Your personal image is important, and losing your hair can cause a great loss of your personal image. Being prepared for hair loss during chemotherapy treatment is the best defense against this loss of image.
Hair loss during chemotherapy is caused by the medicine used to fight cancer cells growing inside your body. Unfortunately, the drugs also tend to attack the cells that are in charge of growing hair, so hair loss is caused by a lack of new hair formation. Not all chemotherapy drugs attack hair cells, so check with your doctor about specific drugs that can prevent hair loss.
Chemotherapy hair loss occurs on all body hair, not just the scalp; this can include your eyelashes and eyebrows, and all other body hair.
Hair loss usually begins to occur between 10 and 14 days after starting treatment. Between 4 and 6 weeks after finishing treatment, your hair should begin to grow back. There may be some differences in the texture or color of your hair, such as a new curl or a slight adjustment in color, but eventually your hair will go back to how it was before, it just takes a little time. You can expect about ΒΌ inch of hair growth each month
There is no real cure for hair loss associated with chemotherapy. However, there are some things that can be done to reduce the damage or help the hair follicles to replace hair.
While you are in the actual treatment, you may have cryotherapy, which is essentially hypothermia of the scalp, and will keep your head cool with ice packs to reduce blood flow. This procedure works in 50 to 80 percent of cases. However, there is a risk that the cancer may return to your scalp with this type of treatment.
Another potential hair loss treatment is called Minoxidil and is also known as Rogaine. Minoxidil can affect hair loss by slowing down the process and increasing growth afterward. It has not been shown to prevent hair loss, but rather as a treatment to delay hair loss and speed recovery.
Preparing for hair loss in chemotherapy treatment can not only improve your self-image, but it can also help your hair in the long run. Treat your hair as if it were being chemically treated every day. Brush gently, avoid heating devices that can burn your hair, wash gently with mild shampoos, and postpone any hair colors or perms.
You may consider cutting your hair short, as short hair tends to look thicker and fuller. You may also want to consider buying some hats to minimize sun damage. Hats can also be used to mask hair loss once it has started to show. Be patient with your new hair growth and continue to treat it gently.
Hair loss also occurs with radiation treatments to the scalp, but only in the area that is actually treated. Although it is a completely different process, it is important again to protect your scalp and take care of your hair as much as possible.
