Here is a look at my complete hair chronicle, from shaving it all off, through chemo, and what it’s looked like growing back in.
I know there are a couple of people who have been stalking my posts on the hair regrowth to try to figure out how long it will take their hair to grow back. This will give you a general idea of what it looks like about a year out (but keep in mind I have cut it three times–yea it gets annoying and weird when it’s growing in and I am impatient). My hair is definitely thicker and maybe a little darker than before chemo.
Looking at these pics really reminds me what I have been through and how far I have come in a year…Damn.
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- This is generally how my hair looked before. Very straight and fairly fine.
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- The before hair. My old standby, the Bob.
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- This is right before it started falling out.
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- It had started falling out a bunch, so I buzzed it.
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- Buzz cut.
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- Fuck you chemo.
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- Jim suprised me with a nice mohawk when we were shaving my head.
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- Head shaved.
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- Head shaved.
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- Head shaved.
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- Full on chemo. Bald and wearing hats (I hated the wig).
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- This is towards the end of chemo. Looking cancery here, but never fully lost my brows or lashes which was nice..
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- Chemo is done. Starting radiation and my hair is growing back in.
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- Hair slowly growing back in.
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- Hair slowly growing back in.
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- Hair slowly growing back in.
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- Hair slowly growing back in.
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- My feathers are coming in!
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- After first haircut. Feeling a little less cancery.
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- After first haircut. Feeling a little less cancery.
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- After first haircut. Feeling a little less cancery.
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- My hair is super thick! Woa.
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- My hair is super thick! Woa.
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- My hair is starting to get longer. It’s still super thick.
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- My hair is starting to get longer. It’s still super thick.
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- Voila. Here it is about a year later.
Hi Alison,
I hope you are doing well! I was wondering, did you dye your hair after chemo? If so, how long did you wait? I have so many greys mixed in with my natural brown that my hair looks purple. While I am thrilled to have some hair again, I can do without the salt and pepper! Thanks!
Hi Pam- No, I’ve actually never colored my hair. It seemed to come in darker after chemo, it was chesnut brown before and a dark brown after (maybe because the new hair hadn’t been in the sun at all?) Anyway, I think it’s safe to dye your hair after chemo, there was a girl in my yoga class who went for a bright red when hers was just coming back in (she was a natural red head before) and it looked cool. In any case, probably best to ask your doc just in case. Hope you are doing well too!