Chemotherapy is the name given to the procedure that helps treat various diseases with the use of chemical substances. More commonly, chemotherapy is known as the treatment that is used to treat cancer.
This treatment is mainly used to destroy the cancerous cells, thus help treat cancer. Though it is mostly used for the destruction of cancer cells, chemotherapy may also mean the treatment of any specific illness using antibiotics or other strong medication.
While earlier there was no cure for cancer, chemotherapy can now help in reducing the symptoms of cancer. This treatment can either be done externally via injections, or internally via pills and drips etc.
Chemotherapy and Hair Loss:
- Before the treatment begins, the doctor discusses everything in detail with the patient. The various risks and benefits of therapy are discussed and explained to the patient and attending relatives.
- There are certain guidelines that are mandatory to be followed, regarding the equipment and safety during procedure.
- Some of these therapies initially lead to a loss of hair within the first twenty one days. This happens from various areas like nose, eyes and head, but the amount of hair loss, or whether at all, depends entirely on the type of dosage one is taking.
- Thinning of hair and hair breakage are a few side effects of chemotherapy.
- Losing hair can be embarrassing and depressing for many individuals, especially women. During treatment, a pack of frozen water or a gelled cap is applied. This may help minimize the passage of haemoglobin and thereby lessen hair loss. The cap can fit very well as it is well connected through a Velcro patch. But as it has a lot of weight it can cause the patient to experience pain on the head. To avoid any major problems, the cap should be replaced in a span of every half an hour to forty minutes. The gel filled caps are very convenient and easy to wear and can be removed at any time during the treatment.
- Once the scalp is cooled, the therapy further helps in lessening the haemoglobin to the follicles. This simultaneously minimizes the loss of hair and other symptoms.
- The treatment can be very uneasy and discomforting but surely help the patient to a great extent.
- Once the therapy is over an individual tends to attain different hair than before. It mostly differs in texture, colour, looks etc.
- In very rare cases, due to the heavy dosage, the hair may not come back at all.
Chemotherapy Hair Loss – Why does it happen?
Drugs used in chemotherapy are very powerful that they attack the fast growing cancer cells. But, these drugs also attack other fast growing body cells, including the cells present in hair roots. Thus, it leads to hair loss all over the body.
Different doses of drugs can cause different levels of hair loss – from hair thinning to complete baldness. Hairloss in many cases is temporary. Re-growth can be expected in three to ten months once the treatment finishes.
Chemotherapy Hair Loss – What to Expect?
Hairfall starts one to three weeks after the treatment begins. It either happens very quickly in clumps or slowly. You can notice loose hair in your comb, pillow or in shower drain.
When the hair starts to recover and grow back, it will be slight different from the texture and colour of the hair you lost. It can be grey or it may be curlier until the cells in the scalp start functioning right again.
Can hair loss due to chemotherapy be prevented?
There have been attempts made with use of ice caps or tight bands. These techniques helped in reducing the hair fall by limiting the flow of blood to the scalp and thus limiting exposure of chemotherapy drugs to the hair follicles. But there is a concern behind that these will reduce the treatment effectiveness in that particular area.
Benefits of Chemotherapy:
- Chemotherapy helps in minimizing and destroying the harmful cells and removing tumours.
- It helps in a fast recovery from the various harmful effects of cancer.
- After chemotherapy, an individual can return to normal life and routine really fast.
- Chemotherapy helps detect tumours at an early stage and helps bring down their negative effects to a great extent.
Though earlier cancer was considered a fatal disease, these days, there are many advanced treatments that help in completely curing a patient. Chemotherapy is one such treatment. While we do have the necessary treatments available today, it’s of course imperative to keep an eye out and have a regular checkup done to prevent or detect any signs at the earliest.
