Forum Discussion

KRB's avatar
KRB
Member
6 months ago

Hair colouring

Hi, I was diagnosed with Estrogen Positive & Her2 Breast cancer in March 2024. I had 14 weeks of chemo with a cold cap and managed to keep my hair.  I had my double mastectomy 3 months ago followed by 3 weeks of radiation. I am still on immunotherapy until next year.  I am wondering if anyone with a similar experience can tell me how long they wanted to dye their hair?  I am keen to get some highlights
cold-cap
hair
  • Locksley's avatar
    Locksley
    Member
    6 months ago
    Hello, Sorry to see you join the club no-one wants to join.   I didnt have cold cap therapy.   I shaved my head about 12 days after chemotherapy as my hair started to fall out in chunks.  Getting it shaved gave me the power.  I have always had coloured hair.  When my hair started to grow I was so grateful to have any hair that I waited before deciding when to colour for a long time.   After the tight curl phase and quite a lot of grey hair now that really wasnt there before I thought I dont feel like myself without coloured hair so I went back to colouring my hair.  The first couple of times I used a natural hair dye but it didnt last very long.  My hair dresser said she felt it would be OK for me to continue to colour my hair so I did and I havent looked back.    Its all a totally personal choice based on what you think is best for you.  For me it was to have colour in my hair.  Wishing you all the best  :)
  • unicorn3's avatar
    unicorn3
    Member
    6 months ago
    I had the same er and pr positive her 2. I did the same chemo as you with cold cap, finished chemo in March of this year. Unfortunately the last two ac chemos I got massive headaches and had to stop cold cap before the full time was up so consequently lost a lot more hair, I didn’t lose it all so I now have a short curly mess 😆
    My hairdresser is going to discuss with me next visit in a couple of weeks about putting a color in before Christmas.  
    I think at some point it was mentioned to wait 4-6 months before colouring, more if you want to bleach. 
  • Tri's avatar
    Tri
    Member
    6 months ago
    Hi @KRB I lost my hair but like @Locksley I was just excited to have my hair back. I appreciate your eagerness to have some tint in there. My hair has regrown as pure white which I understand is a great colour, but it’s a contrast to my previously carefully coloured darker brown with foils. 
    People have not recognised me. 
    Those who I know are eager for me to keep it, but I really feel different- older, because it’s so white- especially after also having to deal with the slight changes from AI with my joints. 
    It’s just one of those things to consider. 
    I am not really keen to start the process of having to vigilantly colour it nor am I keen to put chemicals in my hair. But I occasionally struggle with being identified as someone past a working age which I feel white hair seems to do. 
    One thing I know is it seems very much up to each of our individual senses of self. 
  • KRB's avatar
    KRB
    Member
    6 months ago
    Thank you all so much for your comments and support greatly appreciated xo
  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    6 months ago
    Having coloured my hair practically all my life, and then making the (gulp!) decision to grow all the colour out, a breast cancer diagnosis resulted in my brand new ‘real’ hair all dropping out! 

    My new hair was chalk white frizz! But mine. It gradually turned to a good steely grey and curls, then to a light auburn!! I chose to go to
    a nearby hairdresser who uses hair colour without chemicals and have been doing so now for over a decade. I went for a wide sweep
    of vivid red rather than an all over colour. My natural hair colour continues to change (more grey now, I’m 79) but it’s healthy and I’m happy with it. Best wishes.