Hair help

[PennyK]

I have hereditary thin hair. It's naturally curly, really African-American frizzy! But since chemo, the regrowth has been typical: very fine and softly curly. I completed full chemotherapy almost a year ago, but had to take Herceptin for a full year, which I completed in April. It's so sparse! I used to be able to disguise it with my curls, but not now. In fact, I'm using a keratin powder to hide my scalp.
Someone suggested I try taking Biotin. I've been reading about it and it does seem to help some people. Can anybody offer me advice? have you tried it and if so, did it help?

[AirmensMom]

1. I have been taking Biotin

for about 6 months now. My hair is shiny and soft, but not one bit thicker. No chemo, just thin hair from my mom. (Dad passed on his thick hair to all my sisters and my daughters.) I use Caboki to cover the thin spots. But if you find something that works, I'd sure be interested.

[forgotmylogin]

2. My mom's hair took about a year to get back to normal.

She was despairing that it wouldn't grow back. In her situation, she had one chemo treatment and her hair started falling out almost two weeks to the day, then she had an accident and the chemo was delayed, during the time she grew a full head of hair back, then she had three chemo treatments in relatively quick succession which seemed to kill off all her hair follicles. It didn't grow, then it was patchy and almost "hesitant". My theory is not all the follicles come back to life simultaneously which is why it takes so long.

Finally, after just ignoring her hair for months and wearing hats, she grew it all back and it became an "old white lady 'fro". I had to convince her to condition it thoroughly so I could stop calling her Eraserhead.


(not my mom, but similar hair)

I don't know if this helps, or how much your heredity will affect it except to suggest that it might just take a good long while for your hair to recover from all the chemicals your body has been experiencing.

One lady during chemo suggested that the hair that grows back is "completely new" since the old follicles die off and recycle, and the pores contract, giving you new baby-fine hair at first until hair production gets going and the hair shafts thicken. Sort of like when an adolescent first grows thin patchy beard hair that eventually becomes coarser.

Some extra nutrition could also help:

http://stylecaster.com/beauty/make-hair-grow-faster-foods/

(They recommend eating salmon, yellow peppers, oysters, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, sweet potato, avocado and almonds to boost your levels of Vitamins C, D, E, Omega-3s, protein, zinc, and beta carotene to support hair growth. Apparently, a mixture of avocado and sour cream can be used as a 10-minute topical scalp application to stimulate collagen. I also bet the extra would make a great chip dip!!)

Good luck and health!

[PennyK]

3. Thanks, both of you

I AM almost a full year out from finishing full chemo. And most people say that the Herceptin by itself shouldn't impede growth. But I like what you posted:

One lady during chemo suggested that the hair that grows back is "completely new" since the old follicles die off and recycle, and the pores contract, giving you new baby-fine hair at first until hair production gets going and the hair shafts thicken. Sort of like when an adolescent first grows thin patchy beard hair that eventually becomes coarser.

That makes sense. In any case, I did start biotin, in a moderate amount of 1,000 mcg, yesterday. There's just nothing I can do with it at this point. I had a trim, since it was growing in so unevenly, but I see I have that Bozo the Clown effect on the sides again, where it curls up and out. I've tried wearing it curly, blow-dried smooth, even ironed straight. The straight look covers the most scalp, but I'm in Florida, and that doesn't last long. And I just canNOT go back to wearing a wig like I did during my Bald Period. It's so uncomfortable and doesn't look like "me."
If only I can get my curly-frizzy texture back I can deal with the rest of it. I can grow it longer and just sort of mush it down, which is what I did before.