Pre chemo hair cut advice needed

[Toarrie]

I have long thick hair which I don’t often have cut (think once a year). I want to do everything possible to try to keep it so I am hoping to use the cold cap to maximise my chances of keeping even some of it.
my question is should I get it cut to maybe shoulder length before chemo starts? I’m worried the cap won’t fit properly if it’s too long?

It depends how long it is. Don't cut it so short that you can't put it up as this may help you hide thinner bits. I kept about 50% of my hair with a cold cap and it looked fine as I could clip hair from the front to cover the thinner bits on the top. Its all grown back now but where I lost hair it is curly and the hair I kept is straight which is a bit weird but I love the curls.

Thank you. It’s about nipple length so was thinking I would get it cut to just below the shoulder. So will definitely have enough to tie it up.
Great you kept to so much! Love the curly straight combo. Mine is wavy anyway but I have a feeling regrowth might be grey as I’ve been getting greys since surgical menopause.

My mum had chemo and didn't lose any hair. I wouldn't my cut out until you need to. Good luck with your treatment

I used Daniel Field natural hair dye throughout chemo and for a few months afterwards. They will do an online consultation to get the correct colour.
https://www.danielfieldclinic.co.uk/consultations

Thank you. I need a cut anyway but not going too short.
Do you know what chemo your mum got?

My hair was s bit shorter than yours and I got a short bob so when it started falling out it wasn't going to be long chunks that came out. As I had had long hair for years the bob didn't make it feel like I was losing my own hair. Sounds weird I know. When it started falling out I just got it shaved off. I tried scarves and wigs but I didn't like them so just slapped on the make up to try and look like I had shaved it intentionally! I didn't have an option to cold cap. Good luck with your treatment.

Good luck with your treatment. Mine was shoulder length so I had it cut chemo to a longer pixie cut and then unfortunately cold capping didn't work for me so I shaved it off and wore hats!
Make sure they fit the cold cap really well.

Hello, I used a cold cap. Had mine cut to shoulder length. They do need to fit it very well. I lost about 1/2 my coverage and was able to wear wide headbands which didn’t look out of place.
Once chemo finished it grew back quickly but like a sheep’s bottom! However, a year later it was pretty thick and no one would have known.

I actually found eyebrows and eyelashes more difficult to cope with, but they grow on a cycle too. It was a small victory when my eyelashes appeared again and I could put a tiny bit of mascara on.

Two years on, my hair is curlier but thick and lustrous. Do try and persevere with the cc if you can stand it. A paracetamol beforehand takes the edge off. Good luck.

Thank you all for all your tips, advice and best wishes.

Thanks that is really helpful.
Yes I’m struggling with the thought of losing my eyebrows and eyelashes but it feels quite out of my control. Think I’ll just wear a pair of large sunglasses on the school run, haha!

Hello there, I’m sorry you’re going to through this too. I was exactly where you were a few months ago pre chemo. I decided to get my below boob level hair cut to an Emma Thompson and my word, have people been gate keeping how easy short hair is to wash and go with! I sent my locks off to the little princess trust.

I don’t think it matters fit wise as your longer hair can be plaited. It’s just important to comb through gently so it doesn’t matt and to go with the hair care advice from your team. I could have got away without cutting mine but it would be thinner - plus they ask you not to use hairdryers and only to wash gently in lukewarm water 1-2 times per week. My shorter hair has made things easier to manage.

I’ve had 12 paclitaxel and have just done the 3rd of 4 EC. I’ve cold capped throughout. Lost a tiny spot on paclitaxel but have shed more on EC - it’s thinner but currently with a hairband you can’t tell (although I have to take a lint roller round with me! I’ve got one more session left and even if it does shed more, the cold cap will protect my follicles for faster regrowth.

I had my eyebrows microbladed before chemo. This is brilliant as I’ve lost most of them but can’t tell due to the tattoo. My eyelashes have gone now but with eyeliner you can’t tell too much - tbh it’s amazing what you get used to and sunglasses weather is nearly here.

You’ll be very welcome to come chat here when you’re ready - lots of us on this thread have chemo experiences: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5219604-cancer-support-thread-96-its-nearly-christmas-get-the-sprouts-on?page=19&reply=142419098

I'm sorry but I have thick hair and was told that the cold cap probably wouldn't work for me. I think, I remember correctly that it wouldn't penetrate to the roots. This was 2007 so things may have changed.

