Hair growth after chemo

[CurryGirls]

My last chemo treatment was on 5/13/09...as of today, 7/7/09, my hair is now starting to reappear, although a little fuzzy..my problem is that it appears to be growing on the sides and back of my head, but not so much on the top and front of my head..did anyone else experience this??  I would love to hear from anyone who may have had this situation, mainly because I want to know that it will all come back normally and I won't have hair only on the sides and back.

[BJSaws]

Hi,
After my chemo, the hair on the top of my head was the last to reappear.  It was a full 5 months after completing chemo before I could go without a wig or scarf.  Even then, my hair was very, very short and very, very curly.  The curls lasted for about another year, and then went back to being straight as it had been before the chemo.  The hair on the front top of my head never did come back to its full thickness whereas the rest of my hair did.  It is ok, but it just is not as thick as it was (no bald spots or anything). Also, my hair is much finer in texture than it was before the chemo.  It has been over 5 years, so I think the thinner, finer-textured hair is probably permanent.  

[CurryGirls]

Thanks..that is exactly the information I was looking for.  I had naturally curly hair to begin with so the curls will be fine with me..I was just afraid that I was on my way to looking like BoZo the clown.

[Sandyjoy]

I, too, am worried about my hair not growing back.  I took Taxotere and my last treatment was Feb. 12, 2009.  It is now 5 mo. later and I have a little fuzz on the top (it looks bald essentially) and some growth of baby-fine straight hair around the sides and back.  I look like Dr. Phil!  I am still getting Herceptin treatments but that isn't supposed to have a bearing on the hair.  I am very discouraged because I have read reports about some Taxotere patients not getting their hair back.  But we don't have much choice in the matter - you do what you have to do to stay alive.  I would just love to hear from someone with the same experience whose hair did come back in time.  I just bought 3 new hats since it looks like I am going to need them for a good while yet.  

[shoebox22]

My last chemo treatment was 4/30/08 and, although I have hair all over, it came in completely gray, fine textured (like newborn), and curly.  I had very thick long hair beforehand that had some wave and only a few patches of gray.  I had my head shaved and donated the hair to Locks of Love.

Now (7/20/09) its still fine, thick in the back and one side, average on the other side, and fairly thin on top.  My lashes are still not normal, and my eyebrows are thin and gray too.  Besides dying my hair and eyebrows, I'm using Revitalash and Moroccan Oil (both recommended by my hairdresser) to try to assist in regrowth and the fuzzies.

[Ann50203]

I had Taxotere for my last round of treatments.  That was over 3 years ago and my hair is still too thin on top to go without a wig.  People are really in the dark about the possibility of your hair not coming back.  Nobody wants to talk about it because nobody wants to be discouraging to anyone but I sure wish someone had told ME the truth instead of everyone constantly saying "Oh your hair will come back!  Don't worry!"  I'm also tired of people saying "Well at least you're alive."  Of course I am glad I'm alive!  That doesn't mean I don't have a right to be depressed that I look like bozo the clown.  

[amrine]

i told understand how you feel,I have just started to be bald, i still  have enough hair to cover mmy scalp but its really rough on me, i know tomorrow morning i will have nothing.I also feel about the same how people telling me "its going to come back' all the time.I have a long way to go with 3 more chemo, then 12 weeks of weekly taxol+ herceptin,then 40 weeks of herceptin only.
Lets all hold hands together and think that we are not alone going through this pain.Hair or no hair!

[SueYoung55]

I'm glad you're posting! How are you doing with your chemo? Are you drinking enough water? Let me know how you are, ok?

Ann,
My hair did come back, not as thick and lush as it had been but enough that I'm not suffering as you are right now. My sisters came back very thick. And then there is the lady I work with that still has bald spots but, the hair that did come in was very thick so its easy for her to hide her bald spots. I don't blame you for being upset. I'd be upset too if I had to wear a wig! BTW, a friend of mine got a prescription for Latrisse and she's going to put it on her bald spots to see if that makes it grow. I'll let you know what happens! (It's for eyelash growth so who knows?)

[amrine]

No hair now.Its too hot to wear a wig, im wearing a sarve at home also.I thikn i look still pretty because of the make i wear but when my lashes go, i don't know how i will look.
Anways, i know that as soon as the pain in my arm goes away,i will feel tons time better.The 17 nodes[negative] removed has caused too much damage, iahve pain from my back to where the drains where till my two middle fingers.
Any advice pl?doc says its normal, they have guven me pain killers with morphine but nothing is helping.:)

[SueYoung55]

No that pain is not normal. Please check into some physical therapy for Lymphedema. I had nodes stripped too and am fortunate that I've not had this issue. But I know several women who do have it. Get ahead of it before the damage gets worse. Bless you. And best wishes too!