hair loss and treatment

I often come to this forum to hear and learn from others and many times I hear people say go back and look at the archives.  Honestly I try but I just don't find what I'm looking for so here we go.

I'm 3a am at week 18/33 weeks (first 9 tx were lower does pegasys).  

I have had my hair colored twice - once highlights; once a touch-up to return my roots from grey and brown to brown.

Does everyone experience hair loss and did I make my hair loss chances higher?  From the looks of things, my hair still is hanging on.  However I am starting to see it off my head more.

[goldyn]

I think I  was in my 12th week when my hair was really starting to show signs of  falling out by the 16th week it was really coming out at a good pace I had long thick hair,and lost about 65 to 70 percent of it, I  really dont think what you do to your hair good or bad will matter if its gonna fall its gonna fall no matter what, i remember right before the big fall out my head hurt like if you had put it in a tight ponytail....Good thing is it grows back mine grew in less curly but it did grow  back...

[FoggyintheAM]

thanks goldyn.  

I was kind of thinking along those lines, but I wasn't sure if the haircolor would move things along faster.  I know my hair is a lot lighter now and it is pretty dry.

[merryBe]

dyes do dry out the hair.once the new inch or two of drug filled hair is holding all else it starts to snap.
my trick is I'm massaging minute amounts of lanolin into the scalp and hair close to the scalp, this hydrates it to the max and may stave off all the dry cracked breaiking. It's worth a try.
try to put lanolin in and leave it there for a couple days before shampooing out and use a mild shampoo for dry hair, so as not to dry it out.
also be tender with combing, and only shampoo when absolutely needful as this drys it out too.
I'm down from every day to twice a week, with no real complaints so far. time wll tell if the effort will pay off. If not, there's alwasy Minoxydl but the BP issues there make me a little reluctant to try that.

[FoggyintheAM]

Thanks Merry,
I like your idea about lanolin.  I'm really being conservative otherwise - not shampooing as much - lots o care, no blo-drying either.  Good food for thought on the hair that has been growing since June - it is going to be weaker and drier.

[gizmoesgirl]

I am new to this forum and Hep C, I have many concrens about hair loss myself!  I am a hair stylist so the though of no hair scares me to death!  Working in the beauty industry I have learned many things and one of those is Nioxin.  Nioxin is skin care for the scalp.  I am currently using it and varified it with my specialist to make sure it was ok during treatment.  Hopefully with healthy scalp skin, the vitamins and treatments they offer I will not lose to much hair.  

Best wishes!!!!!!!

[ladywhy]

Right before 1rst shot...i cut hair short..and have continued to keep it clipped...about 4 in. I don't know if it helps...but when I do (once r twice wk) shampoo/condition hair, I've been using one w/Tea Tree Oil. Some hair thinning...I can see my scalp a lil more at hairline..but at 33 (or so) wks...not bad at all. I find my face and neck get very feverish..(meaning HOT)..so the short hair is absolutely necessary. I actually would like (if I wasn't so vain) to cut it within an inch of scalp...'cause of the heat emanating from it. I'm thinkin of coloring again too. Gizmo, would you suggest goin' to beauty supply and getting less % peroxide and seperate bottle of color...rather than getting a box set? I'm thinkin' that less chemicals...healthier hair. I know it would be best to go to salon...but that 'ain't gonna happen right now. I would like your opinion. I don't have much gray...but it's lookin a lil brassy.
Y

[gizmoesgirl]

I would suggest that for many reasons, 1 being the store bought color is a metalic dye and can be extremely drying to not only the hair but the scalp as well!  As for shampooing your hair once or twice a week you really need to wash it more often.  Reason being when your body is getting rid of vitamins, meds, and so on they come out through our skin and hair.  It is unhealty for all of that to be left on the scalp skin. It can clog your follicles and cause further hair loss!!!!!  If you have any more questions please feel free to ask!!!!!

best wishes

[merryBe]

I know it sounds horrifying, when I was in my thirtys no way could I NOT shampoo every day, but as you age, your scalp drys out and you produce far less oil, ergo scalp issues go from oilly probs to dry, itchy, seborrea and other things caused by dry scalp and or clogged pours.
. the drugs stored in the hair shaft dry it out and change it's consistency, even the shape of the follicle, but daily removal of what little natural oil the follicle is making can just add to the problem.
this is an age dependant problem. two of my best friend owned beauty parlors..so...
I'll stick to the lanolin, and you youngsters can Breck on!!

I do think living with the grey is a better choice than living with a wig, but that's just me.

also, I don't know about tea tree oil, but rosemary oil will dry and irritate the scalp....so not all things purported to be good really are. especially trees have volitile oils in them, irritants, (like turpentine cousins) and can be hard on the immune system.
the same is true of things like Dr. Bonners....it's not ph balanced and very hard on the skin/scalp.
it's the old buyer beware adage.
if you do decide to shampoo everyday, I'd make sure you get a cery mild, hypoallergetic problem, since skin issues are very common on tx you don't want to set them off.

[ladywhy]

Thank you for your advice. I needed the confirmation. I have no scalp issues and I am double dosing weight based pegasys and 1 1/2 x dosing weight based riba. I do shampoo 2x aweek and since I have always been on the drier side rather than oily...this works for me. I had heard tea tree oil was good for this situation (tx and hair loss)...and through the test of 33 weeks...something is working. Meaning i have'nt lost that much hair.

merryBe: I could not do a wig....my head is like an oven....that's why I keep going shorter. When I began tx...I was lookin on e-bay for wigs. They have alot of 'em. nygirl wore them regularly. Instead my hair stayed connected and I believe it had alot  to do with cutting and keeping it short. I enjoy your take on these subjects we are dealing with. I have no idea why certain folk were thinkin' you were someone else. It was strange. Glad you stuck around and that interference didn't turn you away from this forum.

G'night all and God Bless
Y

[merryBe]

oooouuuu me to...wig is like, plastic sack on the head time....who wants to go there.
if you are at 33 wks, something is working, why mess with what ain't broke!!!

thanks for the imput.....Yeah I noticed mr. L when I first came in here....him and jmjm are encyclopedic. But our voices are all totally different, don't know how folks didn't see that.
but, I'm still here!!!   Ain't going to let the conspiracy throrist spoil these days!!!!
turns out there are just a lot of medical nerds too I guess....( shouldn't be that surprising)who at last can put some of their trivial pursuit general knowledges to use!! It's actually kinda fun helping...instead of laying here thinking about my symptoms...
I think it helped that I had no TV, just encyclopedias to read growing up....however we got this way, it's all good. Blessing on yer head as well. MB