topic Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed. in Beauty

Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SouthernBee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:17:59 GMT

My hair has always had an uneven curl pattern with waves,frizz and dry, previously very thick. Now 62, breast cancer survivor and two years off cancer medicine. I still have hair but it is very thin on the top. Colored and damaged. Please share from your experiences the best shampoo and conditioner. I struggle with raising my arms and styling my hair. My goal is to try to make hair healthy and later possibly have a stylist put a body perm in to try and have all over curls : to look better and easier to style. Someone else probably has better suggestions.TIA: Southern Bee

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

Goldenmoher — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:26:21 GMT

@SouthernBee congratulations on being a cancer survivor! I am as well, and have similar hair issues (although my hair wasn't as good as yours pre treatment!). I am in your age group as well. I use Nioxin shampoo and conditioner, it is specifically for thinning hair and does help a little. I am still very thin on the top of my head. I had whole body radiation and chemotherapy as well as a stem cell transplant for leukemia, and it was successful. So although I am not thrilled with my hair, I am thrilled with my life. HTH and continued good health.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

151949 — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:27:48 GMT

I had chemo 32 years ago, when I was 34 years old. My hair has always been very fine and poker straight. It was also about half grey so I was coloring it pre chemo. When my hair came back in it was so thin and fragile I was totally afraid to color or perm or anything else that may traumatize it. Even now , all these years later I am very careful of what I use on my hair and would never consider a perm or dyeing it.My hair is all over pure white and very soft, shiny and healthy.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SilleeMee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:40:07 GMT

I've struggled with hair loss for most of my adult life. Several years ago, when it was first introduced here to the Q, I bought the Hairmax laser comb and then a few years later I bought the I-Grow helmit thing. I have had really good results with both devices. I would recommend them in a heartbeat.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

sapphire 2 — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:41:21 GMT

Southern Bee, how about a short do? (Go to the best stylist you can afford.) Use a little hair thickening gel, fluff it around a bit and see if that will help. Also, some hair looks better when it dries naturally.

Loving thoughts sent to you and Goldenmoher. You are both very special.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SouthernBee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:43:35 GMT

@Goldenmoher: Thank you for your kind words. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. My hair is very thin on top but thick every where else and was afraid to try something to thicken the top: really not sure what to do. Blessings, Southern Bee

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

Trix — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:44:43 GMT

Southern Bee, hugs to you for being a breast cancer survivor. Thank God you are now at a stage in the process where things are feeling normal enough for you to worry about hair. I hope your health continues to improve with each passing day.

I have not battled cancer, but I have dealt with illness for which the medication ravaged my hair. This will have to be your personal choice, but I would not use any type of chemical hair straightener. Even in mild formulations, those products are toxic. I think for now you should focus on using a gentle shampoo and conditioner with minimum styling products. My hair is very curly, but fine, and because I am on a regular medication regimen due to chronic illnesses I try not to inlfict too much on my locs. There are plenty of excellent products on the market, but presently I am extremely pleased with Nick Chavez's Advanced Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. I also love Flocker for keeping it simple with one product for styling and soft hold.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

Ms X — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:46:28 GMT

Ask your doctors about using minoxidil (in the drugstore) or Propecia (by prescription) to get your hair to grow back. I know that minoxidil must be used continuously or the hair falls out again. That's at least the case for genetic pattern baldness. It might not be the case for you.

If your hair is really bothering you and you can't get it to grow back, I would recommend looking into getting a very nice wig or extensions of some kind. It is better than struggling with very thin hair. You can get one made for you that would really stay on your head, or so I've heard.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SilleeMee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:52:31 GMT

@SouthernBee,

I feel your pain about thinning hair. I went bald at one point and none of my docs could tell me why. Most thinning hair problems don't go away on their own and you will continue to lose your hair. I don't want to sound like I'm telling you what to do. But you need to address the root of the problem...literally. Until you do this, your hair will get thinner and thinner.

