finished tx: NOW losing hair, gaining dandruff

[pigeonca]

It's been 3 weeks since my last INF shot and 4 weeks since my last riba pill.  Maybe my hair was already thinning during tx (I did it for only 13 weeks), but I didn't really notice it.  But now it's falling out like crazy.  Each time I run a comb through my hair nowadays, I find anywhere from one to ten hairs in the comb.  My brother just told me that my hair looked really thin, like an old lady's.  Oh my God!  He never notices people's hair unless it's extreme.  Also, I now have dandruff, something I have never suffered from in my entire life.  

Is it normal to lose hair after tx more than during?  Has anybody here acquired dandruff after tx?  What should I do?  I bought Nizoral shampoo and Nioxin Follicle Booster, but haven't used them yet because my scalp is very itchy and I'm afraid that these products might be irritants.  Any suggestions would be appreciated enormously.  

[rosebud57]

Hi, need your opinion on a matter of hair.  mine was really full wavey, often on the dry looking side used to flatten and put shiners as the style.. course cant do that now.  i have lost so much hair since week 13 or so now at 21, having a really hard time. its so thin, seems like these last 2 times i color with temp dye, it doesn't grab the same, its thin, my scap has sores because of thin of hair can really see the sores to me its gross and disgusting.  i want to buy a wig. i think it will make me feel better, prob is the one i like is expensive. my kids tell me mom you have lots of hair it looks fine, but i don't believe them. i worry that i won't be able to like the way i feel if i get called to an interview, or even going back to work.  

i know (i think it was you) you are or were wearing wigs.  a person from a beauty supply (not the wig place) said wearing wigs damages hair at scalp. tried to give me the men who wear baseball caps analogy.  i didn't entirely go for her spiel, but tried to color my hair instead.  really not happy with the outcome... would prefer the wig. the inexpensive ones did not look good on me, most realisitic and attractive is 179. i figure it would be worth it if i got 4 to 6 mth wear. or more...on some occassions after the need abates.

what is your opinion, will it damage new hair growth?  i have med length hair very thin i would just cut shorter medium  and not worry about fallout so much.
rose

[pigeonca]

I think it would be cool to smell like a tootsie roll.

Yes, it makes sense that the interferon did damage to the roots of the hair, and then it takes a while for the roots to become "detached" from the scalp.  It certainly feels that way.  That's why I think all the advice to use a wide tooth comb and a satin pillowcase is probably useless, because the hair is going to come out anyway; it's not well connected any more.

[orphanedhawk]

I was thinking, if you stopped at week 13 maybe the hair thinning was just starting.I mean maybe it has nothing to do with you stopping but because there was finally enough medicine in your system for you to get this side effect.   It didn't bother me until about week 12.

[orphanedhawk]

I try to go the organic route. I'm using a very mild shampoo and Aubry Organics conditioner. I'm also using a leave on oil because my hair is as dry as the Gobi. It said mango cocoa and I thought it said coconut so now my hair smells like a tootsie roll !
          I take omega fish oil, 1000 mg, 3xdaily. Its supposed to help hair and skin but vitamin E is really good too. Keep drinking those fluids. I think they'd help flush out the toxins.

[Lilla]

I am on week #10; so far I experience very itchy scalp and skin -   Because of what I have read, I use Pureology Hydrate products (www.salonsavings.com).   They are not cheap, but very concentrated and last a long time.   Nioxin products can be purchased at the above site as well.

[ladybug52]

I don't know how long it takes to clear the meds. I am the same way as you, confused about all of this and still not my old self. I had a good day yesterday and woke up feeling like cr@p again today. My last injection of the peg will be three weeks tomorrow. I think that once it gets in our system enough to start losing hair, it takes awhile to stop and start new hair growth. I did 16 shots so my hair had already been falling out since week 12. Maybe some of the hair follicles were dying before I stopped and just continue dying off. I don't know!
It will stop eventually. I hope! I kind of like my thin hair, it's easier to manage! I had way too much to begin with so this hasn't been much of a burden yet. I try to point out how much hair I've lost to my daughters and they just look at me like I'm crazy. But there's no disguising the handfuls in my brush, on the shower wall, on the floor,on my pillow, you know.
Take care,
Bug

[pigeonca]

How long does it take for the drugs to get out of one's system?  I thought the INF only lasted for a week, the ribavirin for several months, and that hair thinning was caused by the INF.  If that is the case, I haven't had any INF in 3 weeks; shouldn't it be out of my system by now?  And how come I'm losing more hair than I did during tx?  (I guess I have this fear that I'll have old lady hair forever, with my scalp peeking through the strands.  Time will tell, as it does with all things involving this disease.)

