Hi Cheryl,
Everyone told me to shave mine but I wasn't comfortable with that so I went with what I felt and I never shaved it, it was down to my waist so when it got straggly I kept it under a kerchief (tried the wig and didn't like it) and then cut the bits off that needed it. I felt more in control that way but for some people shaving it is what helps them. I think you should just go with your gut feeling and realize it does grow back although mine came back with some curls and a darker blonde but it's cool. :)

As soon as I heard I was going to lose my hair I cut it real short. Just so when it started falling it wouldn't be so dramatic. But now my hands are covered in hair in the shower. Wet hair makes me gag lol. But I have real thick hair so I could afford to lose some hair. But I don't want to look like a soccer ball with patches missing. So I'm kind of torn on what to do.

Mine was really thick too and unlike what I had seen in all the tv and movies it didn't fall out in patches here and there. I know some people's does but mine just looked like it had started thinning although it was coming out big time. I tried to be positive with it since there is more than enough to be serious about with this whole crap fest...when it was hot I wasn't bothered with all that hair and best of all, no need to shave my legs! Okay, so it doesn't really help much but I tried to think the best thoughts I could...and I did like not having to shave. :P When mine first came out in my hands I gasped for a second then told myself to buck up and get a hold of myself and pretty much rolled with the punches hair-wise from then on. Have you thought of the wig? Some people don't mind them at all, just wasn't my cup of tea so I went out and bought a huge variety of scarves and when chemo was over I burned them all. lol

When my hair started to fall out I went and got it all shaved off and ordered a nice wig. I had hopless hair to start with though. I think I looked better without hair, and the wig was a nice change of colour and style. I enjoyed playing around with scarves and hats and had people constantley looking for nice turbans (they are in fashion). I enjoyed the change and not having to buy hair products. It's summer were you live so I think if you go the shaving way you should stick to colourful scarves, it can get hot wearing a wig in summer. Concentrate on your makeup instead. If you get shaved do not get it done close to the scalp because you could get a nick and that could become infected and wear sunscreen on your head as well. Good luck with your treatment.

Hi Cheryl,
Yes, some of my friends said they just shaved it off at this point, but I also went the slow and painful way! The shower is the worst. Gosh, some mornings it looked like a small animal in the drain!! Just keep telling yourself it's only temporary. I could go without my wig 5 months after chemo ended, and it came back so thick and curly I can't believe it. Good luck with your treatments!
Cheryl

I had almost shoulder-length hair that I got cut before surgery so I wouldn't have long, scraggly hair during recuperation. When it started to fall, it didn't just fall in the shower, strands were all over my back. I had it shaved -- and actually got compliments! One lady said she wished she could get the courage to cut hers all off - so easy to take care of! (And that is one benefit - when you aren't feeling that great from chemo, at least you don't have to worry about styling your hair).My hair has come and gone several times. Each time it grows back differently.

But, I agree, you should do whatever feels right for you. I generally used scarves, but did have a wig. I found it was hot and itchy on my bare scalp, so I cut a piece from my hubby's old cotton T shirt and tacked it inside the wig. It made it much more comfortable, and I didn't have to wear the wig liner.

I adjusted well to no hair on the head, but was really freaked out when the pubic hair went. Not shaving the legs was great, though!

I hope that you do well with the chemo and have a new, full head of hair as soon as possible!

I keep going back and forth on what I want to do with my hair. I'm fine with it falling out if its dry but when its wet, that's a different story, as I said earlier. I have a half wig that i will wear with a hat. I have many hats and my mom is making me those scarves to wear.

How different has your hair come in differently? And did it say that way or did it go back to the way it was?

As far as the wet hair thing, I always kept mine up in a clip, yours is short though you said, maybe cover it some way unless you are washing it. Mine was a really light blonde, long and very thick and stick straight. Now, if it's short it is curly, I wear it long again so it is still thick but not as thick as before but hangs with some wave except for a few tendrils here and there that have decided to keep what I refer to as my "chemo curls", kind of like those corkscrew curls women sometimes get permed in. I have cut the little suckers off but they come back the same. The colour is about 2 shades darker with a hint of red and it stays the same, and I'm told will never go back to the original way it was unless maybe after chemo should I have it again but I'm not. I do hate the little curls but not in a horrible way. There are a lot of other changes that affected me far more so these little things don't add up to much. Look at it as getting a whole new look that most women would have to pay for...and it may not even change for you. It doesn't always happen. My hubby actually says he likes it better this way but I told him it doesn't count since he knows I'd kick his butt for sayiing different anyway. lol I see you're feeling sick, hang in there! Lots of hugs and drink Gatorade and popsicles.

I'm so curious to what mine will come in like. The joke is that I will have tight curls like my niece who is 19 months. But anything is possible.

I have a cold or something. Stuffy/runny nose, cough, and sore throat. My doc said I need to keep an eye on my temp. And if it gets to 100.5 I have to go to the ER. I'm hoping it stays down.

Mine was a dirty blonde streaked with gray/white. It first came in as a medium/dark gray with some curls. Then, that changed to a lighter, pretty gray that was straight. I buzzed that when I started another batch of chemo. I didn't get Taxol that time, so I had thinning rather than losing it. As it filled out again, it's now the strawberry blonde I had as a child mixed with gray/white. I'm keeping it very short. People keep telling me it looks good. They may just be being nice, but I like it and it's so easy to take care of.

I hope you feel better. Remember - keep hand sanitizer with you and use it often. I also had people wash their hands when they came into my house. If anyone else is sick, be sure to sanitize the TV remote, phones, door handles, etc. A couple of minutes prevention really helps.

lol Sounds like me, I have family with red hair and curls, both of which I hated and here I am with a tinge of both and the world hasn't ended. People keep complimenting me on mine too but I figure what else will they say? Who tells someone who lost hair through chemo that "heck your hair is awful now!" lol
Keep a good eye on the fever. I was pretty lucky in that I didn't get too many bugs while doing treatments and didn't have bad issues with them when I did get a cold or something. I did bruise and bleed really easily but I think that's the morphine.

I'm like you Ani33, a lot of my family has red hair. I was born with sunshine blonde hair and as I got older my hair got darker. So I wonder what my chances are getting red hair when mine comes back in lol

I'm rarely ever sick, but I haven't had my immune system this low before. I've been washing my hands like crazy and wiping off the door knobs, phones, ect. with chlorox wipes. I just hope being sick doesn't make me miss my next chemo, which is Thursday.

Yes, never wanted to miss a chemo treatment because I wanted it over as soon as possible and luckily never did even though I came close. M immune system was pretty good from building up resistance from teaching so maybe that helped and luckily it being summer there are a few less colds. I'm thinking of you. Where I am there really isn't much support if you're younger with this disease and I was never much for support groups although I did try some. I quite like this set up as I'm shy and can talk about my fears and anger without feeling judged.