Chemotherapy hair loss is one of the numerous effects of this cancer treatment. Why does one lose hair during chemotherapy? Well, the drugs used in this type of cancer treatment are very strong, therefore very efficient in attacking the rapidly developing cancer cells. 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 manifest for all the body parts covered by hair. 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. Among these, obviously some are more likely to cause chemotherapy hair loss than others. 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, make sure to discuss all such details with your doctor, in order to be prepared to cope with hair loss psychologically.

Hair usually starts falling out after 10-14 days from the beginning of the treatment. It may happen quite fast, gradually or in clumps. Hair loss usually continues throughout the treatment and even one month after it. Half the hair will be gone without one even noticing. Fortunately, in the majority of cases, chemotherapy hair loss is a temporary effect. Hair will probably grow again within six months to one year from the end of the procedure. Although the regrowth of the hair occurs in most of the cases, the new hair could be of a different texture and shade temporarily.

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 stop and the hair will recover the look previous to the treatment the moment the cells that control the hair pigment begin working again. Unfortunately, one cannot prevent chemotherapy hair loss as none of the treatments available is completely free of such side effects.

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