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Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,204
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

How long did it take? Were you on another drug like tamoxifen or femara?

Occasional Contributor
Posts: 8
Registered: ‎08-12-2014

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

Hi Traveler. I had treatment for breast cancer last year and finished up February of this year. My hair took several months before it was long enough to go without my wig. Patience is hard. Especially if the hair loss issue bothers you as much as it did me. But when it finally came in it was very curly. I only had body before.It's also very thick. As time moves on and I continue to have it cut it is straighter. But still lots of body. It's also very silver. I colored it before. I actually like the color. But then again I am 66. I am taking Arimidex and will be for 10 years. This is used for post-menopausal women.

I hope you are doing well on your journey. I will keep you in my prayers.

Hugs,

Liz

Contributor
Posts: 50
Registered: ‎09-24-2012

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

Hi I finished chemo a little over a year ago. My hair grew in curly like Sweet Patootie's hair but straightened out over time. My hair is now grey with black streaks while my hair pre-chemo was strawberry blonde. My hair is thinner than before. It is just about shoulder length. I am not taking any ongoing drugs for my cancer.

Congrats on completing chemo!

UK

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,143
Registered: ‎04-18-2012

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

I'm over 15 years post chemo and yes, mine grew back just as full as it was with no difference in texture. Sure it was curlier but that was because it didn't have the weight of longer strands pulling the curl out. I never completely lost my hair. It was long before I started chemo and I lost a lot of it but not all. It got so thin that it looked bad IMO so I shaved the rest off. It noticeably started growing back right away. I never was on any additional medications. I didn't have breast or reproductive cancer.

Don't Change Your Authenticity for Approval
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,204
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

Thank you for the responses. It's been 3 years since chemo and the back and sides came back thick and full. But the front and top is thin. So thin I have a large comb over that drives me crazy but stylist didn't seem to understand pixie. She said my hair was too thin. I'm on femara now and read it could be responsible.

Good luck and good health to you.

Contributor
Posts: 23
Registered: ‎06-24-2010

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

In the past 9 yrs I have been through 4 different courses of chemo (taxotere and gemzar). Each time my hair grew back..never curly
Valued Contributor
Posts: 613
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

No, my hair has come back but not like it was before. My hair is terrible looking. My hair was once full and thick and full of body, it used to stick out far away from my face, I had enough hair for 2 maybe 3 people easily. Not any more, I have barely enough hair now just to cover my own head. It is flat, limp and straight as a ruler, my hair used to be wavy. If at one time I had 100,000 hairs on my head (just throwing a number out there) then now I might have 40,000 hairs. I cried about it for the longest time, but crying never changed a dang thing. I was on Tamoxifen for 3 and 1/2 years then one day decided to stop taking it, I figured it could be the reason my hair looked so bad and I thought if I weren't on it then possibly my hair would start to grow in thicker. But nope that didn't work at all. Oh well.......I am stuck with the hair I have and I assume it will always look terrible. I know going off the Tamoxifen was a risky decision but so what, I can be on it and still get cancer again, you just never know what tomorrow brings. I wanted to spend the remaining years I have left with a good feeling about myself, it's all about quality of life for me, and not how long I have. so I've come to accept my ugly hair for what it is. It has been over 4 years now for me.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 822
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

My hair came back every bit as thick and curly as it was before chemo, if not more so. It seems a little drier but that could be because I have elected to not color it again, it came in salt and pepper and I like the way it looks. However, "virgin" hair is just naturally a bit different in feeling than hair that's been colored, as least that's what my hair dresser says.

Maria

Valued Contributor
Posts: 822
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

On 10/24/2014 littlemo said: In the past 9 yrs I have been through 4 different courses of chemo (taxotere and gemzar). Each time my hair grew back..never curly

littlemo: I was on the same regimen, taxotere and gemzar. I guess I was one of the lucky ones whose hair grew back as it once was, thick and curly.

Best wishes for your continued recovery.

Maria

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,354
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: after chemo did your hair grow back completely?

Thinner on top and sides, but I had quite a head of hair. I take Biotin, b/c if I don't my hair falls out again. Finished chemo 2 years ago.