Chemotherapy and hair loss:

What to expect after treatment

Hair loss for both men and women is usually a cause for concern. When this is the side effect of Chemotherapy, it is almost inevitable though some chemotherapy treatments are less likely to cause your hair to fall out. Your Doctor will tell you how probable your treatment is to cause you to have hair loss.

The fact that Cancer treatments are very likely to cause hair loss is because Cancer cells divide quickly. So, Chemotherapy medications are powerful medications that attack these fast-growing cells.

What to expect with Chemotherapy

After receiving the first Chemotherapy treatment between two and four weeks, hair loss usually happens. At first, your scalp may feel tender, then either quickly or gradually, you will begin to see locks or clumps of hair in the shower drain, on the pillow, or the brush. This hair loss will continue throughout the treatment and for a few weeks after it is finished.

Nowadays, no treatment guarantees that your hair will not fall out during or after Chemotherapy, and although you cannot use any prevention or control methods, you can learn to handle it in the best way.

If you are about to go through Chemotherapy or are currently receiving Chemotherapy, please consider the following suggestions to help you deal with the anxiety and frustration associated with hair loss:

If you have long hair: consider cutting it before starting your treatments because short hair gives the illusion of being fuller than long hair, and the transition from having short hair to losing it all can be at least a little less shocking.
Before treatment: try not to damage it with color, bleach, or heat, so if you strengthen your hair earlier, it will probably stay longer.
During treatment: protect your scalp! Your scalp becomes more sensitive during Chemotherapy, and covering it from sunlight and cold will make you feel more comfortable.
After the treatment: Be patient. The hair will most probably not look normal right away; the growth takes time as well as it takes time to repair the damage caused, so you should not dye or bleach your hair until it is stronger.

Eyelashes and eyebrows are other areas of hair that can grow back faster than head hair.

Many factors determine the condition of our hair, including the diet. A healthy, varied, and balanced menu will provide some of the nutrients needed for healthy hair growth.

Don't forget to keep in touch with your Oncologist to receive more specific and timely information about this.