can someone give me a pep talk? I finished chemo on August 19th 2016. 6 weeks of radiation followed during which my hair completely left me. No regrowth happened as it does for some people. My hair regrowth is very slow and I am thin on top still after 5 months. I can't imagine ever having 'enough' hair again. I am taking 'hair, skin and nails' and using a restorative shampoo but I still worry. It doesn't help that my hair is grey and all the photos of people growing their hair back are young with even hair lines and dark hair. I just want to be normal again, free to meet people without a hat on, without wondering what they are thinking when I don't wear a hat.i know this is vain but it is a small thing that is having a big impact on my return to normal.

It's not a small thing nor are you being vain. Age should not be a factor in hair growing back, I was 68 when mine grew back (and much less grey!). Five months seems long enough to take some action. Are you able to see a dermatologist? Hair growing back is something we all cling to, and look forward to. Yours may just be very slow but there may be some other factors, which might be remedied. If regrowth is going to be very slow, or patchy, is a wig a temporary option? It can be a great morale boost - just walking down the street feeling and looking normal. Many wigs are light and easy to look after. Best wishes.

I finished chemo at the end of March 2016. At first my hair regrew as a soft down which everyone seemed to like to pat lol. Then it grew crazy curly and wiry. I didn't like it at all and did an inch and a quarter clipper over the lot. The next lot of growth was also quite wiry but not quite as nutty curls. I tried to grow it longer before a cut but it was going to knot up something shocking so I got it cut with a hairdresser who had as it turned out gotten good at cutting her sisters chemo hair years ago. It does feel softer now although it is still difficult to get to behave itself. I have gone bald around the temples and front as my hairdresser confirmed to me so we left as much fringe as possible to cover it.

My hair initially came in white and now the new growth coming in is silver. My first hair was soft and downy and as soon as long enough I kept getting a trim so it looked styled rather than patchy. The last to grow in was the front of my hair line and that has only just really thickened up...I finished in August too...but I had regrowth during weekly taxol. Some chemos are harsher and it takes more time. I've been amazed at the different rates women I know have grown back at.Hormone treatment can affect hair thickness. Thyroid conditions can most definetly affect hair thickness...so might pay you to discuss this with your GP.My hair is very very curly. I have to use a product to stop the frizz. Everyone says it looks amazing. ..but I miss my straighter light brown hair. Hope things improve for you soon. Kath x

Hi I'm 3 years this month and my hair is back but not the same. It grew back really curly and silver grey. It is no longer curly or grey as I colour it, my hair is no where as thick as it used to be and very soft. It is a really hard one as ever ones grows back so differently. It is not vain to want to have something normal. ( there is that word again not to sure what is normal not me)

Thanks everyone for your comments. One day I may look back on this and smile at my impatience. I have found a caring hairdresser who I hope can work with me to make the most of what I'm going to get back. X

Hair regrowth | BCNA Online Network

Glemmis
Member
9 years ago
Thanks Melinda, I will have a look xx
melclarity
Member
9 years ago
Glemmis you watch it will start once you finish honestly after a few weeks. I too wore wigs through summer Omg it was tough. I actually posted my hair story if you look at my profile in a discussion x
Glemmis
Member
9 years ago
Thanks Melinda, I was starting to get a bit paranoid hearing about other ladies hair growing back on Taxol & the wig is driving me mad in this crazy hot Sydney weather xx
socoda
Member
9 years ago
Prudencerose, I'd be mighty impatient too, totally understandable. Xx
prudencerose
Member
9 years ago
Thanks ladies. It does sound like I should be more patient. We'll see how it goes. Will keep you posted
melclarity
Member
9 years ago
Oh ok. Glemmis I had no hair growth until i completely finished Taxol i had none come back through treatment. It took 5 months after my last infusion of taxol before i had a good head of hair. So id say youll be fone. Hugs Melinda xo
Jane-Altona
Member
9 years ago
Hi, I had 3 X FEC and 3 X Docetaxel. Lost all my hair (I mean all) on FEC. It took 4 months before I started to see any regrowth after the last Docetaxel. I was getting worried. At post 8.5 months the head hair is thick, curly and soft (never had curls before), the eyelashes & eye brows ok but not great. But I have hair!
Glemmis
Member
9 years ago
Hello, my oncologist said she wouldn't use Docetaxel as it was unacceptable that some ladies don't get their hair back. I am coming up to round 10 of paclitaxel but no sign of any hair regrowth yet!
melclarity
Member
9 years ago
Hi! Oh ok I had 4 FEC and 8 Taxol, paclitaxel is Taxol. Docetaxel is taxotere and this is the chemo that other ladies have talked of that they are struggling also many months on for any growth. I know only from ladies on the forum talked of this and it's docetaxel. X
Zoffiel
Member
9 years ago
Weird isn't it? I'm having dosetaxol at the moment, my hair fell out two weeks after the first round but it keeps growing back between rounds and feels like my head is covered in Velcro. So I shave it.

I could spare you the image of a woman sitting in a bathtub weilding a razor without a mirror, tongue hanging out in concentration trying to figure out WTF the back of her head looks like....

And then there is the reverse Brazillian where the hair you'd get rid of when maintaining your bikini line stays and all the rest falls out. And your eyelashes suiciding into your eyeballs at the most inconvenient times...

Phhffft.