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You might not think about how important it is. And if you have cancer and are about to undergo chemotherapy, the chance of hair loss is very real. Both men and women report they are most likely to be diagnosed with cancer.
For many, you have lost your hair to the world that you have cancer. If you are not comfortable sharing this information with others, you may be more likely to have complications. Talking to your cancer care team with this problem and preparing for treatment.
Why does it occur?
Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also occur in your body – including those in your hair roots.
Chemotherapy can cause your body to lose weight – not just on your scalp. Sometimes your eyelash, eyebrow, armpit, pubic and other body hair also falls out. Some chemotherapy drugs are more likely than others to cause hair loss, and different doses can cause anything from a mother thinning to complete baldness.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about the medication you'll be taking. They can tell you what to expect.
Fortunately, most of the time is loss of chemotherapy is temporary. You may expect to regrow your hair, but your hair may be a different shade or texture.
What should you expect?
Hair usually starts falling after two weeks of treatment.
It could have been very quickly in clumps or gradually. You'll likely record accumulations of loose hair on your pillow, in your hairbrush gold comb, or in your sink or shower drain. Your scalp may feel tender.
Your hair loss will continue in your treatment and up to a few weeks afterward. Whether your hair thins or you become completely bald will depend on your treatment.
People with cancer report as a distressing side effect of treatment. Each time you catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror, your changed appearance is a reminder of your illness and everything you've experienced in your diagnosis.
When will your hair grow back?
It can take a few weeks to recover and start growing again.
When your hair starts to grow back, it will be slightly different from the hair you lost. But the difference is usually temporary.
Your new hair might have a different texture or color. It might be better than it was before, or it could be easier to get started.
Can hair loss be prevented?
No treatment exists that can guarantee your hair will not fall out during or after chemotherapy. Several treatments have been investigated as possible, but none absolutely effective, including:
– Scalp cooling caps (scalp hypothermia). During your chemotherapy infusions, have a tight fit in your body. This way, chemotherapy drugs are less likely to have an effect on your hair.
Hypothermia studies of scalp cooling caps and other forms of hypothermia have found their work in the past. However, the procedure also results in a very small risk of cancer recurring in your scalp, as you do not receive the same dose of chemotherapy as the rest of your body. People undergoing scalp hypothermia report feeling uncomfortably cold and having headaches.
– Minoxidil (Rogaine). Applying Minoxidil – a drug approved for hair loss – to your scalp before and during chemotherapy is not likely to prevent your hair loss, but some research shows it may speed up your hair regrowth. More research is needed to understand whether or not minoxidil is effective in regrowing hair after cancer treatment.
How to make the best of it
Your hair can not be prevented or controlled, but it can be managed. Take the following steps in your treatment to minimize frustration and anxiety associated with hair loss.
Before treatment
– Be gentle to your hair. Get in the habit of being kind to your hair. Do not bleach, color or perm your hair – this can weaken it. Air-dry your hair as much as possible and avoid heating devices such as curling irons and hot rollers. Strengthening your hair now may be more difficult to treat.
– Consider cutting your hair. Short hair tends to look fuller than long hair. So you have your hair falls out, it will not be a noticeable if you have short hair. Also, if you've got a better transition to total hair loss.
– Plan for a head covering. Now is the time to start thinking about wigs, scarves or other head coverings. Whether you choose to wear a head covering your hair loss is up to you. But it's easier to plan for it now. Ask your doctor for a prescription for a cost, the cost of which can be covered by your health insurance.
During treatment
– Baby your remaining hair. Continue your gentle hair strategies throughout your chemotherapy treatment. Use a soft brush. Wash your hair only as often as necessary. Consider using a gentle shampoo.
– Consider shaving your head. Some people report that their scalps feel itchy, sensitive and irritated during their treatments and while their hair is falling out. Shaving your head can reduce the irritation and save the embarrassment of shedding.
– Protect your scalp. If your head is going to be exposed to the sun or to cold air, protect it with a sunscreen or a head covering. Your scalp may be sensitive as you go through treatment, so extreme cold or sunshine can easily irritate it. Having no hair or having a hair can make you feel cold, so it can be more comfortable.
After treatment
– Continue gentle hair care. Your new hair growth will be particularly fragile and vulnerable to the damage caused by styling products and heating devices. Hold off on coloring or bleaching your new hair until it grows stronger. Your hair could be damaged and irritated your sensitive scalp.
— Be patient. It's likely that your hair will come back slowly and that it might not look normal right away. But growth takes time, and it also takes time to repair the damage caused by your cancer treatment.
Covering your head
Covering your head is a purely personal decision. For a lot of people, they are so cute, they want to maintain their health. Others choose hats and scarves. Still others choose their heads at all.
Ask your doctor or a doctor for a referral.
Look Good Feel Better is a free program that provides hair and beauty makeovers and tips to women with cancer. These classes are offered throughout the United States and in several other countries. Many classes are offered through local chapters of the American Cancer Society.
Look Good Feel Better also offers classes and a website for teens with cancer, and a guide with information for men with cancer.
Radiation therapy also can cause hair loss
Radiation therapy also increases rapidly in your body, but unlike chemotherapy, it affects only the specific area where treatment is concentrated. If you have radiation to your head, you will probably lose the hair on your head.
Your hair usually begins growing back after your treatments But it grows back to its original size and depends on your treatment. Different types of radiation and different doses will have different effects on your hair. Higher doses of radiation can cause permanent hair loss. Talk to your doctor about what dose you'll be receiving so that you'll know what to expect.
Radiation therapy also affects your skin. The treatment is likely to be sunburned or tanned. If your radiation is in your head, it is a good idea to cover your head. Wigs and other hairpieces might irritate your scalp.
Source: Mayo Clinic
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