Hair Loss and Solutions in Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is medication. It is the general name for treatments using drugs that act on cancer cells (cytotoxic). Depending on the type of cancer, the objectives, effects, and administration of chemotherapy may vary. 

A variety of different drugs can be used in the treatment of chemotherapy. Some of these drugs can be chemotherapeutic drugs that directly affect the tumor, and some drugs are biological drugs that aim at hormones and hormonal targets that strengthen the immune system. As a matter of fact, it is normal that these different drugs show different side effects. In addition, the side effects of chemotherapy may not always be seen. Besides the side effects such as weakness, pain in the muscles and bones, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores and bruising of the nails, the known and most prominent side effect of chemotherapy is hair loss. However, all these side effects disappear after treatment, including hair loss. Additional treatments may be applied to minimize these side effects. 

Hair has important functions in socialization and daily life. For this reason, hair loss is at the top of the list of psycho-traumatic events in many patients exposed to chemotherapy. Especially hair loss becomes a serious concern for many patients. Some patients refuse chemotherapy because they do not want to lose their hair. But most people will see their hair grow after the treatment is finished. The level of hair loss due to chemotherapy may vary depending on the type of cancer, the dose of treatment, and the nature of the drug. Approximately 60% of patients have a change in hair structure and color, but these changes are often temporary. Then the hair returns to its normal structure.

How Long After Chemotherapy Does My Hair Start Shedding?

2.5 - 3 weeks after the start of chemotherapy treatment, the hair starts to fall out and this condition continues during the treatment process and ends with the hair regrowth within 1 to 3 months after the end of the treatment. Sociologically, this process is perhaps the most difficult part of dealing with the disease.

Nowadays there are applications that are used very often and quite successfully. In particular, prosthetic hair application has been the most important supporter of people to survive this process without losing their self-confidence and damaging their family and social relations. The psychological and socio-cultural contribution of prosthetic hair to patients is extremely important and effective in coping with this disease and adapting to daily life.

Especially in order not to be isolated from daily life, it is possible to achieve very important results with prosthetic hair application compared to some palliative methods such as wigs, bandanas and scarves that patients apply.

Prosthetic hair is exactly the same as one's own hair and is the most successful source of auxiliary motivation in this process in which the social environment cannot see any sign of the disease,

Remember that in patients with cancer and similar diseases, motivation of the patient as well as medical treatment has a very positive effect on the healing process.

We wish everyone a healthy, peaceful, happy and long life.