Chemotherapy Hair Loss

Chemotherapy hair loss can be very stressful for cancer patients. They often worry quite a bit about chemotherapy and hair loss. Whether or

not you will have hair loss from chemotherapy will depend on the type of medication and the dose that you receive. The degree of hair loss can also vary; you may experience a slight thinning of hair all over your head, or you may lose all of your body hair, including all of the hair on your head, your eyebrows, eye lashes, armpit hair, and other body hair.

Chemotherapy hair loss generally occurs pretty quickly. Hair will start to fall out after just a couple of treatments. If your hair is just going to thin out, you will notice extra hair in your brush when you brush your hair, or extra hair in the tub after shampooing your hair. If you are going lose all of your hair, it will come out in clumps. You may find clumps of hair on your pillow in the morning.

While hair loss due to chemotherapy is temporary, your hair may initially be a different shade or texture when it regrows. It will generally return to normal after some time.

Talk to your doctor about chemotherapy and hair loss and whether or not the chemotherapy drugs you will be taking will cause hair loss. That way you will know what to expect. It can still be disturbing when it begins to happen, however.

Why Chemotherapy Hair Loss Occurs

Chemotherapy drugs are designed to attack rapidly growing cells in your body, specifically cancer cells. However, they attack other rapidly growing cells as well, including those in your hair roots. The drugs are not able to discriminate between cancer cells and other rapidly growing cells.

There is currently no way to prevent hair loss due to chemotherapy. Not all chemotherapy drugs have that side effect, but your doctor must choose the drugs that he or she feels will be most effective for treating your cancer, regardless of whether or not it may cause hair loss.

Coping with Chemotherapy and Hair Loss

Coping with chemotherapy hair loss can be a challenge. Many people feel very self-conscious about their appearance. Coping with cancer is hard enough; coping with chemotherapy and hair loss on top of that can feel like too much. It can be particularly difficult for women, since bald women are a rarity in our society.

Many women with chemotherapy hair loss choose to wear a hat, scarf, or wig to disguise their hair loss. There are some very nice hats and scarves available. If your doctor writes a prescription for a wig, your insurance may help pay for it. Also, the American Cancer Society often provides free wigs to those who cannot afford them. To find the office of the American Cancer Society nearest you, you can contact their national office at 1-800-ACS-2345.

A hair loss treatment will not be effective as long as you are still taking chemotherapy, because the drugs are still attacking the cells in your hair follicles. Wait until you’ve completed the chemotherapy. Then you can use a hair loss treatment if you like, to help speed the regrowth process.

A cancer support group can help you deal with all of the effects of cancer, including chemotherapy and hair loss. We encourage you to seek support while coping with your illness. It’s helpful to know you’re not alone.

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