Chemotherapy and Hair Loss

One of the most dreaded side effect of most chemotherapy and even radiaiton is hair loss. When people are facing cancer and possibly death, one would think hair loss would be the least of their worries. But in men this hair loss is a huge problem because they have already suffered enough without all of their hair falling off.

For a woman her hair has always been her crowning glory. She has spent much of her life washing, styling, and combing her hair. Many of her greatest decisions were about her hair. Should she cut her hair, should she get a perm, or even should she color her hair. When her hair was a disaster after a visit to a salon, she cried for days. She worried what others would think when she started covering the grey. Even as we age, our hair still is important to us. Men are much the same way. Even men who have already lost much of their hair to baldness are upset when the rest of their hair goes down the drain.

Many people with cancer don’t particularly look sick even after surgery or treatments until the hair starts to go down the drain. It starts coming out in clumps. I rememberr so well a celebrity on Oprah talking about losing her hair due to cancer treatment. She was a very private person and didn’t want anyone to know about her suffering. When she went style her hair for the event, a huge clump came out in her brush. She remembers crying until she thought she would be sick. It was her first hair loss, but it was such a large piece that there was no way she could do her hair without the loss showing. She decided to wear a turban to cover the hair loss. She knew she would get stares at her different look but went to the Awards Ceremony anyway. Much to her chagrin Joan Rivers made her an object of ridicule on her Red Carpet Show. Of course, Joan Rivers didn’t know about the cancer but the barbs still stung.

The loss of hair affects the family also. I remember my mother-in-law crying when my father-in-law lost his hair. She had always loved his hair and had cut and styled it over the years. His bald head reminded her of his lung cancer. He began wearing hats to keep his head warm. At least people don’t stare at men in hats.

Many women wear wigs after their hair loss. From what I have heard, wigs itch and are hot but sometimes looking ‘normal’ is more important. Other women wear scarves or caps to hide their bald heads. Some decide to go bald and to heck with what everyone else thinks.

When the hair starts to grow back, it is often a somewhat different color or it might come back curly when it had always been straight. As soon as possible, these ladies begin to style their very short hair into a lovely pixie look.

As if cancer isn’t bad enough, why do people who have chemotherapy also have to lose their hair. Maybe one day, they will create a drug that won’t make people lose their hair. I think whoever invents this drug will deserve a Noble Prize.

Copyright 2007 Janice D. Sterling - All Rights Reserved

Technorati Tags: Cancer Research, Chemotherapy And Hair Loss

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