Hair loss, or alopecia, is one of the more well known side effects of chemotherapy. Whether or not you lose your hair depends on the type of chemotherapy drug that you are given.
Chemotherapy drugs attack the cancer cells in your body. However this may also affect healthy cells. This can include the cells of hair follicles. This may result in hair loss.
Some chemotherapy drugs cause no loss, or a very small amount of hair loss. Other drugs can cause a temporary loss of hair. This could be partial or a complete loss of hair.
Hair loss also depends on other factors. For example:
- The type of drug, or combination you are taking.
- The dose of drug you are taking.
- Your individual reaction to the drug.
- Your drug treatment in the past.
Ask your doctor about the hair loss you may encounter on the drugs you are being given. If the thought of losing your hair is causing you distress, ask your doctor if there is an alternative drug you can have that could make hair loss less likely. Sometimes, although not in all cases, there is a choice of drug treatments that you can have.
Treating your cancer must be your doctor's first priority. But, if you are having chemotherapy to make you feel better rather than to cure your cancer, then your doctor will want what is best for you. Discuss your options with your doctor.
Hair loss
You could lose other body hair such as hair on your arms and legs, chest hair and pubic hair. In some cases you could lose your eyebrows and eyelashes.
Remember that this is temporary, and after the treatment your hair will grow back.
Hair loss usually starts about 2 -3 weeks after you begin your treatment. However, this can vary.
Some patients can minimise the amount of hair they lose by using a cold cap. This treatment temporarily reduces the amount of blood flow in the scalp, so it limits the amount of drug that reaches your scalp.
However this does not work for everyone and can be uncomfortable to wear. It cannot be used for some types of cancer, (for example, leukaemia) as there is a risk that cancer cells could survive in your scalp. Talk to your doctor if you want to discuss the possibility of using a cold cap.
After your treatment
Hair usually starts growing back about 2-3 weeks after treatment finishes. Only in very rare cases does it not grow back. You may find that it grows back a different colour or texture.
When your hair starts to grow back, your scalp can be very scaly because of dryness. Washing your hair with aqueous cream when your hair is very short will help to moisturise your scalp. You can get aqueous cream from your doctors or from a pharmacy (chemist).
Hair usually grows back very fine at first but many people have a full head of hair after 4 - 6 months. You may find it looks different than it did before your treatment. Talk to your friends and family, or a hairdresser about how to make the most of your hair.