://www.sheppey2007.spaces.live.com The problem I have is that the hair on my legs and armpits is incredibly strong and fast growing.  I also suffer very badly with ingrown hairs, so bad that I have had to have antibiotics to try and heal them.  They are mostly on my head and my arms. anyway the good thing is we are here for our hair to be a problem to us.cheersJayne   sheppey Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi. I have lost my hair twice now. My original hair was wavy but no body and about 1/4 gray the rest dirty blond.  The first time it came back it grew in pure grey and looked like I had an afro!  The color changed after about three months back to my original color but the very curly hair stayed (loved it) until I lost it again, 10 years later.  Now, my hair is growing back in a bit thinner but quite straight!  Straighter than it has ever been.  Came in pure gray again, but is changing back to the dirty blond.  I like the new do! Robyn Redward Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT I used to have nice long thick hair b4 chemo. I was done with radiation Aug 06 till now my hair is only 3 inches long center top straight. 10 inches in the back very curly and 15 inches on both side with a little curl. my hair now is so thin that I don't know what to do. I look so weird with this new hair I wish I can have my previous hair back. is anyone know anything about the eye lash? I still don't have any right now. LingLing Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT I also had long thick hair before chemo. I finished my chemo in Feb. of 2007.  My hair is growing, but the top is very thin and you can see my scalp and a wiry texture. The rest of my hair is very curly and full and it looks wierd with the top so thin and the rest thick. My eyelashes came back, but they are a little thinner than they were. I have heard that after time your hair does go back to the way it was. I hope so. I hate it now and I cannot do anything with it. Good luck with you hair regrowth. donnalynn Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT My hair came back the same after chemo (2005), blonde and straight.  It did appear thicker when it was shorter.  But now as it's getting longer, it doesn't seem as thick.  When I received my Dx, I cut my hair short.  When it started coming out, about 21days after my 1st chemo treatment, I had my head shaved.  The female barber gave me some excellent advice.  She told me to continue washing my scalp with shampoo, using contitioner, and to give myself a 'scalp massage'.  This would keep the scalp from getting dry and keep the blood flow circulating.  I also started using a product called 'Nioxin' after chemo.  'Nioxin' stimulates hair growth because it promotes a healthy scalp.  My hair grew fast and I kept getting brush cuts until it started growing in even.  barbp Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hello -  I went through chemo and finished with radiation this past May '08.  My hair is still only about an inch long, even after using Nioxin all during my treatments and afterwards.  Does anyone else have hair growing as slowly as mine? Still_Kickin Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT I finished my last chemo treatment the last of March.  I went to get my gray ends trimmed off today....the girl said my hair was a couple of inches...thought it should be longer than that.  I went ahead and got it trimmed thinking it may make it grow a little faster.  My hair is gray, dry and looks just like a billo pad...lol. That is the only way I can describe it. I am trying to wait long enough before I get color on it.  Does anyone know how long you should wait....I've heard maybe 6 mths. OCsurvivor Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 8/21/2008 Still_Kickin wrote:Hello -  I went through chemo and finished with radiation this past May '08.  My hair is still only about an inch long, even after using Nioxin all during my treatments and afterwards.  Does anyone else have hair growing as slowly as mine?Girl, your message could have been written by me!  I finished my radiation in early June '08 after having done chemo and surgery.  I was anxiously awaiting the regrowth of my hair. It has always been SO thick and grown so fast tht I just knew it would come in fast! Cancer is full of surprises and my hair has been another one!  It is so thin on top that you can see my scalp, and just like you, about an inch long in the back.  I recently attended a program through our local cancer center support group and the chemo nurses said that Femara makes your hair thin, so I am thinking that might be why mine is coming in slowly. Are you taking Femara by chance? If so that might be part of the problem. I have been using root stimulator and Nioxin shampoo back since I started chemo last October, but I am not sure it has made a difference. For me, I miss my eyebrows and lashes as much as my hair!  Good luck to you.   thinkpink Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT