Probably the most perturbing side effect of chemotherapy is complete hair loss or Alopecia. Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment which affects all cells of the body including hair follicles which causes thinning and falling of hairs. Once the treatment is over the hair follicles repair themselves and normal hairs grow back.
Hair loss usually starts from second week of first chemotherapy cycle. If dosage is less, it is also observed that hair loss happens only in second cycle of chemotherapy. Hairs may shed slowly or they may come out in clumps; some patients go completely bald within three to four weeks of chemotherapy treatment. Hair loss due to chemotherapy is not limited to hairs on scalp, but all hairs of body including eyelashes, eyebrows and pubic hairs shed off temporarily.
Hairs start re-growing within 4-6 months after therapy is over. It is also observed in many cases that new hairs are bit different in texture and color when compared with ‘old’ hairs. Within few months complete hairs on all parts of body are recovered.
Presently, there is no way available to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy. All attempts from scientists to stop hair loss have failed miserably till date. But patients can consider several other available options for dealing with this temporary hair loss problem.
Many people prefer to shave their heads once the hair fall begins. Insurance companies pay you to purchase wigs before chemotherapy, try to get a wig which best matches your original hair. Wearing latest style caps or scarves also can hide bald heads while giving you better looks.