Hair loss after 4 weeks

Ohhh @Summerhill38 thank you! what a lovely thing to say! I remember putting that collage together and I too thought it's helpful for others who are going through treatment. I remember it being quite a traumatic thing, once I lost it I soon got used to it, but it was hard as I'm sure many would agree. xx

Thanks @viking1 yes it can be expensive though I've always gone to a lady who works from home :) refuse to pay ridiculous prices elsewhere. I must admit that short and grey was actually nice, but once it grew more it was salt and pepper and looked stupid haha! I figured uuugh I'm too young for that yet! so I dye it probably every 2 months or so. I think its amazing how anyone looks with a short cut like that, I would never have opted for it to be honest but again it's not really me, so I've continued to grow :) 

Hello @melclarity - I had to stop by and make a comment - could not help myself !
Melinda, what wonderful pictures - you look fabulous in all of the different styles and colours.  This post will certainly give hope and faith to many others as they travel their path of this rotten disease and treatment.
You are a stunner in more ways than just the photos.

@Hello5678  If you are Private, I don't think you will qualify as I am Public.  However, you should definitely have a Breast Nurse! Are you having chemo prior to surgery? That could explain it...please ask as they are pretty much second to angels lol. I have swapped to public patient in private system for rads as closer to home and was told that if I'd stayed public in public, all my creams would have been free.  But the shorter hours per day in travel are what matters.  Aren't Mel's pics good! @melclarity I am in the second row stage, number 1 &2 but still not as dense but that exact colour.  I don't mind the steel gray, because I am sick of doing roots!  Or my purse is. So as I was saying to Hello, I might play around with colours and wash out. But you are a lovely blonde! I especially like your pixie cut ... I can't pull it off unless I lose 20kgs

It is an interesting thing, mine came back curly and as its grown it has dropped, my hair is exactly as it used to be. I used to have naturally wavy hair, so I can wear it wavy or straight. Really happy with how it is now. Generally everyones grows back curly, I liken it to when we first start growing hair lol baby curls. Color was steely grey YUK! started dying it asap :) 


and this is now at 2.5yrs later

Mine came back white and curly...then just turned steely and I looked like an old ladies 80s perm. And not all if it was curly so I chopped it back short again and had some white streaks put back in. Haha.

Thanks @viking1 I’m secretly hoping that when it’s all over and my hair comes back it’ll be curly. I’ve never liked my hair so am curious to see if it changes. Pastel colours, sparkles and glitter sounds awesome - have fun with it!! Will check out the boho beanies in bamboo. I’m in Melbourne and going through the private system so maybe I don’t get the $160? I don’t a Breastcare Nurse either. 

There's a sort of perversity about the growing back! Those who had hair as straight as a poker (me!) don't just get chemo curls but chemo frizz! Those who love their curls get not as much as a kink. Redheads get white hair, brunettes go grey. Mostly it sort of gets rearranged over time! Or we all just settle for how it works out. Good luck all. 

@Hello5678 Hi, I got my voucher from my Breast Nurse.  I imagine the system is the same in each state? I'm in WA.  Good luck with your chemo.  I started radiation yesterday.  Don't be surprised if your head gets really sore when your hair falls out.  I found in summer the boho beanies in bamboo are nice and cool.  My hair has grown to about 2cm now.  It is a pit patchy but at least it's growing. My eyebrows and eyelashes were the last to go and eyebrows just starting to come back. My hair isn't coming back curly sadly! Very gray and dark, my natural dark. I am thinking I will only use non permanent rinses now ... or when it gets longer...try some pastel colours maybe! I bought some sparkles for when it's longer and a spray glitter.  When I get home I take my beanie off...it's just too hot here to keep it on! I don't think I could be bothered with a wig heat wise. I am loving being able to wash my hair daily ... 1min!  Have a successful chemo...I think you just need to do baby steps and you will get through.  Be kind to yourself.  I did online shopping to stay away from germs. xxx thinking of you

Hi @viking1 could you tell me how you got your $160 voucher from the hospital/govt? I’ve had one session of AC chemo and gearing up for number 2 next week. From what various posts/discussions have said, I’m anticipating my hair will start falling out in the next couple of weeks (I give it a tug every morning to check!) and have had a pixie cut so it’s not so noticeable to start with. Thanks. 

@angg66 I appreciate and empathise with your distress...we are all so different re hair. Nearly on my third round of chemo now and still have some spikes after a number one shave. You kept yours for a long time, my hair was falling out in clumps after 14 days! I still wash my spikes with QV Ego shampoo. It came in a pack with the dry skin soap free body wash as a freebie! God's little joke! I recommend both for stopping dry skin. The shampoo is free of nasties and helps with the mild skin shedding I'm getting up top. If my scalp got very flaky I'd try something else like Caroline's Cream...you can google it if you get flakes. Or something else ... chemist has heaps of natural products for bub's heads or people with other head problems. Moogoo is one I think but my dad uses Caroline's cream on his bald head for flakes and it covers a wealth of probs.  I must add that I do love my spikes! I feel so liberated and love showering and washing them.  This is from someone who hates short hair on herself and my hair was below my shoulders before chemo. Then I bobbed it, then went to a super hairdresser in Perth and had a number two. She washed it and more fell out so we did the number one. I took a cake along and had a coffee to celebrate this next step in style!  Now I find I have become a beanie fanatic.  It is a good excuses to buy berets, beanies etc! And I never wore hats in my life! I also got a voucher of $160.00 from the hospital/gov to spend at the Wig library which also covers turbans, scarves etc. You should be able to get this too. I am going to go for cotton turbans etc in Summer as at the moment I have my beanie on, do some exercise, sweat, take it off, then back on again! My head is having menopause! So remember that in summer you may want something cooler. At night I wear one as find my head is cold.  Best of luck, and I promise you that further down the line you are going to think that your hair was the last of your probs ... not that I expect you to have probs but your whole life and diet and self care changes so much ... plus constant appointments ... that you will forget your hair and probably be focusing on something like gastro-intestinal health and the immune system ... my hobby horse at present. Sorry this is long! Best of luck!