Chemo almost done...next is surgery. Hair growth questions.

Cheri

Hi all, it's been a little while, hope you all doing well and this year brings you all good health and happiness.

I am almost done with my chemo (AC and 12 weeks paclitaxel, 4 perjeta and another one (not sure of name), 2 more infusions of paclitaxel. Did anyone find bits of fluffy hair starting to grow already? I don't want to get too excited but am starting to notice some growth.

Anxious and excited about my appointment tomorrow with the surgeon to discuss surgery options and how the tumors have responded to the chemo. Any advice would be appreciated.

Still awaiting genetic testing results.

Now the fun part. We have a family wedding in October this year and some other events and I am very excited for my hair to start growing. Any tips or advice. Scalp treatment or oils etc vitamins. Should I have a shave after chemo so the hair grows evenly and also what kind of length can I expect in 6 months or so. How did you hair grow?

Lastly. If anyone is based in Sydney  and would want to meet for a chat, support, pray , let me know. Would love to meet some ladies, we can encourage each other. Can direct message me if you like.

Thanks and look forward to hearing your progress xxx

Afraser

My hair started growing back when I was still on paclitaxel. I didn’t want to shave it or do much more than treat it very gently ( mild shampoo, treat the scalp kindly) but once I had a reasonable growth (rate of growth varies, mine was quite slow compared to a friend on the same path), frequent trims kept it in shape and seemed to help growth. Don’t be too alarmed or settled with hair for at least the first 12 months - colour, texture and degree of curl can and often will change! Look at it as a bit of an adventure! Some prefer to colour or change their hair but I was interested in how it changed without assistance. The chalk white, poodle frizz was a bit much, the curls a sudden but quite enjoyable change from my normally poker straight hair but gradually my hair settled. I did find that about 12 months later, my shed rate (almost zero before, extremely thick hair) changed quite suddenly - no idea why, may have been coincidental. Shed rate is now perfectly normal. Best wishes. 

Cheri

Thanks for your feedback @Afraser, appreciate it x

Katie46

I have just lost my hair, although I still have a bit of fuzz left, and still have my eyebrows and eyelashes  but assume they'll eventually go. I've been using johnson baby sampoo, and coconut oil every few days, which seems to work for me. I added the coconut oil as my scalp was a little dry, and it seems to have solved that problem, and can possibly help with regrowth. If does nothing more than soothe my scalp, it smells nice too 🙂

Cheri

Thanks @Katie46, will definitely get some coconut oil. Everything of the best with the rest of your treatment x

TaraJ

@Katie46

You may keep your eyelashes and eybrows.  I lost all my hair except eyebrows and eyelashes ~ which seems so wierd and I would love to know the science behind why.    All starting to grow back now, like soft baby fuzz 

Cheri

@Katie46 hope you going good, wow that is great that your didn't lose the lashes and brows.

I am 3 months post chemo and hair has started growing nicely. Enough to confidently wear out and about. 

Katie46

Hi @Cheri and @TaraJ, I did eventually lose my eyebrows and eyelashes, I held on to them until about round 6 of paclitaxel, and then they disappeared very quickly. I finished chemo about a week ago, my last 4 rounds were reduced by 30% and my hair has just started to grow back. 🥳

Coastiejas

Hi @Cheri
My hair started to grow back around round 5/6 of the paclitaxel.  It seems to grow back more after each wash!
Look good feel better have an online course about hair loss and regrowth which I found useful  (lgfb.org.au). I've lost my eyebrows and lashes,  they haven't come back yet but I've got a lot of furry fuzz on the side of my face ( think of what a peach looks like! ), it seems the hair never grows back where you want it to!

Cheri

@Coastiejas & @Katie46

Hope you both doing well.

thanks for the feedback, I'm now 4 months post chemo and I have a little pixie like hairstyle now, quite cute lol.

Katie46

Hi @Cheri, I'm doing ok, almost finished radiation, only 2 to go! My hair is growing, looks like a very close buzz cut, and I think it's going to be very close to my old colour, maybe a bit more grey. 

Cheri

oh Yay, hopefully radiation was ok for you. yeah mine also grew back with a bit of grey. nice that buzz cuzz stage grows quite quickly. I'm just trying to embrace and enjoy each look. @Katie46

Coastiejas

Hi @Cheri
Thanks...I'm about 7 weeks post chemo and am 15 fractions down 10 to go of radiotherapy....going well, a bit tired and a bit of pink skin.
My hair is somewhere between an Annie Lennox and a Twigy!  How good is the lack of having to do anything to your hair when it's ultra short.....I'm seriously considering keeping it....  
Hope you're going well!

Cheri

@Coastiejas not much longer then for radiation, the good thing is it's every day so goes quicker hey. I know right shower and go , love it... Oh yes if you can rock it go for it. I am going well back at work , managing well on the meds so far too. take care for the rest of treatment xxx hugs