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Why Do People Lose Their Hair During Chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy refers to over 100 different drug agents used to treat cancer. Chemotherapy may be administered orally, in cream form, by injection into the tumor, through an IV in the veins, or through an infusion directly into the bladder, abdomen or central nervous system. Although there are many different types of chemotherapy, they are designed to interfere with cell reproduction. This property is what makes chemotherapy good at fighting cancer, but it is also what causes hair loss and other side effects associated with chemotherapy.

  1. The Cell Cycle

    • Understanding the effect of chemotherapy on hair follicles requires an understanding of cell reproduction. Each cell in the body serves its own specific function, as determined by its DNA. When a cell reproduces, it makes a copy of itself, and then splits into two.

    Chemotherapy & Cell Reproduction

    • Certain cells reproduce and die frequently. If the reproduction of those cells is interrupted or interfered with, then when the cell dies, there is no other cell that replaces it to serve its function. Chemotherapy interrupts one of the stages of cell reproduction, preventing the cell from reproducing properly. Since cancer cells reproduce frequently, this reduces the number of cancer cells.

    Chemotherapy and Hair Follicles

    • Hair follicle cells also reproduce frequently. Chemotherapy can't tell the difference between the cancer cells and the hair follicle cells, so the hair follicle cells are unable to reproduce. The patient thus ends up with too few hair follicle cells, and her hair begins to fall out.

    When Will the Hair Loss Occur?

    • Hair loss usually begins within two weeks of starting chemotherapy treatment. Many patients state that they feel a tingling or soreness in their scalp. Some chemotherapy causes all of the hair to fall out, and this usually takes between three and seven days after the hair initially begins to shed. Hair loss is not permanent. When the chemotherapy stops interrupting the cell reproduction cycles, hair cells will begin to regenerate and hair will grow back.

    How to Manage Hair Loss

    • There is no way to manage or diminish the hair loss. It can't be stopped. Attempts to stop it, using ice or otherwise, may diminish the effectiveness of chemotherapy because the chemotherapy drug may not be able to kill cancer cells near the head.

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