I wish you the best of luck with getting your hair the way you want it.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SouthernBee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 18:54:56 GMT

@151949: I can relate to what you are saying. My hair has some color and a lot of ugly grey. I have shoulder lenghth hair . DH said no hair cut. Spouse insist that I do something because he is tired of me looking old and bad. I purchased a straight wig and a curly wig. I feel uncomfortable wearing them. They have adjustable tabs but still do not fit that great. Wore wig to a ladies meeting and one lady said: " your hair moves up and down on top". Very embrassed and left. I have not worn wig again or going to any meetings.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

Ms X — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:01:21 GMT

@SouthernBee wrote:
@151949: I can relate to what you are saying. My hair has some color and a lot of ugly grey. I have shoulder lenghth hair . DH said no hair cut. Spouse insist that I do something because he is tired of me looking old and bad. I purchased a straight wig and a curly wig. I feel uncomfortable wearing them. They have adjustable tabs but still do not fit that great. Wore wig to a ladies meeting and one lady said: " your hair moves up and down on top". Very embrassed and left. I have not worn wig again or going to any meetings.
____

Your oncologist's office undoubtedly can refer you to some good sources of wigs/extensions. Look into getting a custom-made wig. You could also bring them to your hairdresser and have them cut to your head.

Six years ago I had a rather ugly attack of alopecia areata with a bunch of bald spots that sprang up on my head within days. I spoke with a woman who said she could make me a wig that would stay on even on the roller coaster. That's how she described it. Within a few months they'd all grown back, but I would have taken her up on that if they hadn't. Luckily, that was the only bad attack I've ever had. It was truly horrible.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SouthernBee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:05:33 GMT

@Trix: Thank you for the kind words and suggestions. I only was my hair: no blow drying or other tools. I really would like to have about three inches cut off. Then as you suggested try special products. Would love to wash and natural dry then use special products to just style using hands to fluff and shape or just shake head and go. Southern Bee

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SilleeMee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:07:54 GMT

@Ms X,

I have had bouts of AA. too. Can I ask you if you have any autoimmune diseases? I do. I have scleroderma and my hair loss is possibly related to that.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

Ms X — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:12:02 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
@Ms X,
I have had bouts of AA. too. Can I ask you if you have any autoimmune diseases? I do. I have scleroderma and my hair loss is possibly related to that.

I have no autoimmune diseases. I've been told by doctors over the years that it's due to stress. Now they say it's autoimmune. I'm not sure whether they have any evidence of this new theory. There was absolutely no evidence that stress caused it, but they'd tell people anyway. I'd tell them it wasn't caused by stress, but, of course, they didn't believe me.

My first appointment with a dermatologist was aggravating. He told me it was alopecia areata (latin for bald spot?) and gave me a steroid liquid to put on it. It was clear to me that they had no idea what caused it and no way to fix it. I've been lucky that I've only had one bad attack. All the rest have been a single bald spot, usually not much bigger than a quarter, that was easy to hide.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SilleeMee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:18:13 GMT

@Ms X,

I'm 61 and for over 35 years I have been told so many different stories from docs and other professionals about my hair loss problem. After a while, I just got tired of hearing it and getting treatments that did not work. I decided to take control of my problem on my own. My best results have been from the lasers.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

151949 — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:21:33 GMT

@SouthernBee wrote:
@151949: I can relate to what you are saying. My hair has some color and a lot of ugly grey. I have shoulder lenghth hair . DH said no hair cut. Spouse insist that I do something because he is tired of me looking old and bad. I purchased a straight wig and a curly wig. I feel uncomfortable wearing them. They have adjustable tabs but still do not fit that great. Wore wig to a ladies meeting and one lady said: " your hair moves up and down on top". Very embrassed and left. I have not worn wig again or going to any meetings.

