Any advice for faster hair growth after chemo?

Posted by sprpatterson @sprpatterson, Jul 6 9:21am

I finished six cycles of chemo for ovarian cancer at the end of May. My hair started growing before end of treatment but it is all white. I am 67. Is this normal? Also, I welcome any ideas on natural ways to help the hair grow faster.

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Profile picture for Denise @denisestlouie

@cookercooker I had the standard chemotherapy for uterine cancers plus herceptin. I'm on herceptin as maintenance. Hair loss isn't a side effect of herceptin.
Enhertu is a much different drug than herceptin. It is a compo therapy and is more potent than herceptin. Hair loss is a possible side effect
From what I've read rogaine is only helpful after chemotherapy to help the hair follicles recover a little quickly. It will not prevent the hair loss while in the chemotherapy stage.

I am somebody who is willing to wear wigs if I had hair loss caused by the medication I'm taking, It sounds like you have hair, but it's just not as healthy as you would like it. You could look at hair pieces. They are sometimes called hair toppers or wiglets. They're more comfortable than a full wig and they can really help you feel better about your appearance if that's a problem for you.

Some people don't seem to have issues with hair loss like I did. It really dug at the core of who I am. It made me feel sorry for my dad and brothers who lost their hair in their thirties. My dad was fighting it all the way. He did all kinds of crazy things to make him look like he had hair. I get it now. It's not fun to not have hair on your head.
Denise

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@denisestlouie
Yeah (I'm chuckling). Hair is what the Buddhists call "ignorance grass". I was thinking about toppers, but my hair is sooo fine I don't know how the topper would clip on. But, thank you for your suggestion. BTW, do you not have clear cell endometrial cancer?

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Profile picture for cookercooker @cookercooker

@sprpatterson That's good news. No bald patches or receding hairline at all? I lost my eyebrows and eyelashes. They never really grew back again. What do you do about that?

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@cookercooker Me too! I looks like I have no eyelashes and the brows are almost invisible they are so sparse.

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What are you doing about, if anything? I can't wear false eyelashes or makeup because I've also deveoped dry eye and blepharitis:(

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Profile picture for cookercooker @cookercooker

@denisestlouie
Yeah (I'm chuckling). Hair is what the Buddhists call "ignorance grass". I was thinking about toppers, but my hair is sooo fine I don't know how the topper would clip on. But, thank you for your suggestion. BTW, do you not have clear cell endometrial cancer?

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@cookercooker I have mixed clear cell/ serous uterine cancer. It was stage 3a HER2+. I'm 2 years post diagnosis. I'm doing great. I've. Decided I'm cured. I'm still getting herceptin as a maintenance and I will keeping getting it as long as I'm cancer free. But I am just going to think this is all I'my past.

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Profile picture for cookercooker @cookercooker

@denisestlouie What treatment did you receive and are you still receiving it? I ask because my hair looks awful. I'm on Enhertu (forever, it looks like), and while my hair is slowly growing in, it is fine and frizzy, and I have a receding hairline now.

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@cookercooker I'm receiving herceptin. Hair loss isn't an issue with this drug. Enhertu more potent. Hair loss is a side effect.

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Profile picture for Denise @denisestlouie

@cookercooker I have mixed clear cell/ serous uterine cancer. It was stage 3a HER2+. I'm 2 years post diagnosis. I'm doing great. I've. Decided I'm cured. I'm still getting herceptin as a maintenance and I will keeping getting it as long as I'm cancer free. But I am just going to think this is all I'my past.

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That is fantastic news. Thanks for sharing Denise.

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