Caring for hair after chemotherapy
Chemotherapy and radiation
are common
treatment options
for people who have
been diagnosed with cancer.
While radiation may be targeted
at specific areas, chemotherapy
is systemic. This
means it affects the entire
body. As a result, as chemotherapy
kills fast-growing
cancer cells, it also kills or
slows the growth of healthy
cells, including hair cells,
that divide and grow quickly,
explains the National
Cancer Institute.
When chemotherapy
treatment is completed,
the body is
typically capable of
regenerating new hair,
but that can take some
time. Women who consider
their hair a large
part of their identity
may have strong concerns
and fears regarding
hair loss and what their hair
may look like when it begins
to regrow. Understanding
what to expect and what
they can do to facilitate the
regrowth of hair can help
women better handle what
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lies ahead.
New hair typically begins
to grow within one to two
months of the last chemo
treatment. Breastcancer.org
says people who have undergone
chemotherapy may
notice soft fuzz forming on
their head roughly two to
three weeks after the end of
chemo. This will be followed
by real hair growing at its
normal rate one month afterward.
Two months after
the last treatment, an inch
of hair can be expected. How
hair grows back elsewhere
on the body,
such as the eyelashes,
eyebrows and pubic
area, varies from
person to person. Experts
at the Robert
H. Lurie Comprehensive
Cancer
Center’s Dermatologic
Care Center at
Northwestern University in
Chicago recommend speaking
with a doctor if hair
is not regrowing quickly,
which can be the result of
low levels of iron or zinc or
even thyroid problems.
To help the process along,
some doctors suggest the
use of supplements like biotin.
The National Institutes
of Health says biotin is a
B vitamin found in many
foods that helps turn carbohydrates,
fats, and proteins
into energy. There is some
evidence that taking biotin
can help thicken and speed
up the growth of hair and
nails, but more research is
needed. Rogaine, the baldness
treatment, also may be
advised, as it’s been shown
to speed hair regrowth in
breast cancer patients who
have lost their hair, advises
Health magazine.
It is not uncommon for
hair grown after chemotherapy
to look and feel different
from hair prior to treatment.
Someone who once
had straight hair may develop
a wavy mane afterwards.
While drastic changes are
not common, blonde hair
may darken.
As hair grows in, certain
areas on the head may grow
faster than others. Working
with an experienced stylist
can help a person achieve a
look that is evened out and
Chemotherapy kills fast-growing cancer cells, and kills or slows the
growth of healthy cells, including hair cells, that divide and grow quickly,
explains the National Cancer Institute.
stylish at any length. Rosette
la Vedette, a headwear retailer
and cancer resource,
suggests making a first trip
back to the salon a special
experience with a glass of
champagne. Cutting hair
won’t make it grow faster,
but it can help a woman return
to a sense of normalcy.
It can be nerve-wracking
to wait for hair to regrow
after chemotherapy. But patience
and understanding
the road ahead can assuage
any fears breast cancer patients
may have about regrowing
their hair.
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/Breastcancer.org