The Pre-emptive head shave - help!

I cut my long thick hair short after surgery and learning I was to have chemo. My hair started to fall out day 14 on my first cycle of chemo so then I had it shaved to a number 4. My scalp was really sensitive at first but when all my hair felll out it got better. Just think no more bad hair days and what money you will save on shampoo and trips to hairdresser. I found it hard at first when I lost my hair and felt that even though I was wearing a hat, scarf or wig that everyone was staring at me and laughing at me. I got over that and learnt to embrace having no hair. I suggest to go to a look good feel good session run by the cancer council as it is a lot of fun. Good luck.

Renata

Hi JoJo

I have to agree with Samantha, it truely is libberating. I ended up having about 3 hairstyles before I shaved it off. I had long glorious hair all my life, when I found out I was going to lose it, I went hair crazy! I got to see all these different styles that I never thought would suit me and did! I went for the concave bob first then a spikey number,  then a number four before it suddenly started falling out on day 16.

It felt a little creepy because it was coming out in clumps, so I got mum to shave it off. It was refreshing more than anything and felt as though I had a little bit of controll. "Stuff you-I'm getting in first" was my mind set. There were no tears, I just felt libberated. Occasionally I'd wear a bandanna but I always felt I was trying to hide something so I let it all out, fluid retetive, chubby-cheeked and a shinny boldy head :)

You do end up realising that your hair is the least of your problems and the entire process although challenging is only temporary. The treatment will end, your hair will grow back and life will go on. A stronger and better you!

Take care of yourself, eat and drink well

I wish you all the best in your journey :)

Hi JoJo

I have to agree with Samantha, it truely is libberating. I ended up having about 3 hairstyles before I shaved it off. I had long glorious hair all my life, when I found out I was going to lose it, I went hair crazy! I got to see all these different styles that I never thought would suit me and did! I went for the concave bob first then a spikey number,  then a number four before it suddenly started falling out on day 16.

It felt a little creepy because it was coming out in clumps, so I got mum to shave it off. It was refreshing more than anything and felt as though I had a little bit of controll. "Stuff you-I'm getting in first" was my mind set. There were no tears, I just felt libberated. Occasionally I'd wear a bandanna but I always felt I was trying to hide something so I let it all out, fluid retetive, chubby-cheeked and a shinny boldy head :)

You do end up realising that your hair is the least of your problems and the entire process although challenging is only temporary. The treatment will end, your hair will grow back and life will go on. A stronger and better you!

Take care of yourself, eat and drink well

I wish you all the best in your journey :)

wow, thanks so much for putting it all into perspective for me - great to get some advice from those who've been there. it's just bloody hair, right?! :-) 

Thanks for replying and hope you're all going well with where you're at. no doubt chat again soon. JoJo xx

Hey JoJo,

I did EXACTLY the same thing as you, I LOVED my long hair & 6 weekly cut & colours and had ALL the expensive stuff to look after if!

THEN CAME THE BC!

On New Years Day, 3 days before my 2nd chemo I shave the lot! I didnt even go the "mid-bob" thing first. I actually LOVED it! It was really liberating (which I had heard other girls say before, but refused to beleive them!)

I celebrated DURING the process with several glasses of wine which made it fun! Once I looked in the mirror, I cried and squealed both in delight and sadness. But never regretted it!

Good Luck!

Sam :-)

I did something similar to Leonie -- had a haircut before surgery, then a shorter one before I started chemo. The minute it started falling out I went for a number one -- it's a lot easier to lose stubble than it is for whole strands, especially when it doesn't come out evenly. I actually still have a very light stubble on my head, which is nice cos I still have some scalp sensitivity.

The other thing that makes the pre-emptive shave worthwhile is that it's depressing seeing your hair all over the house, and sweeping it up.

Go well, hope you enjoy the 'new look' as much as possible!

Heather

I did something similar to Leonie -- had a haircut before surgery, then a shorter one before I started chemo. The minute it started falling out I went for a number one -- it's a lot easier to lose stubble than it is for whole strands, especially when it doesn't come out evenly. I actually still have a very light stubble on my head, which is nice cos I still have some scalp sensitivity.

The other thing that makes the pre-emptive shave worthwhile is that it's depressing seeing your hair all over the house, and sweeping it up.

Go well, hope you enjoy the 'new look' as much as possible!

Heather

 

Hi, I really dreaded the hair loss and was expecting that it would be really traumatic.  Like you I was prepared in advance with all sorts of hats and scarves and a couple of wigs.  I am not a hat wearing person in general and knew that I did not want to go down the bandana path - I was hoping to blend into the crowd rather than effectively put up a sign saying I have cancer.  The publicity factor was definately one of my biggest concerns, I am a fairly private person and didnt want every person who saw me to know my story, and at the end of the day the lack of hair is really the only outward sign of what you are going through.  My second concern was of course more superficial - how ugly was I going to be with no hair!!

 

Anyway, my hair was about shoulder length I guess and I didnt cut it in advance.  Once it started coming out the loose stuff quickly matted up so I basically just chopped the matty pony tail bit which left me with very short hair all over.  That was short lived though as it was all gone within a couple of days - for some reason I expected it to take longer but no, it was all over pretty quickly.

 

What surprised me though was that I was able to laugh at how it looked and marvel at how I managed to still have any on my head when there was so much in my hand.......so all my bracing for the emotional effects was in vain and I actually was fine with it in the end.  I did have a couple of melt down moments when I couldnt get comfortable with the look of the wig but since then all has been well. 

 

I get so many compliments on my wig (many of them from people who dont know it is a wig) that I now dread having to go back to real hair!!  Not to mention how easy it is - no more bad hair days and very light toilet bag when you pack to go away without all those hair products!

 

Good luck with your chemo, hope it all goes well and remember that your body is going through a lot so be kind to yourself

 

Justine