Chemotherapy?!
Question: How long after you start chemotherapy does it take for your hair to start coming out?
My m-i-l will be starting Chemo this week and she will take one treatment every three weeks. How long do you think it will take for her hair to start coming out? She had a left breast mastectomy last month.
Thank you in advance.
Answers: How long after you start chemotherapy does it take for your hair to start coming out?
My m-i-l will be starting Chemo this week and she will take one treatment every three weeks. How long do you think it will take for her hair to start coming out? She had a left breast mastectomy last month.
Thank you in advance.
Mine began to come out on day 19, two days before my second chemotherapy. (I too had a mastectomy, and had FEC chemotherapy).
I shaved my head too, shaving or cutting the hair very short is a good idea for a number of reasons. It's more dignified than having clumps of hair and bald patches; when the hair is about to start coming out, the scalp becomes sore and tender, and the shorter the hair the less uncomfortable this is; also when your hair falls out it gets everywhere - in your food, in your mouth, on your clothing, on your furniture - you never realise how much hair you have till it starts falling out.
Good luck to your m-i-l for the rest of her treatment.
It varies from person to person but average is around three weeks. I could take longer, or shorter. It all may come out, or it may just thin.
If she is at all attached to her hair, my recommendation is to go ahead and cut it short. Its much less traumatic. I did both times. The second time I ended up not loosing my hair at first and kinda regretting cutting it. But it did fall out later, so it was still a good thing.
Mine started falling out about 3 weeks into treatment, so I shaved my head rather than waking up to clumps of hair on my pillow or clogging the shower drain.
I looked it as saving oodles at the hairdresser, no hair cuts, shampoo or highlights.
depending on the drug that is used. It takes anywhere from 3 weeks to 1 month. However I have found that using ice caps on my patients head has had some delay in loss and sometimes saves a lot of hair. The one great thing is that she will get to try on a bunch of wigs and have a different look anytime she wants. It is a difficult time and I understand. But try to find a way to cheer her up with the wigs. It will be fun if she starts early and goes to a wig salon and tries on a bunch of different ones now. this way she will be ready when it does happen.Cutting her hair short as recommended by others is also helpful.
mine came out the first week and began growing back after 3 sessions