Hair Loss From Cancer Treatment

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

Why might people lose their hair from cancer treatment? " пїЅ Hair loss can be a side effect of a cancer treatment called chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the term doctors use to describe a group of medicines that kill cancer cells. пїЅ пїЅ

Not everyone who gets chemotherapy will lose their hair. Your doctor will tell you how likely you are to lose your hair. It will depend on: пїЅ пїЅ

The chemotherapy medicines you get
Your dose and how the medicines are given

When people lose their hair, it usually starts to fall out 2 to 3 weeks after chemotherapy starts. It can also fall out after a few chemotherapy sessions. Some people lose their hair a little at a time, and others lose it in clumps. Some people lose all of their hair, while others don 't. It usually doesnt hurt when the hair falls out. Most often, people lose hair from their head. But they can also lose hair from their armpits, beard area, eyebrows, and genital area. пїЅ пїЅ

Another cancer treatment, called radiation therapy, can also cause hair loss. Not everyone who gets radiation therapy will lose their hair. It will depend on: пїЅ пїЅ

The part of the body involved " пїЅ People can lose hair on the part of the body that is treated with radiation.
The dose of radiation and how the radiation is given

Will my hair grow back? " пїЅ After chemotherapy, yes. After all of your chemotherapy treatments are done, your hair will grow back (except in very rare cases). But your hair might look or feel different than it did before, especially at first. For example, it might be curlier or grayer. It can take 6 to 12 months for hair to grow back completely. пїЅ пїЅ

After radiation therapy, hair does not always grow back completely. If it does grow back, it can look or feel different than it did before. пїЅ пїЅ

Can hair loss be prevented? " пїЅ In most cases, no. You might read or hear about special "cold " пїЅ caps to wear that can prevent hair loss during cancer treatment. The use of these caps is controversial. They don't always work, and some people worry that they might be unsafe to use with certain cancers because they prevent the chemotherapy from getting to the skin of the scalp. If you want to use a cold cap, ask your doctor about it. пїЅ пїЅ

What can I do to manage my hair loss? " пїЅ If you are likely to lose your hair, talk with your doctor or nurse. He or she can tell you what to expect and help you prepare for it. пїЅ пїЅ

To help take care of your hair and scalp before you lose your hair, you can: пїЅ пїЅ

Use a mild shampoo, pat your hair dry (do not rub it), and use a soft brush
Avoid using curling irons, hair dryers, rollers, hair bands, or hair clips
Avoid putting hair spray, dyes, or chemicals in your hair

Some people choose to: пїЅ пїЅ

Cut their hair short or shave their head, either before their hair falls out or when it starts to fall out
Buy a wig, hairpiece, scarf, hat, wrap, or other head covering to use after their hair falls out. The American Cancer Society has a Web site with all of these products (www.tlcdirect.org). Many people get a wig or hairpiece before they lose their hair. This makes it easier to match the natural hair to the wig or hairpiece. Most health insurances pay for wigs and hairpieces for hair loss from cancer treatment. But if your insurance doesn 't, or pays only for some of it, you can deduct your wig or hairpiece as a medical cost on your taxes. You can also check if the local American Cancer Society offers free wigs.

After your hair falls out, wearing a wig, hairpiece, hat, scarf, wrap, or other head covering might help you feel better about the way you look. Whichever covering you choose, make sure that it fits well and does not hurt your scalp. пїЅ пїЅ

You also need to take care of your scalp after your hair falls out. To keep your scalp from getting hurt or sunburned, you can: пїЅ пїЅ

Cover your head when you go outside. Covering your head can also help you stay warm.
Put sun block on your scalp when you are out in the sun.
Sleep on a satin pillow case.

What can I do to take care of my hair as it grows back in? " пїЅ To take care of your hair as it grows back in, you can: пїЅ пїЅ

Wash it no more than 2 times a week.
Gently rub your scalp to get rid of any dry skin.
Be gentle when you style your hair. Try not to blow dry it too much or brush it too hard.
Avoid putting any chemicals or dyes in it.

What if I feel sad, angry, or worried about losing my hair? " пїЅ These feelings are normal. For many people, losing their hair is 1 of the worst side effects of cancer treatment. пїЅ пїЅ

You might feel better if you talk to someone about your feelings. You can talk to your doctor, nurse, a family member, or a mental health professional. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 16319 Version 3.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

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Hair Loss From Cancer Treatment

The Basics

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

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