Regrowing and 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
t y pi c a l ly
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 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
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.
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
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.
54 TIMESLEDGER, OCT. 11-17, 2019 BT QNS.COM
/Breastcancer.org
/QNS.COM
