Different drugs cause varying degrees of hair loss, the degree of hair loss also depends on the individual's tolerance of drugs used. Some people may lose their hair while others can not.
People who undergo chemotherapy lose their hair to begin within 10 to 14 days of starting treatment. The hair may fall slowly or in groups. A tingling sensation or dull pain can be experienced when the shedding of hair begins. The most likely evidence of hair loss is increasing the number of hair left on the pillow or hairbrush.
The hair loss in general, continues throughout the course of treatment and may continue until one month after treatment has stopped. The degree of hair loss depends on the type of treatment, generally speaking, people who undergo chemotherapy will lose about 50% of his hair before the thinning becomes obvious to others.
chemotherapy-related hair loss is not permanent and all lost their hair because of this course of treatment for cancer will grow again within six months at least once this type of therapy has ended . It is expected, however, that the new hair that grows is different color and texture compared with the original hair. The recovery of hair in people who have undergone chemotherapy takes about six to four weeks, with hair growing nearly a quarter of an inch per month.
From this moment, there is no known prevention for hair loss attributed to chemotherapy. Since hair loss depends on the type of drug and the dose used, it is best to talk with your doctor about any concerns regarding hair loss and chemotherapy.
Although not certified to be effective, certain treatments to prevent hair loss due to chemotherapy have been investigated:
- Scalp hypothermia or cryotherapy
In the course of treatment with chemotherapy, ice packs, cold caps, and other similar devices can be used to stem the flow of blood to the scalp. Thus, the drugs used for chemotherapy will be less likely to affect hair follicles on the scalp. It should be noted however, that the use of cryotherapy puts the individual at risk of cancer recurrence in the scalp from the scalp not be receiving the same treatment as the rest of the body.
- Minoxidil or Rogaine
The use of minoxidil during chemotherapy not prevent hair loss, but most likely increase the regrowth of hair after undergoing treatment. The use of minoxidil can also slow down the hair loss during chemotherapy. People going through chemotherapy can also take some measures to protect hair from stress over how to use gentle shampoos, avoiding the use of blow dryers, keeping the scalp clean and moist and protect the scalp from the sun .
