Didn’t lose hair?

It depends on what chemotherapy is used. My husband had chemo (early bowel cancer) and didn’t lose his hair. But for breast cancer, the chemotherapies used most frequently do result in hair loss. Cold cap (an application of very low temperature to the scalp) has been used by some, to significantly reduce hair loss, very successfully in some cases. 

Thank you 😊 

Hi @Natuls - welcome to the blog - I bet you never thought you would be joining this exclusive club - I know I didn't!  Ask any questions you like and we will try & help you understand stuff - and be there to support you xx ...

If any of the groups on the lower right side of the page 'suits you', you can request to join for total privacy on all discussions.  This main forum is 'public'.

Feel free to tell us a bit more about yourself - whereabouts are you with your treatment?   If you add your Town/region to your profile - we may have members nearby who can fill you in services that are available to you - or even a meet & greet, covid willing!

Yep, as @Afraser said - losing hair (or not) all depends on the chosen chemo and even maybe the strength.  My husband is on permanent chemo & the first line of defence (Capox at 50% strength) and he kept his hair. In Dec, his chemo was changed to Folfiri (also 50%) & he lost his hair within 10 days of the first infusion.  :(   Talk to your Onc about it, if it is a concern to you ..... some women use a 'Cold Cap' during the infusions, to lessen the chance of hair loss.  Some find it uncomfortable .... others find it OK.  Hopefully someone who's used one will jump on & tell you of their experiences.

When you have a few minutes spare, check out this post, which explains a bit more about the forum - we even have some laughs, or show off our pets, crafts and gardens ..... There is also a lot of info down the bottom re what questions to ask of your professionals (download the docs, as the pics are just examples.) 
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/23477/a-big-welcome-to-all-our-new-members#latest

Take care & all the best with your ongoing treatment xx

Hi @Natuls
i’ve been using the cooling scalp for my treatment. In my case, cold didn’t bother me at all, and I’ve lost 60% of my hair. It’s good giving it a try! I didn’t have to shave my head off and my hair has grown back already.
good luck with your treatment!

Hi @Natuls,
Be prepared to not have the option of the cold cap, depending on your hospital. My cancer centre isn't offering the cold cap because of the extra time it takes. Due to COVID, they want to get people in and out for their chemo as quickly as possible. I had my last chemo session last week and have 10% of the hair left on my head. It started falling out 14 days after the first chemo session and was mostly gone by the end of the following week. 
Good luck with your treatment.

@Natuls
I too started losing hair about two weeks after my first chemo treatment. I had my hair cut very short beforehand - short hairs are a lot less unpleasant to deal with (I wore a cotton cap at night and just shook it out in the morning!). Be prepared also for your hair to feel strange before it goes - mine felt like someone else’s - and for your scalp to feel like it’s a bit sunburned. All par for the course and will stop when the hair goes. Best wishes. 

Thanks so much. Good tip about the short hair cut.

Some people shave their heads! It’s very thorough but I didn’t feel quite ready for that. No 4 clippers was a good intro! Best wishes. 

Hi @Natuls, generally hair falls out on day 17 from first chemo. I had really thick curly shoulder length hair. My oncologist suggested cutting it or shaving it to reduced the emotional impact. So after my first chemo I booked my hairdresser. She has been my hairdresser for 20 yrs or more. I took my husband and son with me along with a cheese platter and a bottle of wine. It wS late afternoon and no one was there. We said goodbye to my hair. I took it down to a number one blade. It actually looked pretty good but it definitely made the falling out less dramatic. It was bad enough standing in the showers washing my head and all those little hairs coming out leaving me patchy for a few days. It was winter so beanies and scarves were great. Good luck with your treatment and hair.

Hey @Natuls