What Can I Do About Hair Loss and Scalp Irritation After Chemo?

2016 I went through chemo 5 months and 2 months radiation. The worst part is the hair fall out. Then just feeling not so great for 7 months. Highly suggest the book Moving Through Cancer by Dr Kathryn Schmitz. You can purchase on Amazon The simplest book from diagnosis to endocrine therapy. My husband and set up little mile stones to get through the seven months. We still do to this day with the endocrine therapy and Zometa infusion every 3 months. God bless you 💕

I've read on this site ( maybe under treatments?) that some women use cold caps on their head and sometimes on their hands. They also take an antihistamine (?) I think, it was an offer the counter medication and I think that was what it was. Anyway they said doing those things helped

Thank you melanie

I just had my second chemo and all my hair fell out the week before so I shaved what was left…. Hardest part ever to do…. Yes you can get the cold caps for your head but they are expensive and it’s not a 100% guarantee that you will keep your hair. You can also order on Amazon, the hand mitts and the feet mitts to keep your hands and feet cold so that you don’t get neuropathy I’ve been doing the hands and feet only because the hair was just too much too expensive and you have to have it on for eight hours that day of chemo.

I started losing handfuls of hair after my first chemo treatment last summer. I shaved my head shortly after. I read that keeping your regular shampoo/conditioner routine will help your scalp and it did! The first couple of weeks were uncomfortable but this definitely helped. After finishing treatment in Jan, I have a nice head of fuzz coming back! I will chime in that ice packing your hands and feet during some of the treatments is VERY helpful too. If you can't get the ones on Amazon, ziplock bags filled with ice wrapped in a towel or pillow case work well too. Good luck!

Hola mi novio es

I lost my hair my first chemo treatment. YES your scalp does get irritated. I had my head shaved after the first week and there are cool caps to help with the way your head feels.

Hair loss and scalp irritation are very common experiences after chemotherapy, and many people in the community have found relief through gentle scalp care routines and products specifically designed for sensitive skin during treatment. Consider speaking with your oncology team about recommended shampoos, moisturizers, or other soothing treatments that might help with the discomfort - they often have great suggestions for managing these side effects.