I had my hair cut to chin lengths and did find. It quite distressing finding it on my pillow a couple of weeks after my first treatment. My wig was my best friend. I tried numerous wigs and the majority were just a poor match to my own hair. So I went for what I had always wanted and swapped my long wavy hair for a sleek bob with ashy highlights. I loved it.

I hope you are able to retain your own hair but losing it and wearing a wig is not the end of the world that at this point you may think it is.

I did cold cap years ago. I lost loads of hair but kept going and retained enough hair that I never went bald or needed a wig. Cold capping only affects the scalp so cutting the length makes no difference to how well it works but you might find it easier to manage hair loss with shorter hair. As someone else says, you must comb your hair every day even though it’s scary and you might feel as if you are pulling your hair out because otherwise the falling hair tangles with the hair that’s staying out and forms mats that you have to cut it out which is gutting! There’s a lot of rubbish talked about what you can and can’t do but hair that comes out when you wash or brush it normally was always going to come out. Chemo and cold aren’t great for your hair and mine got dry and fragile so a good conditioner is helpful. The initial brain freeze/pressure sensation of the cap isn’t very pleasant for most people but it only lasts about ten minutes. Hot tea and chocolate got me through while I counted down the time.

Are you having a PICC line for the chemo? That makes showering a complete pain so you might find it easier having shorter hair. Cold capping wasn’t an option for me and I did lose all my hair but it wasn’t as upsetting as I thought it would be - I had a fun wig and lots of hats. Mine didn’t take long to start growing back and has grown back thick and curly and with less grey.

I'm another one who cut it to a chin length bob. I don't think the length of it really matters for the cold cap, but when it starts falling out as an PP said there's less hair to cope with. It worked okay for me, I did lose quite a bit at the front the first time because I don't think the cap was pulled forward enough. After that, I took a scarf with me and put it over the top of my head and then wrapped it under my thighs to pull the cold cap down further! There's a really helpful Facebook group called the Paxman scalp cooling group for advice and support.

I was having three-hour paclitaxel so I did lose a fair bit of my hair, but also kept enough, when it first started falling out I used a wide head band, then I did have to get a wig, which DD said was "just like my normal hair but combed", and I wore a headband over that too for extra security. But when I was around the house, my hair was okay if I caught sight of myself in the mirror and I could go to the gym and wear a buff and pull my remaining hair out of the front. I'm glad I did it for the privacy, I didn't look like an obvious cancer patient.

I also had the straight/curly combination when it started growing back. A lot of us find the growing back stage quite difficult, but my hair returned to normal and is still quite thick.

I also got a heat pad to take with me, you may be okay if you're not having the cold cap on for such a long time, it was 4 1/2 hours for me, I didn't find it particularly painful but I did get quite cold towards the end, although that was partly because I wore ice slippers as well to stop neuropathy.

The other tip that was useful was to wear elasticated trousers, it's not particularly easy to go to the toilet whilst attached to an IV! Good luck!

Oh, and I got a silk pillow as well, so I didn't lose so much with friction on the pillow, no idea whether that actually made a difference, but it felt quite luxurious!

Wishing you all the very best for your treatment. I cut my hair quite short before using the cold cap and it worked well for me there was just a small area at the top of my head where it didn't fit perfectly where I lost some hair but generally it worked really well. I had stocked up on a wig and hats as well but didn't need them in the end. Sending hugs. xx

Thank you. So many fab tips. I will consider them all.
@OneTwinklyPlumBeaker no it won’t be too bad losing it, a price worth paying if it saves/extends my life. But I shall try cold caping anyway.
@bringonyourwreckingball i am not sure. I haven’t met my oncologist yet.
@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic joined the thread - thank you. I need to look into microblading my eyebrows.
@SierraSapphire oh yes a silk pillow is a great idea.

If you are getting your brows done do it before you start chemo as they don’t like you doing it once treatment starts because of a potential infection risk. Also def do it before your eyebrows fall out otherwise the person won’t know where to place the brows and you could end up with your real brows and the microbladed ones miles apart! Good luck with your treatment

I lost all mine but really wasn't as distressing as I thought. I got a wig which my hairdresser cut for me. Short pixie style then he cut my hair into that style before I lost it so it was ab easy transition and actually really didn't mind my wig at all!