After chemotherapy, hair typically begins to start growing back within 3 weeks. After 2 months, people typically have an inch of hair growth, according to BreastCancer.org. The speed in which hair grows varies with each person. Your hair may grow back a different color or texture than it was before chemotherapy. Sometimes, the color and texture changes are temporary and sometimes they are permanent. Your hair will grow back without your help, but with a little special care, you can keep your scalp and hair healthy. At first, your hair may look patchy. This is because hair follicles go through growing stages and resting stages. While some of the follicles are growing hair, the others are resting. This results in patchy looking hair during the early stages of growth, which you can cleverly conceal by following a few tricks.
Step 1
Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo two to three times a week. While washing, massage your scalp thoroughly using your fingertips to remove dead skin. Condition your hair if desired.
Step 2
Avoid using a hair dryer, which is harsh on the scalp and new hair growth.
Step 3
Refrain from chemically processing your hair with dye or perm solutions, both of which are harsh on the scalp and new hair growth.
Step 4
Brush hair gently with a nylon soft-bristled brush to avoid irritating your scalp and breaking new hair growth.
Step 5
Keep hairstyling product use (gel, hair spray and mousse) to a minimum until you have at least 3 inches of hair growth. The American Hair Loss Council states that hair styling products irritate the scalp, cause buildup on the hair and may cause scalp infections. If you do use hair styling products, you will need to wash your hair more frequently.
Step 6
Wrap a pretty scarf around your head to cover patchy hair growth.
Step 7
Place hair clips or pins in your hair creatively to hide patchy spots of growth. Conceal a bald spot by sweeping a longer piece of hair over it and fixing it in place with a dainty barrette. Attach hair clips and pins loosely to avoid pulling on your hair.
Step 8
Visit a hairstylist for a trim when your hair growth is uneven and patchy. The trim will even out hair growth for a more uniform and neater look.
Things You'll Need
- Gentle shampoo and conditioner
- Nylon soft-bristled brush
- Scarf
- Hair clips, hair pins and barrettes
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