Hair after Chemo

[merseaone]

Hi! Mersea here! It has been a while since I've been here because for some reason I wasn't able to get in but now I can...:confused:

Okay, 7 years ago I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, went through lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. My hair came back in curly - loved it until it fell out and I had regular hair again. The color is an ombre color: a mix of all colors but more silver and gray with a white stripe next to my face. I've always had baby fine hair but now it seems I don't have quite as much hair as I did before. I let it grow out without cutting it - got it to be waist length (faerietale hair) then began trimming to try and get it to look thinker and healthier. Problem is the hem keeps getting scraggly and damaged looking, maybe because some of it grows faster and some stops growing at a certain point? I don't know.

Anyways, does anyone have any ideas how to deal with hair after a person has gone through chemo? Lost most of an eyebrow, too, but I think it relocated to my chin! :D Some people think that once you are finished with chemo it eventually goes away and stops affecting you... Don't believe it, I'm 7 years out and I am still dealing with things including the thinking and memory processes - chemo kills growing cells, that is why we lose our hair: it also kills brain cells, yes they can regrow but it takes a while for memories and things to come back. As far as hair, it has changed some that is why I am asking for advice on dealing with it.

[LadyArwen]

I don't know how to give you advice, I don't know how hard it is to go through that. You are one strong lady! I could pray for you if you don't mind. Hugs from me in the meantime.

:heartbeat

[merseaone]

Thank you! I would love your prayers! The Dr's said I had only a 2% chance of it ever coming back but God can better the odds!

[Dark40]

I don't about giving you any advice either but you can have my prayers. That must be really rough what you're going through. Yes, God can definitely better the odds!

[merseaone]

I don't about giving you any advice either but you can have my prayers. That must be really rough what you're going through. Yes, God can definitely better the odds!

I am a 7 year overcomer at this point and outside of being minus an eyebrow and memory issues from time to time I am doing fabulous!

[merseaone]

Here's a picture of me now: https://scontent.forf1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28167696_10155905563761885_7388601964632437954_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=2582502bfbc4e098a2fd32883d76584b&oe=5B8EEEE8

[lapushka]

I would deal with the hair you have now, and try and separate it from the past a bit (if you can). I think waist is awesome, and the gray sounds lovely. Do check out the salt & pepper thread.

Good on you for fighting the fight. :flower:

[Dark40]

I am a 7 year overcomer at this point and outside of being minus an eyebrow and memory issues from time to time I am doing fabulous!

Congratulations! :) Yes, that is a blessing! Well, those are small issues but you will overcome eyebrow and memory issues sooner than you think too!

[Dark40]

I agree with lapushka. Deal with the hair you have now, and separate it from the past a bit(if you can). I think waist is awesome too. That's where I'm at right now too. Your gray hair is beautiful. Yeah, check out the salt & pepper thread. I'm on that thread as well!

[LadyArwen]

Here's a picture of me now: https://scontent.forf1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28167696_10155905563761885_7388601964632437954_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=2582502bfbc4e098a2fd32883d76584b&oe=5B8EEEE8

You are so beautiful, your hair and eyebrows look nice too. Try not to feel self conscious; I know its hard.

[lithostoic]

Your hair is beautiful!

[Groovy Granny]

Welcome back, and congrats on being cancer free; you and your hair look great! :flowers:

[merseaone]

Thank you! I stopped being self conscious about the eyebrows about a year or so ago. Once in a while I use an eyebrow pencil but hey, I have bangs so half the time people can't see them anyways.... except when I cut my bangs too short. Happens from time to time.

[Glitch]

You are so beautiful, your hair and eyebrows look nice too. Try not to feel self conscious; I know its hard.

Agreed! :flower: I think your hair looks good - I don't see any visible damage and it looks so soft! As for the eyebrows, they're fine too. You can especially have fun with shaping them however you like :heartbeat

[merseaone]

Their natural shape now is sorta pointy so I can be either an elf, a faerie, Or a Vulcan! when I put my ears on! LOL

[Glitch]

Their natural shape now is sorta pointy so I can be either an elf, a faerie, Or a Vulcan! when I put my ears on! LOL

Aww, ya see what I mean? ;) Adorable!

[merseaone]

Aww, ya see what I mean? ;) Adorable!

Girls just wanna have fun!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155557363911885&set=t.651476884&type=3&theater

[lucid]

Here's a picture of me now: https://scontent.forf1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/28167696_10155905563761885_7388601964632437954_n.j pg?_nc_cat=0&oh=2582502bfbc4e098a2fd32883d76584b&oe=5B8EEEE8

You look lovely! Gorgeous hair and facial features!

[Sarahlabyrinth]

Oh, my! You and your hair look beautiful! Welcome back to the LHC :)

[browneyedsusan]

My best friend has colon cancer. She is in chemo until the cancer gets her. Currently her regimen is "light" and her hair is growing, but she does have trouble with memory and other side effects. She is thrilled that she's still among the living and has a good quality of life. :)

I think you should do the best with what you have: just like the rest of us.
We don't have the hair that we did in our youth, so we adapt. You change as the circumstances change: stress, hormones -- or lack of--; health issues, diet changes, whatever! :)

Good luck with all of it! :grouphug:

[KlutzyChy1]

Congratulations on beating cancer! What a strong woman you must be! I can't imagine how awful that must have been to go through, but my oh my look at how far you've come! I agree with the other ladies, you are beautiful&your hair now looks shiny, soft & healthy.

