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Losing Your Hair During Chemotherapy

Once diagnosed with cancer, patients will be asked to consider several treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy. It is common for the drugs used in chemotherapy to cause hair loss in both men and women. Although the process is a natural and temporary side effect, it can be emotional, messy and difficult to accept.

  1. Areas Effected

    • Losing hair from the scalp is common with chemotherapy treatments. Thinning and hair loss can also be seen in the eyebrows and eyelashes, and on the arms, legs and pubic region. Damage occurs to the hair follicles during chemotherapy treatments, causing the hair to weaken and fall out.

    Time Frame

    • Thinning and lack of body in your hair can start as soon as a few days after the first chemotherapy treatment. The scalp may feel sensitive to brushing and washing. Within two weeks of the first treatment, hair loss will occur. One to two months into chemotherapy treatments, the hair loss should be complete. Hair will begin to grow back as soon as treatments are over.

    Preparing

    • Shaving and trimming hair from the scalp helps chemotherapy patients get used to a short hairstyle before chemotherapy begins. A quick haircut is easier to accept than weeks of thinning and patchy hair. With a short cut, you can also experiment with a wig, hats and scarves, so you will be used to wearing a head covering, and more comfortable with it when it's needed.

    Emotional Ties

    • Women often have emotional ties with their hair. Feelings of femininity, sex appeal and age are all expressed in a woman's hairstyle. The thought of losing something that represents those pieces of their personality can be difficult. Positive thinking can help with this transition. Many women choose to think of wearing a wig as a new beginning, and the opportunity to try a new style, color or length on a temporary basis.

    Head Coverings

    • Choosing a head covering is a personal decision that should reflect the cancer patient's personality. Wearing a baseball cap is common for men, while women often opt for a wig or stylish head wrap or hat. Wigs should be purchased before the loss of hair, so color, style and length can be matched. Professional wig shops can measure your head to determine the correct size of wig. Contact your insurance coverage, as some will pay for the expense of a wig due to cancer treatments.

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