Talk Cancer

Question:

My hair started being wavy and then frizzy and lightly curled about 6 months after the end of chemo.  I was getting used to it and enjoying it.  Had my hair cut differently.  Now, at 13 months, the curl is all gone. I thought if your hair went curly, it stayed curly? Stage II, lumpectomy, no nodes pos in Oct 96, CMF chemo, radiation, hysterectomy (endometrial cancer), Tamoxifen; mets to lungs in April 99, NFL chemo, currently Arimidex.

I had very straight hair all my life, and after chemo it grew in wavy, but now, 10 months later, it seems to be growing in straight again. I did enjoy those waves though! Also dyed it red again just for good cheery measure! Anne

Response:

       My hair started being wavy and then frizzy and lightly curled about 6 months after the end of chemo.  I was getting used to it and enjoying it.  Had my hair cut differently.  Now, at 13 months, the curl is all gone. I thought if your hair went curly, it stayed curly? Hi Dee, I have naturally curly hair. It was down to my *behind* when it all fell out ( Adriamycin), Oct. 97. I finished chemo March 98, and was able to stop wearing wig July 98 (with very short hair). At that time it was straight and at least 50% gray. Now, it is curly again and I only have the little bit of gray I had before the chemo. So I guess, after freaking out from chemo, hair can return to it’s normal state. The crazy part is I have always wanted straight hair. Hope this helps. God Bless and all the luck in the world. ~Pam~

Response:

I thought if your hair went curly, it stayed curly?

God, I hope not.  My hair was black and wavy.  After Cytoxan and Adriamycin, it grew back khaki-colored and kinky.  I hated it.  When I started Taxotere a couple of months ago, I thought, "good, maybe it’ll fall out this time and grow back the way it’s *supposed* to."  "Ha," said God. I buzzed my hair when it felt like it was going to fall out, but it didn’t fall out.  It’s still khaki-colored, and the crew cut is getting long enough that I can see the curl in it.  Damn, damn, damn. — Aloha, Catharine Eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.                                                              –Isaiah 55:2

Response:

Most of the people I’ve talked to said their hair eventually went back to normal.  My wife Deborah used to have straight hair but it’s wavy now and has changed color a bit – she has a little more gray in it but I certainly wouldn’t tell her  :)  Her natural color is dark brown but the first hair that grew back was kind of a mouse brown color and then it changed again to the salt and pepper she has now.  Deborah is 46 and her hair’s been growing back for about six months.

After I had surgery for a brain tumour, involving my head being shaved, I was surprised to find the new wavy-as-before growth coming as dark grey, when it had previously been a rich warm brown. Mary p.s. as the locks fell to the floor my only regret was the