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do you

by msmagic42, Nov 30, 2008 08:58AM
do you lose your hair when you do th enterferon treatments
Member Comments (36)

by Bill1954, Nov 30, 2008 09:51AM
To: Msmagic
Unfortunately, some of us do lose some hair volume; it doesn’t all fall out as it does in some cancer chemos; but it can thin out. Generally, it’s something that the patient notices more than say, the general public. It can affect *all* areas of skin to some degree; dryness, rashes and itching, but not all of us. It seems to depend on the person. If it bothers you, a scarf can help; or maybe a ‘hoodie’ in the winter. Better to have thin hair than liver damage, eh?

Bill

by skersj, Nov 30, 2008 10:04AM
To: msmagic42
Welcome msmagic42.

I am sure you will find the friends, information and support you are looking for here. This site has been a great source of information for me.  I read this forum for a  few weeks before I participated. I wonder if the people who regularly answer the posts here realize how much they help others. I am sure there are people like me that read and absorb silently.
I think it is different for everyone and depends on your hair type. I have normal thickness mostly straight hair. I will take my 14th shot today and for the last 2 weeks or so I have hair loss when washing or combing my hair. (Finding enough on my shirts to do a hair check before entering kitchen to prepare food) I use a wide tooth comb and am very gentle when combing. I understand Nioxin shampoo will help but I haven't tried it yet. So far, my hair loss in not noticible to anyone other than myself.

by sunshine585, Nov 30, 2008 11:37AM
To: msmagic
I just finished treatment, and I would estimate that I lost just over 1/3 of my hair. No one else notices, as it is a gradual thinning all over.  My hair is also extremly dry from the meds. I admit, seeing the first few handfuls of hair was upsetting, initially, but it doesn't look bad. I asked my hairdresser about Nioxin, when I started tx. He said it does nothing for hairloss. Overall, it didn't bother me that much. I know it'll grow back.

by meakea, Nov 30, 2008 12:34PM
To: msmagic
I took shot No. 13 this past Friday and I have noticed just a bit of thinning at the hairline on the side peaks of the forehead (but no one else can tell).  When I started treatment, I decided to use organic hair products to give my skin a break from all the unnecessary chemicals and I also made a choice to not color my hair while on treatment.  My hair has not dried out at all yet and I'm hoping it's the organic shampoos/conditioner that is helping.

by Fl_Gator, Nov 30, 2008 01:04PM
To: ms m
That was one of my first questions also...I thought about getting my hair cut when I started and maybe I should have as I usually donated it to locks of love but like sunshine I have lost only about 1/3 of my hair and no one can tell but me....well maybe my family as we have pulled a couple of cats out of the shower drain recenty.

I did have thick hair to start with though

good luck...

by sunshine585, Nov 30, 2008 01:06PM
To: Gator
I'm familiar with the cats in the shower drain, lol.

by epiphiny, Nov 30, 2008 01:25PM
To: ms m
My hair has really changed since being on tx.  It has definitely thinned significantly, as well as becoming dry and brittle.  It also itches my scalp like crazy.  I have had quite a bit of the length cut off to try and help with the wispy dry ends with limited success.  I trim and then three weeks later I need to trim again.  I'm currently still trying to find a solution but so far the best thing I've found is scarves and bandannas to keep it away from my face.

I am investigating scalp treatments at the moment as one of the more irritating and uncomfortable sides for me has been dry and itchy skin and I moisturise all the different parts of me, face, hands, body, soles of feet (very itchy!).  It occurred to me that I should really be thinking about doing the same for my scalp!  Up until I had been focusing any treatments on the hair itself, but of course hair already dead so anything I do to the strands will be cosmetic only.  Makes sense really, doesn't it?

Anyway, this weekend I trialled some Nioxin and it does appear to make the hair seem fuller.  I found a starter pack which has their basic 3 step system for about $40 instead of $90.  It includes a leave in scalp treatment but for some reason forgot to use it.  Fog!!  I will let you know how I get on, it's a process of trial and error and boy, oh boy, the hair product industry sure is a rip-off!

On another note regarding hair I have noticed a few other oddities; hair on the rest of my body has also changed.  I have absolutely NO underarm hair, my pubic hair is thinning and not growing back and I barely need to shave my legs!  BUT my eyebrows have grown wild and bushy!

Crazy times!

All the best

Epi :)

PS:  I would advise avoiding chemical processes on the hair during TX as it seems to hasten the shedding process.

by epiphiny, Nov 30, 2008 01:31PM
To: ms m
Btw, I always quote in NZ dollars so when converted to US dollars the prices would be significantly lower by about 40% or so.

by kitkat14, Nov 30, 2008 01:48PM
To: epi
I noticed the same things: no underarm or leg hair.  I wasn't sure that it wasn't just me.  My hair is thinning at week 28, but I've also got the benefit of the "llama lashes" (longer eyelashes) side effect.  

by Rockerforlife, Nov 30, 2008 03:46PM
It seems like females are losing their hair more than males while on tx drugs....an i correct in saying this?

by skersj, Nov 30, 2008 03:57PM
To: kitkat14, epi
LOL I just noticed today my "llama lashes"!

by Fl_Gator, Nov 30, 2008 03:58PM
To: Rocker
I think that females worry about it more than males...maybe we cry about it more...

by sunshine585, Nov 30, 2008 04:08PM
I should speak to Roche, I didn't get llama lashes and I still had to shave my legs

by R Glass, Nov 30, 2008 05:40PM
To: Rocker
Rocker, I think it is because most men wear their hair cut shorter than most women. My hair was about 10-11 inches long. Somewhere around week 14 it started falling out in patches. Actually clogging the drain when I showered. I had to cut it short.

by Rockerforlife, Nov 30, 2008 05:54PM
I keep my hair 3/64 of an inche long....i like the five oclock shadow look...my clippers can be set at different cutting lengths....speaking of hair....i just got me one of those electic rotary shavers by philips....these machines are addictive.....now i love to shave....no rash or razor burn