Hair Growth after Chemotherapy

Cancer chemotherapy treatment targets all rapidly dividing cells—healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Hair follicles, the structures in the skin filled with tiny blood vessels that make hair, are some of the fastest-growing cells in the body. But as the chemotherapy does its work against cancer cells, it also destroys hair cells. So, within a few weeks of starting cancer chemotherapy, you may lose some or all of your hair.

The good news is that hair loss is temporary for most people. The answer to the question 'When will the hair grow back?' depends on the chemotherapy treatment used, and the composition and dose of chemotherapy pills or injections. How long it takes to grow back also varies from person to person.

Hair may start to grow back while still undergoing chemotherapy. In some cases, hair growth afterchemotherapy is also observed. Many people report seeing hair growth around four to six weeks after the end of treatment.

Generally, the hair that tends to fall out easily is the hair that tends to grow back the fastest. The hair on the top of your head grows faster than your eyebrows or eyelashes.

Your new hair may be of a different texture or possibly a different color than it was before you started treatment. It may be thicker and curlier, or straighter, than your original hair. Some people also find that their hair grows in gray and then a few months later resumes its natural color.

Preferably use a gentle shampoo and conditioner as your hair grows back. For the first few months avoid having chemical processes like perms or hair coloring because your hair is still fragile and scalp is very sensitive. Using a hair dryer or curling/straightening iron may also cause damage to the hair cells.

Chemotherapy Drugs

Chemotherapy drugs destroy the cancerous cells in the body. Depending on the extent and stage of the cancer, cancer chemotherapy can cure the cancer, destroy the cancerous cells, curtail its further growth and protect other healthy cells. Chemotherapy helps shrink the tumor thus allowing for a minor surgery. Sometimes, chemotherapy is the only available treatment for treating cancer. However, it can also be used along with other treatments like surgery and radiation therapy.

Some of the available chemotherapy drugs are mentioned below:

• Cisplatin: This is the drug that is used for cancers in bladder, testicles and ovary. It’s usually given intravenously.

• Carboplatin: It is administered intravenously and used for cancer in neck, lung, head and ovary.

• Docetaxel: This is the drug that is administered on patients suffering from cancer like, lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. It’s given intravenously.

• Cyclophosphamide: This can either be administered orally or intravenously. This drug is beneficial for patients suffering from breast cancer, lymphoma and ovarian carcinoma.

• Erlotinib: This cancer chemotherapy is administered orally and used for cancer non small cell lung cancer.

• Gemcitabine: It’s intravenously given to the patient. This chemotherapy drug is given to patients suffering from breast cancer, lung and ovary cancer.

• Methotrexate: It can be administered intravenously, in the spinal column or orally. This chemotherapy drug is useful for treating blood cancer, bone cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and cancer of the lymph nodes.

Cancer Chemotherapy differs from patient to patient as per their diagnosis and the state of advancement. So, the reaction to such chemotherapy pills will also be different for each patient. The side effects may be mild, severe or absent. You can always discuss with the medical team that is treating you about any possible side effects and take necessary measures.

About Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a type of treatment used to cure cancer. Cancer Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells that have spread in the patient’s body. The need for Chemotherapy generally arises in case of advanced cancer. Metastatic cancer generally grows beyond the point of its origin and affects other body parts that it comes in contact with. Chemotherapy helps reduce the size of the cancer so that only a minor surgery would be enough to remove the tumor.


The result of chemotherapy differs from patient to patient depending on the age of the patient, size, stage and severity of the cancer. Chemotherapy can have the following effects:

Control Cancer: Targeted chemotherapy helps the cancerous cells to reduce and slow down its growth. It controls the cells that have spread beyond the point of origin.

Cure Cancer: Chemotherapy helps a patient to recover by destroying the cancerous cells. This provides the patient with better survival chances.

Cancer is not always life threatening if detected in its early stages. It provides the physician with more treatment options to explore than just a few and thus giving better prognosis to the patient.

There are many celebrities and prominent people who have had gone through such horrific times but came out stronger and fitter. It requires mental toughness to see through such difficult times. Among few that we can derive inspiration from include, Yuvraj Singh, the southpaw and World Cup hero who has recently been diagnosed with malignant lung tumor. He is currently undergoing Chemotherapy in the US and his survival chances are stated to be bright.

Similarly, Australian captain Michael Clarke had a brush with low grade skin cancer in 2005. He had a growth on his nose that didn’t go away and since then he has had three growths removed from his face.

English great Geoff Boycott was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2002. He had four cancerous tumors around his voice box which required 35 sessions of radiotherapy to destroy the cancer entirely. He had had a horrifying time but today he is back behind the microphone to carry on with his commentary.

In case person detects any unusual development in his body he should not take it lightly and get in touch with the concerned physician. The physician if required will recommend chemotherapy pills to check if the cancer gets subsided if not he will ask you to follow a few sessions of chemotherapy depending upon the stage that your cancer is in. You will only gain if you cooperate with your doctor, don’t fear the treatment. It is only meant to do you good.
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