Your doctor can tell you about the possibility that a particular type of chemotherapy may cause hair loss. This allows you to plan for head coverings or treatments to reduce hair loss. Read the following article to find out the answer to the famous question: will hair grow back after chemo.
Hair loss is one of the most annoying side effects of chemotherapy for cancer patients, especially women. Here is the most important information about hair growth after chemotherapy.
Why does hair fall out during chemotherapy?:
Chemotherapy drugs are powerful drugs that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also attack other rapidly growing cells in your body, including those at the roots of your hair.
Chemotherapy may cause hair loss from all over the body, not just the scalp. Sometimes eyelashes, eyebrows, armpit hair, pubic hair, and other body hairs fall out. Also, some chemotherapy drugs are more likely than others to cause hair loss. and different doses of drugs can cause hair loss to a degree ranging from a slight reduction in hair density to complete baldness.
When does hair start to fall out during chemotherapy?
Hair usually begins to fall out within two to four weeks after starting the treatment period.
You’ll likely notice a buildup of hair falling out on your pillow, in a hairbrush or comb, or the sink or bathtub drain. You may feel sore on the scalp.
Your hair loss will continue during the treatment period and may continue for a few weeks afterward.
will hair grow back after chemo:
Chemotherapy affects hair follicles in all parts of the body and leads to hair loss on the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and various parts of the body.
Hair loss begins within two to four weeks of starting chemotherapy and worsens to complete baldness within one to two months of starting chemotherapy.
Depending on the type of chemotherapy, the hair loss is gradual or may fall out as a single lump, so that the patient notices the hair falling on the sleeping pillow or when combing the hair or showering.
As for hair growth after chemotherapy, of course, it will not grow directly after the end of the last session of chemotherapy, but rather it needs weeks to months to start growing again.
When does hair grow back after chemotherapy?
According to doctors, hair begins to grow according to the following stages:
– In the first three weeks: thinning and weak hair began to appear.
– From one to two months: the hair begins to grow more and thicker.
– From two to three months: The hair covers approximately 2.5 to 3 centimeters of the scalp.
– Within six months: hair covers almost all of the scalp, and baldness spots are gone.
– During the first year: the hair becomes a suitable length for styling again.
According to experts, it takes two to three years for the hair to return to its natural state, with some symptoms such as gray hair, its color becomes a degree lighter as well, and so on.
Is it possible to prevent hair from falling out during chemotherapy?
No treatment can guarantee that your hair will not fall out during or after chemotherapy.
The best way for you to deal with impending hair loss is to plan and focus on accepting your appearance before, during, and after cancer treatment.
Taking care of hair during the treatment period: what should I do? :
1.Continue to follow your hair-care strategies during chemotherapy. Use a soft brush. Wash your hair only when necessary. Consider using a gentle shampoo.
2. If your head will be exposed to the sun or cold air, protect it by applying sunscreen or by wearing a headscarf. Your scalp may be sensitive as a result of your treatment, so cold or extreme heat from the sun can easily irritate it.
3. When you have no hair or if you have little hair, you can feel cold, so wear a headscarf, as you may feel more comfortable.
Tips to help speed up hair growth after chemotherapy :
1. Follow a diet rich in vitamins and minerals: Foods rich in vitamins important for hair can be eaten or taken in pill form.
2. Eat more protein than before: We find protein in meat, fish, eggs, legumes, and others.
3. Use of oils: You can apply some oils to the scalp to accelerate hair growth after chemotherapy, with the aim of increasing its strength and density.
