While most chemotherapy drugs cause hair to thin during treatment, there are several that cause hair to fall out completely. However, in almost all cases, the hair loss is only temporary and comes back several weeks after treatment ends.
Why Does Hair Fall Out?
Chemotherapy works by attacking fast-growing cells, which include cancer cells. But the drugs cannot tell the difference between good and bad cells and kill them indiscriminately. Since hair cells are among the fast-growing cells in the body, they are killed off quickly and hair stops growing.
Which Drugs Cause Hair Loss?
While most chemotherapy drugs cause hair to thin, there are several that produce total hair loss. The drugs Cytoxan and Adriamycin, which are often used together to treat breast cancer, cause total hair loss. Taxol, which is used to treat a number of different cancers, also causes total hair loss. If your treatment includes any of these drugs, you can expect to lose your hair.
When Does Hair Fall Out?
About 10 to 14 days after chemotherapy begins, hair begins to fall out and usually disappears within one week. Taxol causes hair to fall out even more rapidly and can also eliminate hair on the arms and legs along with eyelashes. These timelines may vary a few days from person to person, but provide an accurate window.
When Does Hair Grow Back?
The timeline for hair growing back after chemo varies but - on average - hair growth resumes four to six weeks after treatment has ended. In some cases, hair begins to grow back before chemotherapy is even complete as the body begins to adjust to the toxins. But on average, look for hair to start growing back after one month and to grow again at your normal rate of a quarter-inch to a half-inch a month. The hair that returns at first may look different than your normal hair, but most changes are just temporary.
Tips for Dealing with No Hair
Losing your hair can be a shock, especially for women, but it's only temporary and there are ways to deal with it. Some people choose to wear wigs, while others opt for a bandanna or hats to cover up the baldness. In any event, it's advisable to cover your head with something when you're outdoors, since your scalp isn't used to being exposed to the sun and can burn easily. The one thing to remember is that hair loss is a sign your chemotherapy is doing its job and you can rest assured your hair will grow back.
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