Any form of cancer can have harmful effects. For individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer at any stage, hair fall as a result of treatment is inevitable.
TYPICALLY, HAIR LOSS FOR DIFFERENT KNOWN TREATMENTS FOR CANCER PROGRESSES AS FOLLOWS:
- For chemotherapy patients: Generally hair falls out and tends to grow back gradually. The hair that falls first, grows back the fastest. You might notice a change in colour and texture of your hair once it grows back. It takes at least two months until after treatment for hair to start growing again.
- Patients with brain metastases have to undergo a whole brain radiation: In such a case, it takes at least six months after treatment completion to even see an inch of hair growth. New hair growth is usually thinner than the original and a bald spot is left behind in the actual area of treatment.
- Tamoxifen treatment thins hair considerably and the hair fall lasts as long as you ingest the drug. Even if there are modalities available to retain hair during tamoxifen treatment, they tend to be expensive or unpredictable.
- Permanent baldness can occur after many years of constant and strong chemotherapy treatment. The hair follicles, in this case, would have been totally burned out and no new growth is seen because they have ‘shut down’.
HOW TO STIMULATE HAIR GROWTH AFTER CANCER TREATMENT:
Chemotherapy is an intense treatment that helps kill cancer cells. The downside of the treatment is that it happens to kill the healthy cells too. That is why healthy hair cells tend to deteriorate during chemotherapy.
THERE ARE SEVERAL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO NOURISH AND PROMPT HAIR GROWTH:
- Until hair grows back, refrain from using harsh hair products. Do not treat your hair and scalp roughly. Dyeing, straightening, curling, etc. should be avoided because it can result in injury and slows down the growth of hair.
- Try using natural hair stimulants, oils and conditioners instead of chemicals.
- You must have enough proteins in your diet and must consume high amounts of soy or tofu. Avoid eating foods with excessive sugars in them.
- Incorporate extra minerals and vitamins in your diet so that your hair is nourished. Hair growth speeds up with an added boost of B6 and B12. Hair fibres remain well-protected.
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