Forum Discussion
Does the frizzy hair last?
Is there anyone who is 2-3 years on from having had chemo who can tell me whether hair returns to normal in time? I had my chemo about a year ago and while I am relieved to finally have a full head of hair again it is infuriatingly curly/frizzy. It takes me a laborious half hour at least with my cheapie hair straightener to get it semi-straight. And even then it still looks a bit of a fright. Does post-chemo hair eventually return to normal or should I go out and invest in one of those super-dooper expensive hair-straightners? (Sorry, I know this is a trivial issue but I'm exhausted from tamoxifen-induced insomnia and I'm just fed up with the bloody hair issue.) Janet.
57 Replies
- Hi ladies, Just signed up and find all this information insightful. I finished chemo 3 weeks ago and like you skarch33 I'm impatient. Have been wearing a beanie for 3 months, my hair is growing sparsely on top and nothing on the sides! Planning to go overseas in 6weeks. How long has it been until people have had some hair cover? Thanks....
- I finished chemo nearly three years ago and my new hair was really quite curly when it grew again, in part because it was so short. Gradually my hair grew longer and the kinks/curliness reduced and now my hair has gone back to how it was before treatment. I have shoulder length hair with a bit of shape only due to the cut (or artificial assistance). It seems that everyone is different, but don't believe that your hair is how it will stay until a couple of years after treatment.
My curly hair went straight again approx 18 mths later.
Hi,
I had elbow length very thick straight dark brown hair, but after chemo (finished last day in May) so its been 4 months..... I have fine, smokey coloured (grey) about 1cm long :) .... I am so happy its started coming back that as soon as I had a slight covering the hats came off! I reckon I'll have another cm by Xmas :)
I was told to avoid any colour for the first 6-12 months post chemo to give your body time to get back to normal. I'm having more issues with my nails which keep splitting...... any ideas?
regards
Sue
I've just remembered a quote from Hilary Clinton when addressing women college graduates... "Hair DOES matter! ". How true on many levels!
- I had chemo in 2001 and I hate to give bad news I still have ultra annoying kinks in my hair and I always had dead straight hair! I know how annoying it is and lets face it, post chemo all one wants to do is be the same as before. I get my hairdresser to cut them out as mainly in my fringe. Maybe it's a post menopausal thing?
- Now why has this never been explained so practically by a hairdresser before? My growth is coarse and coloured. So I should alternate a protein and leave in moisture/oil and avoid sls in shampoos? Do you have any favourite products? Yes, unlike my health, with my hair I just want to be told. Xxxlouie
Interesting to hear of the variations in type of hair regrowth. I am only just growing any hair (am calling it my "baby orangutan" look -stick up and fuzzy!). So.. anyone have a rough estimate of time frame until I may have some proper hair coverage?
Hi Janet,
I was one of those who had wavy hair and it grew back very straight. I used to have a signature cowlick on my fringe which is now just starting to come back. I'm 18months post chemo. My hair is very short and I used to have waves at the back. No longer!!! I'm sure time will tell.
Take care,
Alison xx
Mine is just starting to grow back, its about 2 cms and looks randomly curly. Having had 20 years in hairdressing, curly hair plays up for 2 reasons, humid weather/rain, and when its in bad condition. Hair needs 2 elements to behave, oil, moisture and protein. We dont know exactly how much of each is missing unless you have a scientist look at it, so when I was hairdressing I asked people to alternate the 2 types of treatments. Yes, it works. For uncoloured hair, skip the protein treatments, and focus on the heavy cream treatments and the oils. I always found the leave in oils a better concept because shampooing after oil seems to be a waste. If you use hot irons, then they will like protein treatments, thinking about strength of hair, if hair is longer. If colours fade from you hair, or it doesnt get cut regularly, alternate between protein and moisture. If in doubt, once a week moisture treatment. Oh, and if you use harsh shampoo, it will remove the treatment next shampoo. Use mild non foaming shampoo, the SLS ruin hair like it ruins skin! It just strips the oil and moisture out of hair and the conditioner hides the damage with coating agents that mess with colours.
