Hair loss

The day after my second cycle on EC chemotherapy my hair started to come out, gradually at first and then quite significantly (it looked like a yeti had been in our shower!) Within a week I looked like Golum, with a really dodgy few tufts of hair which I quickly took the scissors to before getting on the phone to a friend to get round asap with the clippers.  I swore I wouldn't go tufty, I'm as vain as anyone else, but I decided to embrace the baldness. 

Now there are a few things I've learned.

-  It takes a while to get used to a different reflection in the mirror.

-  it is Really weird feeling a breeze on the back of my bald head

- Sometimes I just need something on my head, just to keep off the breaze

-  I have to sleep with a blanket on my head to keep it warm at night

- actually I don't care that I have no hair, it is temporary, it will be back and it will be exciting to see how it will come back. I've had people joking it will be ginger and curly, but I reckon iron grey, whatever I will just be grateful!

- it takes a lot less time to wash, so I'm a lot quicker getting through the shower in the morning, but I am now moisturising my scalp

- My son still giggles when I tell him I'm going upstairs to do my hair.... 

But here's where I need advice, where it was shaved (only last week) I have stubble - do these stubbley bits fall out? If so, how long is it likely to take?  Wondering whether to invest in a cheap pair of clippers or just wait for the next cycle to finish off the last remaining hairs?

Also, if the hair on my scalp has fallen out, are my eyebrows and eyelashes next to hit the floor? Or is it possible they might last? I'm a bit scared as my son thinks he will be drawing them back on with a Sharpie pen if they go - that I know will leave me looking permanently surprised - at best! 

Anyone been here and can give me the benefit of their experience? 

 

Thank you

  • Hi! I'm 20 and I already did chemo. Lol I feel you it ain't that annoying in fact. I'm almost happy that my hair are falling cuz I don't need to stay like 4 years in the shower. Personally i didn't lose my eyelashes but my eyebrows kinda left my face :3 my first month of chemo where my hair started to fall, I immediately shaved them cuz I didn't want little stubbles in my mouth the morning y'know. 

    jennie xox

  • Hi there, my partner had a similar thing with hair loss, shaving, stubble, etc. He found that in a few more weeks the stubble left on its own, so would definitely wait it out if I was you. He has been left with soft baby hair stubble but that feels amazing and is barely noticeable. As for brows and lashes he is having a harsh chemo and was told he would lose it all, but after 4 cycles he still has a lot left. Lashes and brows have thinned out a lot but if he was more careful when washing them or rubbing his eye etc I think he'd have kept a lot more (he doesn't care much). If you do lose them all I think macmillan hold sessions about self image, and can teach you to do your make up to hide these things if bothers you. Hope this helps.xx

     

  • Hi Anne72. I read your post and it so like me, I started chemotherapy last October, by November my hair started to fall out. I had decided to grow it for five years prior. 

    I went to a hairdresser to get it shaved off. The stubble did fall out too. My eye lashes and brows went shortly afterward. I like you felt cold, I wore a cotton beanie during the night, a great website called Annabandana, had some lovely hats. I also bought some wolly beanie hats if I went out.

    My hair started to grow back before my six cycles of FEC-T finished. Lovely to see hair growth again. My hair was blonde, it came back in mainly grey with a lot of black hair. 

    I have had two hair cuts recently to give it a bit of a style, I will keep it short as every one says I suit it.

    Best wishes to you x

  • Hi

     

    I know this post is a few years old now but really looking for some reassurance as I'm starting to worry. Im 34 and having 6 rounds of FEC-T for breast cancer. I have just finished my first 3 cycles of FEC and about to start docetaxol for 3. I have lost all my hair and this cycle has thinned my eyebrows and eyelashes. I was googling how long it takes for them to grow back when I came across some people saying they had had perm at hair loss from Docetaxol. Did you ever come across this? Did you hair start to grown back after the FEC, as I was led to believe that it was just the red drug (E) that makes you lose your hair therefor I presumed it would start to grow back now that's done.

