Hair loss 🙁

[Anita-B]

Hi ladies looking for a bit of advice, am about to get my second FEC this week. My hair has started to fall out, not sure of the best way to deal with it. How long does it take for it all to come out? I am afraid to wash it in case it makes it worse, any suggestions would be very welcome.

[Lainey66]

I shaved mine all off once it started falling out. It was easier to be honest.

[Hidden]

Once mine started to come out which was 12 days after first round of FEC, I got my hubby to shave it all off, its inevitable and rather than keep finding clumps of it floating past me in the house like little tumble weed reminders, it was my way of taking control and then its all going to grow back in at the same time (mine did anyway).

[Berylynn]

My wig hairdresser suggested against this and gave me a 1cm cut, I kind of felt like a lab rat. Itchy head I guess which ever way you choose. I couldnt tolerate wearing a wig for more than five hours, bald can be more presentable.

[JCwarrior]

Dear Anita, I´ve also took a control over it, and once it started to fall out, I shaved. And it was less tragic than I thought, got used to it pretty quick. Good luck!

[Kirmy]

Oh honey there is no stopping the tide. Go and get a blade 1 clipper cut. Stop Off at Accessorise and buy some rocking earrings, Bobby Brown for an epic eyebrow pencil and get ready to totally rock hats, bandannas and wigs if you like.

I loved my shaved head. It was scary but so so liberating. It meant I was a powerful, potent survivor. It’s only hair. It isn’t your womanhood. What defines you is your courage and your fight. Your hair merely keeps your ears warm.

You’ve got this. Get it done. X

[Debster2016]

Hi Anita bless you here it goes! I didn’t clipper my hair off, in hindsight I guess I was hanging to it very hard, it was long and wavy and I was very used to it having been that way for 30 years. As soon as i found it in my hands the shower I simply avoided the shower! For 5 weeks! 😳. I wore a soft cotton beanie to bed to catch the night shedders. It went streaky and oh I would not recommend this path.

My advice is to clipper it off sooner rather than later. Eventually my husband used his clippers without a guard - grade zero maybe? - and it was a kind of relief. Doing it sooner would have saved me 5 weeks of despair! I say do it! I had already purchased my wig so that was a,right. I was left with s small dark strip of stubble on top at the back and I did get some sharp tingling and prickles whilst it fell out so maybe you could save yourself that physical discomfort?

Absolutely LOVING Kirmy’s Reply. Definitely the way to go, try and find some fun in this! I went and got myself a 2nd longer wig! It was fab!!

Wishing you well 🙏xx

[Vic1970]

Hi Anita,my advice is just shave it off now,its not going to stop falling out,save yourse3the discomfort,I remember well what its like.Its cold weather so you can totally justify spending loads of money on funky hats.I found some lovely soft cotton beanie with piamante sparkles on on Amazon ,really cheap too but took a while to arrive but they were super comfy and very nice to wear,Good luck with it all,do whatever it takes to make yourself feel better.luv Vicky.x

[Hidden]

Mine started coming out on my birthday, mainly on the top, so wore a hat to lunch, a turban to dinner & the next morning it all fell out, with just a tiny bit hanging on at the nape of my neck.

My head tingled for days before it fell, it’s much better to get it sorted & on to your new look! Kirmy has the right idea, you need to rock the look.

Best of Luck

Mrs N x

[biddenden_sue]

Your best bet is to shave it off. Otherwise your head will get very itchy and you'll find clumps of hair everywhere!

[CancerkickerKathy]

Like most here, I shaved it off. I did have a shorter cut done before I started chemo just to help my transition. But yep I shaved it. Picked up a wig but only wore it one or two times. I just chose hats or bandannas. The only thing I didn't like about being bald is I was cold. The no eyebrows bothered me more then no hair but my glasses and some pencil helped that. Look at the bright side. If you're like me all the hair was gone. No shaving legs and no "man whiskers". Embrace the baldness and know you are strong and beautiful.

[SuePS1958]

Hi Anita - sorry for the late reply - just checking emails after a holiday away. I concur with others that taking control and cutting it short as soon as it starts to fall out was best for me. I've recently become aware of an additional choice re supporting hair loss which I wish I'd been aware of at the time. Lucinda Ellery has 5 uk and 2 usa specialist hair loss salons.

lucindaellery-hairloss.co.uk/

Ladies can make it all the way through chemo so no-one knows, and after when the hair comes back patchy or thinner the interlace extensions system helps give a thicker head of hair. Its a choice well worth people being aware of and you may be interested in as it grows back.