I know there's been a lot of discussion here lately about regrowing hair after the end of treatments, but I can't seem to find it right now. So, my question -- how long before you begin noticing any significant regrowth after treatments are completed? Especially the eyebrows and eyelashes? I'm so tired of drawing my eyebrows on and hoping they look ok. Actually it has become a bit of a joke. If my husband is around he always checks to see if everything is even and equal.
BTW, had my 6th treatment yesterday and the doc doesn't want to see me for 6 weeks. He thinks we can take a vacation from chemo and see how it goes. The CA125 was down to 23 after the 4th treatment. Will get the results of yesterday's blood draw on Monday. This is my 4th recurrance so I'm definitely glad to be done for a while. Got to ring the bell at the doc's office and walk out to the cheers and clapping of staff and patients. Even got a certificate of merit. Felt like I was in kindergarten again.
I'm asking about the hair regrowth because with all the chemo I've had over the past 11 years, this is the first time I lost my hair. Really? Yes, really!
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Hair Regrowth
- By Cactacat
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 8:27 am · 14 replies
- In Side effects of treatment
- Shared with the public
14 replies
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- By lifeisgrand
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 8:38 am
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I am 3 months out from my last treatment and have enough hair to go without a hat. It's not that long, maybe a half an inch... slightly more in places... but it has filled in enough that my scalp doesn't show. I mean no one would willingly style their hair this short but I am no longer bald so it is progress. Not sure about the eyebrows, I never lost mine. They thinned a bit but stayed.
- By kennebec
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 9:09 am
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I checked my calendar and I had (very) short puppy fur by 8 weeks. It is now 17 weeks post-chemo and my hair is about 3/4 inches long. It came in straight and soft. Like my toddler grandsons buzzcut.
Now it is wavey or curly as can be.
Awhile back I tried the blow dryer and it looked like a Kansas wheat field hit by a tornado. Whirls every different direction. LOL. In July I estimated "hair" by Thanksgiving and I figure in three weeks it will have some "height" to it. Right on schedule.
As for drawing on eyebrows...I was wishing I had a dotted line temporarily tattooed to my brow area. Getting two matching eyebrows was almost impossible...one brow insisted on being arched, giving me a natural "imperious" look. I had to urge one brow down and the other up. Weird.
As soon as hair began growing, at about two months, the brows and lashes came in almost overnight. I'm sure the lashes were almost half length before I even noticed them! But as short as they were, I was able to get on a smidgeon of mascara. They grew extremely fast once they reappeared.
Hang in there...at first it will seem like such a long time...then all of a sudden, one day, you'll look in the mirror and see a fuzzy outline of true, honest-to-goodness hair casting a faint halo around your head. And you will celebrate and dance!!!!!!
- By Magdeline
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 9:14 am
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HI I had my last tratment in May and today I'm going for my first hair trim not cut. It's still short but needs a touch up. My doctor told me three months and he was right on. My hair is so baby fine and salt and pepper which it was not before. I feel blessed to be here and have hair!!!
- By Cactacat
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 9:50 am
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Thanks to all of you for your stories (and a couple of good laughs). My eyebrows seem to end up with one arched and the other slanting down no matter what I do. But I just keep drawing them on. I'm sure my hair will come back completely white since it was salt and pepper before. We're planning on taking a cruise sometime in April and I'm sure now I'll have enough hair to look good for "picture taking day." Actually I'm just very happy to be done with chemo for a while. The hair is a secondary issue.
- By Rose2
- Posted November 6, 2009 at 10:18 am
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When I had my first round of chemo in 2007...I finished my last treatment the end of April. When I started work at the Orchard in August of 2007, I had hair, but it was very short.
This time, I started chemo in 2008, am still on treatments. This time only on Taxol, and I already have some hair. I lost all of it at the beginning, but now it has been coming back even tho I am on chemo. I think it is the strength of the taxol, I know they dilute it this time. Plus the last few treatments have been 4 weeks apart instead of 3 weeks.
So I guess it all depends on the drug, the strength, the time between chemos, and of coarse we are all different.
- By ErinH
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 1:06 pm
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Yes, you've so much to look forward to!
It's an exciting time!
I was just the same - finished round 6 and Onc told me to take a trip.
About ten weeks after my last chemo I had, like the other women here, enough hair that I could go without my wig on holiday - you couldn't see my scalp anymore.
