SRS hair loss

[BellaBe]

Hi everyone.

I had SRS to four small brain mets just over 3 months ago. I started to lose some hair several weeks after but 3 months later it’s still falling out. I get handfuls out when I wash it and brushes full. I’ve had quite thick hair, so far it’s not been that noticeable but strangely I’ve noticed it thinning at my temples where I didn’t have the brain mets. Could this possibly be the exit to the targeted beam?

I have been on a targeted therapy for 2 and half years but haven’t had hair loss like this prior to SRS.

I was wondering if anyone had experience of hair loss after SRS? I’m concerned that it’s still falling out 3 months later as I’m not sure that’s normal. I know it can take up to 6 months to grow back but surely it should have fallen out at the beginning and then stopped.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thank you

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Yes, you will probably lose some hair from your scalp. This will be in the areas where the radiotherapy beam goes into and out of your scalp. Hair loss usually (but not always) happens a few weeks after treatment begins.

Avoid frequent shampooing. You may wash your hair with warm water and a mild, non-perfumed shampoo. Dry your hair gently, avoiding hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners. Avoid using hair spray, gels or styling products including; cosmetics, perfumes or other lotions on your head. These products can increase the skin irritation caused by radiation.

There is some information available at Cacer Researh UK

cancerresearchuk.org/about-...

You will also find some information at the following link.

macmillan.org.uk/cancer-inf...

Please don’t hesitate to contact our helpline if you would like to speak to one of the nurses. Freephone 0800 358 7200(option 2). We are available Monday-Thursday 9.00am-5.00pm. Friday 9.00am-4.00pm..

Regards,

All the staff at the ‘Ask the nurse support team’.

[Elt79]

Hi - I’ve had SRS twice now (2 years apart). Second time around, 3 small brain mets, was Feb this year and mine has come out at the back of my head much more than first time - my mets are at front. It also seemed to stop and restart.

First time it was over a year before my hair covered my bald parts. Unfortunately my hair is very fine so noticeable but the SRS did work!

Best of luck x

[BellaBe in reply to Elt79]

Thank you both for your replies, can I ask you how long your hair fell out for? As I said in my original post it’s been over 3 months since SRS and mine is falling out worse than ever.

[BellaBe in reply to BellaBe]

Is this normal or should it have all fallen out in one go?

[BellaBe in reply to Elt79]

By the way I think it started to fall out 3-4 weeks after SRS so been constantly falling out for more than 2 months.

[Elt79 in reply to BellaBe]

Mine started about 3 weeks after and carried on till mid June, SRS was February similar the first time I had it. x

[BellaBe in reply to Elt79]

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. I am comforted that my lengthy falling out isn’t abnormal, I tried googling the question but couldn’t come up with anything apart from when I could expect it to grow back.Mine is literally falling out everywhere even though my brain mets were small I did have four so who knows where the beams ended up going in and out. I guess that’s why it’s all over the place. Many thanks again and I’m pleased that your SRS has worked x

[BellaBe in reply to Elt79]

Hi, I just wanted to say I spoke to my neuro oncology nurse and he said that SRS shouldn’t have damaged the skin long term as the concentrated dose where the beams cross is on the inside not out. He said it was highly unusual for so much to come out and wouldn’t expect it for so long.

I just don’t know what to do 😞

[Elt79 in reply to BellaBe]

Can only say my consultant wasn’t concerned or surprised both times with mine. Best of luck x

[BellaBe in reply to Elt79]

Thanks, I’m going to email my oncology consultant as the SRS nurse seemed completely surprised.

[Bow-19]

I had SRS 3 years ago on two brain mets. My hair did fall out where the beam went in and came out. I thought because I had two mets that my hair would only come out where it went in once and came out once for each brain met. However when I asked they said each tumour was beamed I think from 3 different places so 12 possible places to lose hair. I lost it a few weeks later and I think it was about a year before it came back.

Like Roy Castle have said I used a gentle shampoo, washed it less frequently and brushed it less frequently too. Hope you get a good response to treatment x

[diane55]

Hi ,After STERT treatment in November 2020 my second treatment since 2017 for brain mets ,hair has this time only just stopping brushing out in handfuls .I have lost hair so it is not noticeable to others, I also had a very sore right ear until just over a month ago .I feel that the radiotherapy has now done it worst and hopefully treated the tumour enough to do its job .In 2017 I seemed to recover well at first and then relapsed 3 months later .I would say it took me a year to recover and took me a long time to get rid of the dexamethasone .I am still taking these steroids now but alternate days and only tiny amounts .This treatment for cancer is somewhat challenging.Hope you do well and hairless resolves soon as mine has .Take care Diane

[BellaBe in reply to diane55]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It looks like I may have underestimated the hair loss I would get so it’s been a bit of a shock.I can empathise about the steroids, I took them for a month after SRS and it was a nightmare I think I got every side effect listed and was not myself at all. I was also on a low dose-2mg then alternate for a week before I came off altogether. It wasn’t a pretty sight I can tell you.

So glad I’m off them.

Thanks again

Bella