COMPLETE Guide For Chemotherapy Effects and It's Treatment

Hair Loss with Chemotherapy

One of the major side effects of chemotherapy is loss of hair. Though this is one of the temporary side effects in any type of cancer treatment, the experience is distressing as it invariably makes you lose your self-confidence. Hair loss is the most instant reaction to chemotherapy as the chemotherapy drugs are known to attack the fast growing cells in the body irrespective of which part of the body like the hair follicle, lining of the stomach and the mouth which are very sensitive to the chemotherapy drugs as these cells are known to multiply rather quickly. But then these side effects are all temporary and disappear after the completion of the treatment cycle.

Hair loss occurs only when certain chemotherapy drugs are administered though thinning of the hair is seen which might or might not lead to total hair loss. Hair loss is seen within a few days after the onset of the treatment cycle and this can go on for a few weeks. The hairs are known to grow back after the completion of treatment cycle and the texture and the color of the hair may not be same as before.

You can make use of wigs when getting treated for cancer as this will prevent the prominence of the baldness and help you maintain your self-esteem without feeling distressed and let down. As wigs are available in different shades, sizes and styles you can always get the one that best suits your face or you can use synthetic hair wig or human hair wig and there are combination of these two also.

You can also make use of caps as this will help keep your otherwise bald scalp cool and helps restrict the circulation of blood during the treatment cycle. This way you not only protect your scalp but also prevent the chemotherapy drugs to reach and affect your hair follicles. These cold caps are available in hospitals and varies from hospital to hospital. All you need to do is to wear this cap at least 15 minutes prior to the treatment as this will restrict the flow of blood to the hair follicles and should be worn for at least a couple of hours after the administration of the chemotherapy drugs.

You need to seek medical advice before you decide to wear this cool cap as your body may not be tolerant to it, apart from this the cool cap is not suitable for all chemotherapy drugs and the effect of the drug on the hair follicle depends upon person to person.

Self-help tips :

You can cut short your hair to prevent embarrassment due to hair loss. Avoid using shampoos and other hair dyes etc. when undergoing treatment as this leads to dry and itchy scalp. Avoid coloring, perming and straightening your hairs for at least six months after the completion of the treatment cycle.

Moisturize your hair regularly by gently massaging your hair, use soft bristle hair brush to prevent scalp irritation. Allow the hairs to dry naturally and never sleep with hair rollers on. Avoid use of deodorants in case of hair loss in your underarms. Micro pigmentation helps correct the loss of eyebrow hairs.