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Chemotherapy Hair Loss Information

Alopecia due to chemotherapy can deal a severe blow to people's self-esteem, causing them to lose confidence and drive. Bearing in mind that chemotherapy, treating cancer as it does, is literally a life and death issue, losing hair might appear to be a side issue, logically speaking. Human thought does not always take the logical route though, and the psychological effects can be overwhelming when the internal struggle comes out in a very open external manifestation of the disease.

Either sex has concerns about balding caused by cancer treatments. This process takes a toll, hurting the feelings of persons already ill. However, although such difficulties are fairly common, this process is not inevitable. Hair loss, and the extent to which it occurs is highly dependent upon which drugs, and at what quantity you are given.

Hair loss is one of the side effects of cancer treatment most commonly linked to chemotherapy. The reason chemotherapy causes hair loss is the way that chemotherapy targets cancer cells. Cancer cells are some of the fastest growing and multiplying cells, so chemotherapy works by attacking fast growing cells. Unfortunately, hair cells are also fast growing, so chemotherapy kills off the living cells of the hair follicles causing it to fall out. Luckily though, this hair loss is usually temporary (though it might grow back with different texture and color).

Hair loss during chemotherapy is not always avoidable, but there are a variety of methods which can assist in coping with the situation. Minoxidil (Rogaine being the best known trade name) does not stop hair loss, but there is some indication that it can slow down the hair loss, and regrowing the hair can occur at a quicker rate. Another more radical procedure is the application of ice packs to the scalp during chemotherapy to slow the blood flow and try to cut down on the damage to the area. There is some indication that this works to some degree in many patients, but it can be uncomfortable, and may have an increased risk of cancer in the scalp for the same reason that it reduces the initial hair loss from the chemotherapy.

The effect of the alopecia on your life can be reduced if you anticipate by taking certain steps. It is not advisable to dye, color or bleach the hair before treatment, as this places further stress on the hair. It is worth bearing in mind that the visual impact of the hair loss, which accompanies chemotherapy treatment, can be reduced by wearing a wig, shaving the hair beforehand or cutting it short.