I kept having to run my hands over my head back and forth because it felt so funny and so GOOD!!! Like a baby's!
It came back very very silky and thick, lovely fresh colour, excellent condition! Yes, similarly very straight when short, then went into crazy tight ringlets and curls that lasted about three years until they fell out!
I never wanted to cut it because it was all 'new' hair!
My eyebrows came back very, very quickly - and eyelashes. In fact, they were both back looking normal before that ten-week point, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
Put your mind at rest and look forward to this great time in your life - it is a new season!
Much love,
(I cannot believe that you never once lost your hair before - I had long chestnut waves down to my hips and my Onc told me it would be one-in-a-million if it didn't all fall out)
xox
Erin
- By wright2fight
- Posted November 8, 2009 at 1:13 pm
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Cactacat- Go to Problems with Excessive Hair is the one that you were looking for! Honestly, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! Not that having our hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, and who ha hair falling out is a laughing matter.
My eyebrows were a great falling out mystery!
Hair coming back in was like a chia pet experience.
I was done with chemo in the end of July and I have a good inch of multicolored hair coming in! A lot of it is gray!!! YIKES! I probably could go around without a do-rag, but I look like I'm a good 20 years older than I really am! I'm not complaining....my hair is coming back.
Erin- I can't quit touching my head either.
- By wright2fight
- Posted November 8, 2009 at 1:17 pm
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I'm such a dork.....eyebrows and eyelashes fell out a month after I was done with chemo??? The good news is they came back really quick! I didn't care for that look....scary! Hair took about 6 weeks to see the first sprouts!
Happy Hair Day!
- By amsterling
- Posted November 8, 2009 at 3:46 pm
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Hi. Just in case you wanted some tips on eyebrows. I've been drawing mine in for FOREVER (thanks to the influence of my older sister lol) .. even before I started losing my eyebrows, so this experience definitely came in handy.
I use MAC "Spiked" Eye Brows pencil (it's a twist-up) to first outline the shape. Hopefully you can still tell the shape somewhat to outline. Then I use (for dark brown) "Corduroy" to fill it in, using the angular brush #263. If this seems daunting to you, I'm CERTAIN the women at MAC can help you out and give you tips. They can draw it in for you for free and give you tips for when you do it again on your own.
Also, if you're in the Bay Area, I'd love to help you out! If not me, my sister has worked for MAC for years and will certainly help you out! (:
Hope this helps!
- By CATSMEOW
- Posted November 8, 2009 at 5:21 pm
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WHAT? A certificate for WHAT?
You Keep Positive.
- By esther3kids
- Posted November 9, 2009 at 12:46 am
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My last treatment was July 28th. I am always touching my head too, because it is hard for me to believe that I have hair. I could still see my scalp so I'm not brave enough to go out without my wig or hat. My eyebrows started coming in really quick and one day I noticed that I finally had lashes.
It's exciting to see hair when you haven't had it for a while.
I'm just happy to be hear to talk about it.
Best of luck to you!
Esther
- By Amethystmd2559
- Posted November 9, 2009 at 10:52 am
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Hi Catacat! The post is called Problems with Excess Hair, lol. I just know that one day there was nothing, then the next there was so much! My eyelashes and eyebrows are thicker than they used to be. My last chemo was Aug 27. I am wondering if I should just wax the brows and start drawing them in, they are just too thick now to spend a whole day plucking! My eyelashes still don't hold mascara well, though I try. Maybe it is the brand, I bought the new Loreal with that funny small, round brush on the end. I could go back the the regular brush. I am just having fun with it all right now!
Hope you do to! The hair is so soft, like many others, I can't stop touching it!
- By alig
- Posted November 18, 2009 at 11:34 am
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Hi all- This is my first posting, not really used to this malarkey but couldnt resist joining in with the glee of recouping hair!! Finished my 2nd round of chemo 7 weeks ago, already got a few eyelashes and stubbly eyebrows - my drawing on was a disater despite much practice! Head is downy , am hoping for curls again ( was previously dead straight til 1st chemo ) but in reality anything will do ---Hurrah for hairy heads
Love to you all - Ali
- By kibbitzqueen
- Posted November 19, 2009 at 11:44 am
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I've found that my GLASSES are the PERFECT remedy for mis matched eyebrows! No one can see them with my glasses on! WHY is it so hard to get TWO tiny lines to match? LOL
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