     

    can you help? 
    laura xxx

  • Hi Laura.

    After loosing my hair after first cycle of FEC T, my eye brows and lashes, I thought it was impossible for them to grow back. I wore cotton hats at night as my head was so cold. Then nearing the end of cycle 5 I noticed there was a slight hair growth, more like a stubble. I used a shampoo which accelerated hair growth from amazon, it was expensive but lasted a long time, cannot remember its name now.

    my hair grew back, as did my eyebrows and lashes. It came back a strange colour, grey with black. I can understand the grey as I dyed it before, but the black was strange. 
    I keep my hair a short pixie type style now, I have it coloured as it was prior to this happening.

    i wish you good luck for the remainder treatments. Please keep in touch if you need anything.

    Best wishes

    Audrey xx

  • Hi Laura,

    Please try not to fret, like childbirth people will always tell you about the worst case scenario, but very, very few people find their hair does not come back.  I finished accelerated chemo (every two weeks) in March 2017, my hair did not come back ginger, curly, or even a different texture, but back as strong and thick as it was before - I even have my swishy ponytail again, finally,  It is a long haul, but you will get there, you just need to be patient.   
    I used Water-something shampoo, but I don't think it is the shampoo that make the difference, but do moisturise you're scalp and massage - that can help stimulate the hair follicles. 

    Can I ask, are you on Facebook? If so, if you are not already a member, can I suggest you ask to join the Younger Breast Cancer Network UK.  This is a closed group for ladies under 45 with breast cancer.  They are a really positive, supportive group.  No negativity or selling of potions or magical cures, just support and practical advice from an amazing group.  I found them invaluable and suspect you might too.

    I hope this is of help, good luck,

     

    xx

  • Thank you both for your replies. I've calmed down abit today as I was so worried last night I even cried (stupid I know) but just got myself so worked up. 
     

    im praying everything will grow back quickly but I think that on top of having my first docetaxol on Wednesday is really working me up. 
     

    I will look into shampoos. I'm already in a group called Mummy Star as it specialises on cancer during pregnancy and post pregnancy as I have a 10 month old. I will look into the other one you mentioned though Anne72. Someone did mention to me that they just washed their hair with shampoo and apparently that helped. I suppose you just don't know what works and what doesn't.xxxx

  • Hello 

    I also.had fec-t which finished last July. I echo the previous replies you had ..my hair started to come beck at the end of cycle five (the second docetaxol) it has grown slowly due to the herceptin I am taking but it is long enough to seemnlike a normalmpixie cut but gone from mid brown to black with grey 

    I took this opportunity to wean myself off shampoo altogether and it is a lovely soft texture just washing it with water 

    BTW i found docetaxol much easier than fec 

    Best wishes for your treatment 

     

  • Thank you for your reply! 
     

    im in tomorrow for my first docetaxol and worrying. I've had 3 FEC and it's took me around 10 days to get over it feeling dizzy and sicky and very shaky. 

    I actually noticed this morning a few very short hairs coming back which made me feel great. Not sure if they will last but hoping that might be the start. 
     

    xx

  • Good luck, just take it one step at a time.  One thing to bear in mind, there is nothing any shampoo can do to make hair grow faster, it just doesn't work like that.  It is more the action of the gentle massaging we do when applying shampoo, if anything.  I sometimes think these specialty shampoo are playing on our fear of living without hair, and yes I'll admit I fell for it.  I tried the Watermans shampoo and the bar of shampoo by Lush which was also recommended for promoting hair growth (which lasts ages and is a lot less expensive!) but a very gentle baby shampoo would really be just as good and if you can go shampoo free like Littlenoddy, that can't be a bad thing. Just mark sure to keep your scalp in good condition whilst waiting for the regrow, a gentle moisturiser is a good idea, and another opportunity for that gentle massage.  I think most of us have cried about the loss of our hair at one point or another, for me it was mainly in the shower, hiding how much it affected me from my husband and son.  We all have our ways of dealing with these things, but there is no right or wrong way.