A small number of women choose not to cover their heads at all.
Wigs can be itchy and scratchy, not to mention hot in warm climates.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to be a blonde or maybe a redhead.
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Choosing head coverings is not something to do alone.
Less talked about are the emotions and feelings that can arise when virgin hair begins to surface.
At first, a fuzz similar to duck down can be seen and felt on a womans head.
Often hair comes in a different color, thicker, wavy, and evencurly.
If you opt for shorter styles, you may notice this within a year.
If you grow your hair longer, you may still have “chemo curls” for several years.
For most women, their new hair is proof positive that hair does grow back.
Having hair again makes women feel attractive to themselves and confident that they are attractive to others.
When treatment is finished women are excited, but frequently experience a letdown.
After being monitored so closely by healthcare professionals, it can be very disconcerting when visits are less frequent.
Thoughts of the future also enter more clearly, as less energy is invested in dealing with day-to-day treatment.
The fear of recurrence no matter the stage is fairly universal.
Sometimes these fears and concerns are expressed as being hair related.
Brushing and Drying
It is best to avoid strenuous or harsh brushing.
If you use a hair dryer at all, use a low heat setting.
When to Trim and Cut
New hair may be improved through regular cutting by removing the ends.
It is important not to stress the hair by putting hair in tight, rolled-up styles.
Some women ask about hair extensions and weaving to add volume and length to new hair.
It’s time to celebrate the end of chemotherapy and the new, beautiful you!
Celebrating survivorship and enjoying the new you goes beyond your hair.
Northwestern Medicine.Why does your hair grow back differently after chemotherapy?
Saed S, Ibrahim O, Bergfeld WF.Hair camouflage: a comprehensive review.Int J Womens Dermatol.
2017;3(1 Suppl):S75S80.
2017;26(4):438-443. doi:10.1002/pon.4039
National Cancer Institute.Hair loss (alopecia) and cancer treatment.