First of all your husband is being an insensitive jerk!!!!! If I were you I would tell him exactly that!!!! I remember what it was like for me as I was still young (34) and I was only married a year, so getting my skin & hair back to normal was paramount for me. I have to say ever since my BC treatments my skin has never been as nice as it once was, but is back to being OK enough that I can go without MU if I want to. Now back to you and your hair - I can't relate to your thin patch as I never experienced that. My hair came in nice and even, now at age 67 my hair is thinner on the sides than on the top & back and I recently went to a styist who advised me to let her cut the sides out around my ears.I was frustrated with the way the sides would not stay the way I had styled them and the one side was always sorta kinky. Getting the sides cut was the greatest thing - looks very nice. My advice to you is to go and speak to a stylist and ask her advice about what you can / should do then do as she advises. If your DH doesn't like it - HE'LL GET OVER IT ! And actually, if you come home looking pretty and feeling better about yourself he may like the change in you. Incidently - i was told by a stylist that layering makes thin hair look even thinner.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

Ms X — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:22:23 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
@Ms X,
I'm 61 and for over 35 years I have been told so many different stories from docs and other professionals about my hair loss problem. After a while, I just got tired of hearing it and getting treatments that did not work. I decided to take control of my problem on my own. My best results have been from the lasers.

I haven't heard of lasers for bald spots. I thought they destroyed hair follicles. The only time I really had a problem, I was told I could have injections into my scalp if it didn't grow back. My bald spots generally grow back in three to five months. The bad attack started in late May six years ago and by the end of August/September the spots were all grown in.

For me, they seem to need time to fix themselves, and nothing else really helps, though I've put the steroid liquid on it and the minoxidil. Has that not been your experience?

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SouthernBee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:22:33 GMT

@SilleeMee: Funny that you mentioned the comb and helmet thing. Before my hair issues: DH is bald on top and he tried to get me to purchase them. He has tried everything. I read the reviews on the products and they were very mixed. He will be 61 in September and will consider them for his gifts. I no longer see the cancer doctor. I have asked my primary care doctor about other products and he laughs at me. I no longer have thick lashes just little pieces. One brow is very thin. Only have 1/2 brow on other side. I do not wear make up. I purchased a brow liner from Vermont Country Store. It is expensive but works and looks natural. Rude people would comment about the 1/2: brow: I replied it goes with the one boob , but Praise God: I am alive and I limp but can walk with cane. I was a premature baby with Cerebral palsy but truly Blessed. Southern Bee

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SilleeMee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:29:08 GMT

Oh @SouthernBee, God bless you! You sound like such a nice person. You have gone through a lot and you have a great attitude.

Just so you don't feel alone...I lost one of my brows, too! It was years ago and has grown back since. But I had to paint my brow back on my face. I couldn't let anyone see me that way...LOL! My derm was shocked how good of an artist I was..LOL! He was in disbelief when I told him my brow was faked.

Re: Hair issues : Suggestions / help needed.

SilleeMee — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 19:38:50 GMT

@Ms X wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
@Ms X,
I'm 61 and for over 35 years I have been told so many different stories from docs and other professionals about my hair loss problem. After a while, I just got tired of hearing it and getting treatments that did not work. I decided to take control of my problem on my own. My best results have been from the lasers.
I haven't heard of lasers for bald spots. I thought they destroyed hair follicles. The only time I really had a problem, I was told I could have injections into my scalp if it didn't grow back. My bald spots generally grow back in three to five months. The bad attack started in late May six years ago and by the end of August/September the spots were all grown in.

For me, they seem to need time to fix themselves, and nothing else really helps, though I've put the steroid liquid on it and the minoxidil. Has that not been your experience?

@Ms X,

My AA has not been bothering me since my hair grew back from a completely bald head. Since then my hair has never been "normal"...it's thinner than it used to be before all this AA and balding started. Treatments with Minoxidil and needles to the scalp with lactic acid or steroids never worked for me. I'v been using the lasers for around three years(?). I truly believe I would be bald if I don't use them.