Ch e m o -
therapy and
radiation are
common treatment
options for
people who have
been diagnosed with
cancer. While radiation
may be targeted at
specific areas, chemotherapy is
systemic. This means it affects
the entire body. As a result, as
chemotherapy kills fast-growing
cancer cells, it also kills or slows
the growth of healthy cells,
including hair cells, that divide
and grow quickly, explains the
National Cancer Institute.
When chemotherapy treatment
is completed, the body is
typically capable of regenerating
new hair, but that can take
some time. Women who consider
their hair a large part of
their identity may have strong
concerns and fears regarding
hair loss and what their hair
may look like when it begins to
regrow. Understanding what to
expect and what they can do to
facilitate the regrowth of hair
can help women better handle
what lies ahead.
New hair typically begins to
grow within one to two months
of the last chemo treatment.
Breastcancer.org says people
who have undergone chemotherapy
may notice soft fuzz
forming on their head roughly
two to three weeks after the end
of chemo. This will be followed
by real hair growing at its normal
rate one month afterward.
Two months after the last treatment,
an inch of hair can be
expected. How hair grows back
elsewhere on the body, such
as the eyelashes, eyebrows and
pubic area, varies from person
to person. Experts at the Robert
H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer
Center’s Dermatologic Care
Center at Northwestern University
in Chicago recommend
speaking with a doctor if hair
is not regrowing quickly, which
can be the result of low levels
of iron or zinc or even thyroid
problems.
Three potential side effects of breast cancer treatments
Caribbean L 36 ife, Oct. 11-17, 2019 BQ
To help the process along,
some doctors suggest the use
of supplements like biotin. The
National Institutes of Health
says biotin is a B vitamin found
in many foods that helps turn
carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
into energy. There is some
evidence that taking biotin
can help thicken and speed up
the growth of hair and nails,
but more research is needed.
Rogaine, the baldness treatment,
also may be advised, as it’s been
shown to speed hair regrowth in
breast cancer patients who have
lost their hair, advises Health
magazine.
It is not uncommon for hair
grown after chemotherapy to
look and feel different from
hair prior to treatment. Someone
who once had straight hair
may develop a wavy mane afterwards.
While drastic changes
are not common, blonde hair
may darken.
As hair grows in, certain
areas on the head may grow
faster than others. Working
with an experienced stylist can
help a person achieve a look
Shocked woman uuffering from hair loss problem. Getty /
Andrey Popov
that is evened out and stylish at
any length. Rosette la Vedette,
a headwear retailer and cancer
resource, suggests making
a first trip back to the salon a
special experience with a glass of
champagne. Cutting hair won’t
make it grow faster, but it can
help a woman return to a sense
of normalcy.
Cancer is a painful,
potentially lifethreatening
disease.
Though discomfort
might be the first warning sign
that compels people to visit
their physicians on the road
to receiving a cancer diagnosis,
cancer treatments can
produce a host of side effects,
including pain, as well.
According to the Sidney
Kimmel Cancer Center, breastcancer
treatments can create
both long-term side effects
and late side effects. Longterm
side effects are those
that begin during treatment
and continue after all treatments
have stopped, while late
side effects refers to symptoms
that can appear weeks,
months, or even years after
treatments have ended.
The list of potential side
effects of breast cancer treatments
is lengthy, but may
include the following conditions
or issues:
Fatigue
The nonprofit organization
Breastcancer.org notes that
fatigue is the most common
side effect of breast-cancer
treatments, with some estimates
suggesting it affects
as many as 90 percent of all
patients.
Some breast-cancer patients
may experience fatigue after
treatment and find it’s worsening
because they are eating
less and not getting enough
nutrients. In such instances,
the initial fatigue may make
people too tired to cook, ultimately
contributing to more
fatigue when they are not eating
or eating convenient yet
potentially unhealthy foods.
Cooking healthy foods in
bulk when fatigue is not overwhelming
and accepting others’
offers to cook is a great
way for cancer patients to
ensure their diets are helping
them combat fatigue and not
making fatigue worse.
Lymphedema
Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine notes that, following
breast-cancer treatment,
some patients may suffer from
lymphedema, a condition characterized
by the accumulation
of lymphatic fluid in the tissues.
Lymphedema most often
occurs in the arms, but can
contribute to swelling in other
parts of the body as well.
Why some people suffer
from lymphedema after treatment
and others don’t is a
mystery, though surgeons at
Johns Hopkins Breast Center
have noticed a low occurrence
of lymphedema in patients
who have undergone sentinel
node biopsies or axillary node
dissection.
Breast-cancer patients are
at risk of lymphedema for the
rest of their lives after treatment,
and while there’s no
way to prevent it, patients
should avoid getting needle
sticks or blood pressure tests
in arms where lymph nodes
were removed. In addition, any
injuries or cuts in arms where
lymph nodes were removed
should be treated with vigilance.
Infertility
Many women will stop menstruating
while undergoing
chemotherapy or after chemo
treatments, and
that cessation is
often temporary.
These irregularities
may be traced
hormonal therapies
make the ovaries stop
producing eggs. However,
some instances, even
premenopausal women
may have trouble getting
pregnant after
hormonal therapy.
Breastcancer.
org notes that
women whose periods
do not return after treatment
may still be fertile, but
also notes that women who
are close to menopause when
beginning chemo may become
permanently infertile. Women
who have been diagnosed with
breast cancer who are concerned
about post-treatment
infertility should speak with
their physicians immediately
about their prospects of
getting pregnant after treatment,
including fertility treatments
and the potential safety
risks of getting pregnant after
being diagnosed with breast
cancer.
Regrowing and caring for
hair after chemotherapy
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