Chemotherapy hair loss is one of the numerous effects of this cancer treatment. Why does one lose hair during chemotherapy? The medication used in chemotherapy is extremely powerful and it destroys all the developing cancer cells, although they affect other body parts too. There are normal body cells with a rapid growth rate, and they are not cancer; among these, the cells in the hair roots, as well. The effects of chemotherapy on hair are not limited only to the scalp as the procedure affects the hair on the body, too. Unfortunately, eyelashes, eyebrows, armpit and pubic hair and other body hair may also fall out.
There is a wide variety of drugs that are used in chemotherapy. Some of these will trigger chemotherapy hair loss more quickly than others, but some may not even cause such a side effect. The concentration of the drugs is another aspect to consider when hair loss is under discussion, as hair loss ranges from thinning to complete baldness. Thus, discussing the medication that will be prescribed with the doctor and nurse is very important as they are the specialists able to inform the patient on what to expect from chemotherapy.
In most cases you'll start losing hair within ten or fourteen days after you start chemotherapy. It may fall out quite fast, gradually or in clumps. Chemotherapy hair loss remains a problem throughout the entire period of the treatment and a month afterwards. Half the hair will be gone without one even noticing. Fortunately, in the majority of cases, chemotherapy hair loss represents a temporary effect. Hair will probably grow again within six months to one year after the cessation of the treatment. The new hair could have a slightly different shade of color, with the mention that even the texture could be altered too.
The hair recovery period after chemotorapy is six weeks on the average, and generally, the hair grows at a rate of about a quarter inch each month. The changes that took place in the hair follicles during chemotherapy will be obvious in the way the hair grows back, but in time, things will get back to normal. The color and texture alteration will be a first recovery sign and the hair will become what it used to be before the treatment the moment cellular pigmentation is functioning normally all over again. Unfortunately, one cannot prevent chemotherapy hair loss as there is no treatment which will guarantee that the hair will not fall out.
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