Dealing With Hair Loss From Chemo
Chemotherapy, usually used to treat cancer, can lead to hair loss. Radiation, another common cancer treatment, can also lead to hair thinning.
Hair loss can be quite traumatic for cancer patients, as hair is a very noticeable part of our appearance. Hair loss is often a very obvious symbol to the world that someone has cancer.
People Who Lose Hair From Cancer Treatments Often Experience Feelings of Sadness and Depression
Believe it or not, after finding out they have cancer, many people initially express more concern over hair loss than they do about their health. There is something about the prospect of losing your hair due to cancer treatment that causes many patients to feel depressed, anxious, self-conscious, and sad.
Why?
For some cancer patients, hair loss shows the world they are sick, which can make them feel worse about their condition. They might not want people to see them as “a cancer patient.”
For others, their hair might have been something that gave them confidence or a feeling of good health. For example, many women, especially those who have always had long hair, might find hair loss from cancer treatment especially traumatic.
Sometimes the level of sadness that someone feels about losing their hair can be related to how hair falls out. Depending on your chemotherapy treatment, hair loss might occur immediately after you start or a few weeks later. Hair loss can occur gradually or what feels like overnight. If you ask several people getting cancer treatment which way is less upsetting, you will probably get different answers.
Hair loss might not be limited to your scalp. Chemotherapy and radiation treatment can also cause the loss of other body hair, including pubic hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. This type of hair loss can cause an even deeper level of self-consciousness and depression.
Coping With Hair Loss When You Have Cancer
Despite the difficulty facing hair loss when you have cancer, some things can help you cope with the loss of your natural hair. Try to remember some of the following:
Don’t assume you will experience permanent hair loss.
Some cancer patients take comfort in the fact that hair loss is usually temporary, and they can begin to see new hair growth soon after the end of their treatment cycle.
Don’t assume your hair loss will be total.
Others find relief when they realize they might not experience complete hair loss. These patients might be very happy to have thin hair instead of no hair.
Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss.
Speak to your doctor or another member of your health care team about what to expect regarding hair loss. The more you know, the more prepared you can be. Ask if you will lose all your hair or some of your hair. Find out how soon after you start treatment you can expect to begin losing your hair.
There might be ways to reduce the trauma of hair loss.
Sometimes, feeling like you have control can help you cope with hair loss. For example, some people take steps to minimize the anxiety of hair loss by cutting their hair short (or shaving their heads) before starting treatment.
Others make sure they stock up on gentle hair products like a soft baby brush, wide-toothed comb, and mild shampoo so they can protect their remaining hair.
Inquire about methods of minimizing hair loss.
Chemo works by attacking and killing cancer cells and healthy cells. The cells in hair follicles are particularly attractive to chemotherapy, which is why hair loss occurs during cancer treatment.
Some research shows scalp-cooling might reduce some of the hair loss caused by chemotherapy drugs. Cooling the scalp can make chemotherapy less likely to attack the follicles. Some doctors, however, feel that it might also make the chemotherapy less effective. Discuss scalp cooling with your cancer care team before making any decisions.
Consider head coverings.
Part of managing hair loss might include looking for ways to cover it up. You can do this with beautiful, colorful, cool scarves, hats, and wigs. You can even stock up in advance of your treatments, so you are ready when your hair starts to thin.
For example, women facing breast cancer might have a wig designed that closely matches their natural hair in color, style, and texture. This way, when their hair begins to fall out, they can make a seamless transition to their wig without any stress.
Get support.
Hair loss, as hard as it can be to manage, is only one of the many complex issues facing people who receive a cancer diagnosis.
Cancer patients often benefit from joining a support group. Speaking to other people about coping with hair loss, cancer treatments, and changes in their lives can be very comforting and helpful.
Call Riviera Hair Replacement For Help Coping With Hair Loss
If you have concerns about hair loss from cancer treatment, call Riviera Hair Replacement for a free consultation.
Our hair replacement specialists work with all types of cancer patients – people with breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and more. We can create looks that closely resemble your natural hair or give you the hair you have always wanted.
Let us design and create a full wig or hair integration system that helps you look and feel like your very best self when you are facing cancer treatment.
Call Riviera Hair Replacement at 516-364-0110 today to schedule your free consultation. You will be glad you did.