As far as how I'm feeling, substantially better but I still have a ways to go before I feel normal again.  I've been to the gym about 5 times, doing half what I did before tx, but then today I walked to the gym and turned around and walked right back home.  Felt horrible, as if I were on tx again.  Very weird.  How about you?  Hope you're feeling better than I do.

[ladybug52]

My hair is still falling out, it started around week 12 and I asked my husband "When is this going to stop"? Rhetorical question, but he's programmed to say the right things. In this case it was "Once you get all the meds out of your system" (a line I use all the time myself as in 'I can't wait to get these meds out of my system')
Everyone has good advice. As far as the scalp, keep drinking water as much as you can. Some people were on here around Christmas and they said Purology products were great, one was a hairdresser. They said it's used by chemo patients (not exclusively) because it's so gentle.
Good luck, I do the gentle shampoo, conditioner, spray on leave-in condition and a something by TGI to plump it up.
On a positive note I hope, are you feeling better overall? Skin better? Energy improved?
Take care,
Bug

[Fighting-this-Together]

You could also try Paul Mitchells Tea Tree line. This would help with the dandruff and you could alternate it with the Lemon Sage line for thickness. The only problem you might have would be the same tingling and burning as Nioxin. Nioxin is used for the thinning hair not really for dry scalp. Healthy Sexy Hair is the Tri Wheat leave in. The leave in won't help the dandruff situation.  There is also a company called Fermodyl Interactives
http://www.fermodyl.co.uk/story.htm

I didn't realize that they are UK based, but I have used all of their products and have no complaints. They have a chart on the website that will tell you exactly what to use for your type of hair. If you do a search you should be able to find it in the States.

[rosebud57]

Nizoral is the best product i even used during tx several times early on.

i noticed my hair falling at week 13 or so slow at first, so much daily hard to keep up.  

I hope yours will get strong again soon, someone probably has good advice for strengthing products, or vitamins.

sad to see it go, but it will come back..

take care
rose

[Pdilly]

Comb your hair very gently.  You are at the stage that I started to really loose my hair as well.  I probably lost at least 50% and maybe up to 60%.  Its hard to tell.   Do not use an oily shampoo as it will dry out your scalp even more. Try to find a really good one for Dry hair...I found a condition mine and also bought a spray on conditioner and a detangler then I comb my hair after the shower.  They helped alot.  My spray on conditioner I got at a hair place and it is in a turquoise bottle...called Soy Tri-Wheat Leave in Conditioner.   The detangler you can usually find in baby products.

[pigeonca]

Can you recommend any conditioners?  Kaiser, my HMO, is big on Nioxin products, but their Scalp Treatment makes my scalp sting and burn.  

[nygirl7]

i lost about 70% of all of my hair (it thinned out BAD) during treatment but now it has been growing back nice except it's really really straight LOL something I always wished for but didn't have. Odd because I was looking forward to my curly hair for the first time in my life!

Anyway - even though it's coming back in like gangbusters I still find a bunch of it in the drain every time I shower which I was shocked about.

But - I have the thyroid problem and maybe that is contributing.

Give your body a little bit of time to heal - I'd say the dandruff is from having a really really dry scalp. You know how dehydrated we get on treatment...well it's just skin I guess up there.  Do you use a good conditioner on your hair? I'd definitely suggest a nice, thick good real "product" for now (yeah I work in the beauty business, LOL).  Something that can moisturize not only your hair but also your SCALP.  

I hope it comes back soon!