I know it's not the same, & I don't know if this well help you any, but I thought I'd share my experience&hope you can take some comfort in knowing you're not alone when it comes to struggling with hair loss. :heartbeat:

About 2-2&1/2 years ago I went through a bad bout of hair loss myself for 6 months. I struggled with severe stomach problems that made it nearly impossible for me to eat or keep anything down. I lost 20lbs & went from 96lbs to 76lbs over the course of a year before figuring out what was wrong. After regaining the weight back, I then went through another shorter bout of hair loss due to steroids. So I had many things effecting my hair that I had to rectify (weight, vitamin deficiencies, hormones, etc.)

What I found to be most beneficial is to focus on your diet & what you put into your body. I try to eat as healthy as I possibly can (though I know this isn't always possible). I try to have a diet high in healthy fats & proteins. For example, I'll usually have steel cut oats or egg & avocado toast for breakfast, whole wheat pita pockets & wraps with lots of veggies or veggie sushi for lunch, green smoothies, salmon, chicken, shrimp, brown rice, quinoa, etc. for dinner & I also take a multi vitamin every day. Handling your hair gently (deep conditioning, using a wide tooth comb, finger detangling, letting your hair air dry, protective styles, etc.) will all help in getting the hair you currently have to the best condition that it can be in, and giving your body the right fuel & nutrients will help your new growth to come in as strong & healthy as it has the potential to be.

I can relate to when you say it takes the body a LONG time to heal. I believe it took about a year for my hormones to fully adjust & to return back to normal, so it definitely is a slow & painful process. But I agree with the other ladies here when they say to try & appreciate the hair that you have now & to do your best to let go of the past. I know it's hard to not long for what used to be, but it will just cause more grief & stress & that's never any good! I wish you soo much love & luck on your journey & we are all here to support you!

[Joules]

merseaone, you are so beautiful!

Don't you think changes in your hair might be due to hormonal changes rather than chemo? There's such possibility.

My mom went through chemo and radiation back in 2012, Hodgkin's lymphoma. She had her diagnosis removed last year, because after 5 years of remission chances of getting it again reduce to those of healthy people.

Her hair came back pretty much exactly how it was before chemo. She never had it long, though, maybe only when she was in her teens. She's growing it out now and it's growing nicely, now she's at APL. I don't think she has memory issues, too, she has nerve damage in her limbs (polyneuropathy), her lungs were damaged by radiation so she coughs more than healthy people, plus her immune system is forever weak and she has fatigue issues, but her brain seems to be untouched by chemo. She has a very "brain-involved" job, and her performance is the same as before. Maybe it's different for everyone.

[leayellena]

Hugs and lots of love :)
Your hair looks good. Don't overthink the length too much. Hey! You survived chemo! :)
If you are curious you can recheck your hair type and ponytail circumference. Thin hair can't grow too long, it needs a special care to grow the length other people grow in 2 or even 1 year without trims.
Once you know your ponytail circumference you can quite imagine how long your hair may grow.

[browneyedsusan]

merseaone, you are so beautiful!

Don't you think changes in your hair might be due to hormonal changes rather than chemo? There's such possibility.

My mom went through chemo and radiation back in 2012, Hodgkin's lymphoma. She had her diagnosis removed last year, because after 5 years of remission chances of getting it again reduce to those of healthy people.

Her hair came back pretty much exactly how it was before chemo. She never had it long, though, maybe only when she was in her teens. She's growing it out now and it's growing nicely, now she's at APL. I don't think she has memory issues, too, she has nerve damage in her limbs (polyneuropathy), her lungs were damaged by radiation so she coughs more than healthy people, plus her immune system is forever weak and she has fatigue issues, but her brain seems to be untouched by chemo. She has a very "brain-involved" job, and her performance is the same as before. Maybe it's different for everyone.

Ya. I'm pretty sure it depends on what drugs they give and how your body copes with them. Even with similiar cancers and treatments, the side effects are really variable. I've only learned from going to chemo with Friend. :) I think it's hard to forcast how people react to the treatment.

How awesome that your mom is well now! That is fantastic! I hope the fatigue and neuropathy don't bother her much. :) She is a lucky woman.

[merseaone]

Thank you so much for your sentiments and advice! I went on a Gluten free diet almost 2 years ago because my husband had read an article that going gluten free could help with Familiar tremors, didn't help him but I lost 55 lbs, I am now 138 lbs - yeah, the girl had got fat! :D According to studies there are tons of people who are allergic to gluten and don't know it and once they go gluten free they feel so much better! Nowadays gluten free foods are sold everywhere and there are a gazillion recipes online!

[merseaone]

merseaone, you are so beautiful!

Don't you think changes in your hair might be due to hormonal changes rather than chemo? There's such possibility.

My mom went through chemo and radiation back in 2012, Hodgkin's lymphoma. She had her diagnosis removed last year, because after 5 years of remission chances of getting it again reduce to those of healthy people.

Her hair came back pretty much exactly how it was before chemo. She never had it long, though, maybe only when she was in her teens. She's growing it out now and it's growing nicely, now she's at APL. I don't think she has memory issues, too, she has nerve damage in her limbs (polyneuropathy), her lungs were damaged by radiation so she coughs more than healthy people, plus her immune system is forever weak and she has fatigue issues, but her brain seems to be untouched by chemo. She has a very "brain-involved" job, and her performance is the same as before. Maybe it's different for everyone.

Could be different for everyone, I know others who have had the same issues that I have. Some of mine is also due to the fact that I have Panic Disorder and Fibromyalgia which both cause brain fog... as does chemo. (I've always used the excuse that I was a natural blonde... I love blonde jokes! Yeah, I have a wacky sense of humor!) Maybe because your Mom had a "brain-involved" job helped her in the long run.... that cracks me up "brain-involved"! Love it! I'm an artist so most of my dealings are in that field... but maybe since I am trying to actually restart my business and will be doing all the business end of things so maybe the brain will wake up - well it better or I'm in trouble!