What changes can I expect to my hair during my chemotherapy?
While on the course of Chemotherapy treatment, changes are taking place within the body. The main change that I deal with on a regular basis is the possibility of diffuse or total hair loss and, in some cases, the loss of facial and body hair. This drug induced hair loss is classed as temporary and once the treatment has been completed the hair growth usually returns to what it would have been before any treatment.
No one can predict when your hair will start to shed but it is usually after the second or third treatment. This can however vary from patient to patient and hair loss normally starts as a diffuse shedding before progressing to total hair loss. It is important to remember that, once hair starts to shed, it will not be delayed or hastened by the degree of handling of the hair such as by brushing, combing or shampooing, although some patients think that, if they do not handle their hair, it will delay fall out. This type of drug induced hair loss means general thinning all over the scalp and body rather than in patches.
This diffuse hair loss can be upsetting not only for the patient but also for their family and close friends. At this time the patient may be having feelings of mixed emotions, such as anger, panic, fear, while trying to keep things as normal as possible while they are not feeling at their best.
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