Article from DJ Breast Cancer

There is a lot to say about hair… a whole podcast episode is devoted to hair (or the lack there of). Some cancer survivors do morning experience hair loss (depends on the kind of chemo) and some have had success with cold caps. It seems a bit silly or superficial to think so much abot hair, but let’s me stress IT’S A BIG DEAL!!!

Society and pop culture all focus on hair, long or short, highlights or lowlights or ombré .. the “it” haircut, with Rachel from Friends starting a revolution, or the recent beach waves and the lob… if a female gets a hair trim, chances are very high another female will notice!!! We ALL pay attention to hair, as an expression of ourselves and how we present ourself to the world.

Just as exciting as running my first mile after chemo, was the day I was able to pull my hair back into a small ponytail. This was no ordinary feat! I always tell other survivors to celebrate the milestones!

The most painful part of my cancer journey was chemo and losing my hair. In order to have the “upper hand” I did cut my hair short before chemo and then had it shaved before my second chemo. It was my way of staying ahead of the curve and having control. F*$k you cancer!!! I really did love my shaved head, but even that was patchy several month in. I eventually lost nearly all the hair on my body… I was down to a few strong eyelashes, almost no eyebrows and some patchy hair on my head… but I had hope!!! Even at the end of taxol, I started to have new growth. The end of looking like a poster child for cancer and back to the old me!! And I never looked back!!!