Hair Growth After Chemo – the Challenges of Hair Loss After Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy – Chemo – targets fast growing cancer cells in the body. Unfortunately, treatments generally do not discriminate among cancer and other fast(er) growing cells in our body such as hair and nails. As a result, patients often experience severe hair loss during treatment. Hair growth after Chemo requires proper hair care to help accelerate healthy hair growth.
Common cancer treatments include Chemotherapy, which there are several primary treatments, Radiation Therapy and Hormonal Therapy. All typically affect hair growth, the hair follicle growth cycle or destroy the follicles and their ability to reproduce.
Fortunately hair loss symptoms disappear after treatment and hair growth returns – though not always as expected. My mother for instance, experienced soft, curly hair growth following several chemo treatments for breast cancer – which she won, by the way! Previously her hair was wavy and somewhat coarse.
Generally, the timing and dosage of chemo will have a direct impact on hair loss. The larger the dosage or the more rapidly the treatments, the more severe the loss.
It is common for hair growth to return two to three weeks after treatments end and normal hair growth can be expected to return within a month. Normal hair growth is 4-6 inches per year, so it may take 3-6 months before manageable stylable hair is grown.
For hair growth after chemo, stimulation of the hair follicles, accelerating blood flow and nutrients, and providing proper (and lost nutrition) is essential to restoring healthy hair and hair growth.
We recommend several types of products for hair growth after chemo to promote faster growing hair and to re-grow new hair:
Follicle Stimulators – Follicle Stimulators are topical applications used to promote faster hair growth. Rich in Trichogen and scalp nutrients, follicle stimulators use clinically proven ingredients to promote faster hair growth and invigorate new hair re-growth.
Trichogen, developed and tested in France, is a unique trichogenic complex which make-up the hair growth complex. It consists of a selection of synergistic components of botanical, biotechnological and synthetic origin. This ingredient is composed of many components that when combined together they become Trichogen. It stimulates blood flow, aids in blocking DHT, and has been shown to work in over 88% of tested subjects.
DHT Blockers – Though not a direct hair stimulant, DHT blockers are formulated to block DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) which often is a function of hormonal changes – common in chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. DHT blockers use natural ingredients that help to block the 5 alpha reductase enzyme that must be present for DHT to form.
It is important to note that blocking the enzyme is important, but equally important is adding extreme amounts of vitamins and aminos to your diet. This is because the hair has been mal-nourished and must be jump started. This is why scalp stimulation is also important to re-establish blood supply.
Hair Vitamins – Your body needs nutrition and it is necessary for your hair to grow properly, and hair vitamins help. Amino acids build protein chains in the hair shaft. As your hair grows up and out of the scalp it is reproducing rapidly and making these protein chains. By giving your body more of the amino acids, hair grows faster and healthier.
B Group vitamins get your hair growing faster and minerals form the bonds in the hair. Chemo generally strips vital nutrients, so vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and amino acid compounds help promote healthy hair growth.
Facing chemo hair loss can be difficult and embarrassing – adding to a very difficult life challenge. Proper diet and utilizing hair care products formulated to restore natural hair re-growth can help combat the effects of chemo and restore natural, healthy hair.
