It has now been 2 months since my initial diagnosis which threw me for a loop but after having my lump removed along with the sentinel node I was feeling pretty positive that I would only need radiotherapy so when my surgeon told me that chemo would be required before the radiotherapy I was again floored,it turned out that my lump was a Grade 3 and e+. I may sound shallow but the only thing I worried about was losing my hair, for the first time in 30 years I had grown my hair in fact it is the longest it has ever been in my 58 years. I know that it will grow back etc etc but still feel crappy that it will fall out. I'm trying to be positive about the whole scenario but sometimes it is just so hard.

I was stressed about my eyebrows. You are not being shallow. Everything else we have done is hidden but the no hair thing is right there for the world to see. I got a wig but wasn't comfortable with it so have become hat obsessed. However if you can go into a nice wig shop and pick something out nobody has to know. There may be the option of cold caps which apparently reduce hair loss...it may thin but you might keep some of it. You might fibd it griws back thicker abd curly to start with. Sometimes even the grey hair dissappears. I shaved my head once I couldn't stand the chunks coming out. It was liberating in that I took the control over the loss. Be kind to you...have a look at options in wigs and caps. Just google... chemo hats aus.. ir chemo wigs aus...and lots of sites come up. Re eyebrows. ..I paid the money and had cosmetic tatooing done before they all fell out. They look fabulous and really saves the hassle of drawing them in...something I wasn't good at. Take care. Kath x

Hi yes it is a shock when they tell you that chemo is on your plan of treatment. I never thought I was vain but honestly losing my hair was the first thing I thought about when I was told I had to have chemo. Yes losing your hair is terrible but to be honest by the time I was losing clumps I had it all cut off. I cried but strangley I got used to it quickly. I did organise my wig early so when the time came I had that all organised. I worked during chemo so needed a wig but when not working I wore scarves alot. Ask about the look good feel good sessions, your breast care nurse should be able to connect you with a session. Also you can order my journey kit from this site. Good luck you will get to the end, it is tough but lots of help out there, sending you a hugxx

Losing your hair can be a shock , and a real curse when you have just got your hair how you wanted it! I had just managed to grow out colour and was really happy with it, and three weeks later, off it goes. But as others have mentioned, by the time it came to get the number 2 clippers, I was happy to see it go. Within a few days of starting chemo, my hair felt as if it belonged to someone else, a very unpleasant feeling. It looked OK, but it felt quite alien. I made an appt with my hairdresser to cut it off, bought a wig (great buy) took it with me and walked home with it on for the first time. A neighbour (who had no idea about my cancer to that stage) stopped to admire my new do!! Can't tell you how that helped. Turned out she had breast cancer a decade ago, wore a wig too, and we got to know each other a whole lot better. Dread and anxiety walk in the door with cancer, but you can help boot them out. My hair grew back much less grey (after starting chalk white - don't panic!!) and it often starts growing back while you are still having chemo. Good luck.

I discovered being bald is quite nice, so easy to keep clean and to dry after a shower and no more bad hair days. Now I am planning to keep it very short when it grows back. I missed my eyebrows more, but adjusted to not having them plus you can draw ones on. Before we face something, like hair loss, it seems really difficult and upsetting. Fortunately it often turns out to be much easier than we fear. Good luck. Karen

I like you, wasn't too happy about the thought of my hair going. Just before my second chemo it had started to fall out, so got my girls to shave it off using clippers on no. 2. So when it completely came out it didn't seem so bad. I actually quite liked the fact that I didn't have to worry about washing or styling my hair anymore. My scarves became my next best friend. I made sure I always had one to colour coordinate with my clothes. My eye lashes and brows fell out last with the last chemo and were the first to come back! I've just had my first hair cut in 6 months. A bit of a shock when it came back really curly as I was used to straight hair. I colour it using henna now. Good luck with all your treatment. Keep us up to date with how you are doing. ?? Linda xx

Starting Chemo | BCNA Online Network

12 Replies

rowdy
Member
10 years ago
Hi yes it is a shock when they tell you that chemo is on your plan of treatment. I never thought I was vain but honestly losing my hair was the first thing I thought about when I was told I had to have chemo. Yes losing your hair is terrible but to be honest by the time I was losing clumps I had it all cut off. I cried but strangley I got used to it quickly. I did organise my wig early so when the time came I had that all organised. I worked during chemo so needed a wig but when not working I wore scarves alot. Ask about the look good feel good sessions, your breast care nurse should be able to connect you with a session. Also you can order my journey kit from this site. Good luck you will get to the end, it is tough but lots of help out there, sending you a hugxx
primek
Member
10 years ago
I was stressed about my eyebrows. You are not being shallow. Everything else we have done is hidden but the no hair thing is right there for the world to see. I got a wig but wasn't comfortable with it so have become hat obsessed. However if you can go into a nice wig shop and pick something out nobody has to know. There may be the option of cold caps which apparently reduce hair loss...it may thin but you might keep some of it. You might fibd it griws back thicker abd curly to start with. Sometimes even the grey hair dissappears. I shaved my head once I couldn't stand the chunks coming out. It was liberating in that I took the control over the loss. Be kind to you...have a look at options in wigs and caps. Just google... chemo hats aus.. ir chemo wigs aus...and lots of sites come up. Re eyebrows. ..I paid the money and had cosmetic tatooing done before they all fell out. They look fabulous and really saves the hassle of drawing them in...something I wasn't good at. Take care. Kath x

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