Radiation Treatment and Hair Loss: What You Need to Know

Radiation Treatment and Hair Loss – This question comes into mind first what in the course of chemotherapy or radiation, will I lose my hair? The loss of hair is another common side effect of cancer treatment, and it can be one of the most challenging and emotionally draining of them all.

Even though it is not harmful to your health, it serves as a constant visual reminder of the effects of cancer and its treatment and can make a significant difference to the way you look, regardless of whether it is harmful. Depending on the chemotherapy medicines you are going to receive, your doctor may be able to tell you whether or not they are likely to cause hair loss in you.

Chemotherapy weakens hair follicles, so that hair falls out faster than normal as a result of alopecia (hair loss). Due to the rapidly dividing cells in hair follicles, chemotherapy can damage them, leading to hair loss. Some areas of the body, including the eyebrows and eyelashes, may be affected by hair loss, such as the head. You can lose your hair completely or it can become thinner.

The loss of hair usually begins within a week or two after treatment and may occur gradually or in large clumps over a period of several weeks. There is usually a temporary loss of hair associated with chemotherapy. When you finish your treatments, your hair will start to grow back, but it may take four to six months for it to do so. If you are still receiving chemotherapy, it is possible that your hair may even begin to grow back while you are still receiving it. It is possible that the new hair you grow back will have a different texture, color, or thickness from the original hair, but these changes usually won’t last too long.

A significant amount of hair can also thin or even fall out as a result of radiation therapy, although this usually does not occur over the entire body. Radiation will only affect the area of the body that lies directly under the beam of radiation. Therefore, if you are receiving radiation treatment to the chest area, then you will experience a loss of hair in the area surrounding the chest.

You will only be affected by the effects of radiation on your head or scalp if you are receiving radiation to those areas. There is a chance that you will start losing your hair two to three weeks after you start the radiation procedure. There is a good chance that hair will begin to grow back after radiation treatments are completed, but if you received a high dose of radiation then your hair loss could be permanent.

It is advisable to make sure that you have a wig or hairpiece in mind before you begin treatment. You should schedule an appointment with a professional hairdresser or wig consultant at this point because he or she will be able to match the color and style of the wig to your natural hair. It is worth mentioning that the American Cancer Society has wigs that they loan to people, so if this is something that interests you, be sure to contact them.

In the event that you are experiencing hair loss, it might be helpful if you were to have your hair cut shorter in order to make handling it easier. A bandana, scarves, or hat are some of the items that some people use to hide their faces. During treatment for cancer, there are a number of things you can do to help you feel normal and comfortable.

The most comfortable thing you can do for yourself is what feels right to you. If you are undergoing chemotherapy, you should use mild shampoos, soft hair brushes, and low heat when using a hair dryer, as well as avoid using hair dye during your chemotherapy treatment. Having your hair cut off can be a very difficult and stressful experience that can result in feelings of anger or depression. If you feel that you need to talk about your feelings with someone you trust, you may be able to do so.