Hair Change After Chemotherapy

why does your hair change after chemotherapy. hair is a genetic code in your DNA so does that mean that it changes your DNA?

Hair has a very high metabolic rate just like the cancers you are treating with chemotherapy. These chemotherapeutic agents get to cells that have a high metabolic rate, which include: hair, elements of bone marrow, intestinal cells. So when you get chemotherapy, it gets to all of the fast growing cells. That is why people become anemic on chemotherapy, or get diarrhea from damage to the intestinal lining of the stomach and intestines, so I would expect that if the hair is not forced into its telogen cycle, the hair growing out would not be normal.


2008-09-15 15:11:29Hair Change After Chemotherapy

I Took Cialis and Grew My Hair Back.

I took Cialis, and part of my balding top has started to grow back some hair. Maybe the blood vessels that opened up also started to pump blood around the head (not the small head.. but the other head housing the brain) giving hair growth a boost?

This may be unique to you, but thanks for the comment. Cialis is now prescribed for both prostate enlargement and as an ED treatment. The drug is prescribed as a low dose (5mg/day), so if it helps your hair in addition to the other benefits, that’s great. I wrote about this in 2013 (https://baldingblog.com/2013/04/12/am-i-regrowing-hair-from-cialis/)


2018-06-21 13:13:18I Took Cialis and Grew My Hair Back.

Hair Growth After Chemotherapy (Video)

I found this video and I thought you might be interested in sharing it on your blog. Its about hair growth after chemo.

Have a nice day.

Thank you for sending this! This is a fantastic photo journal that shows a breast cancer survivor’s hair regrowth timeline after her last round of chemotherapy.


2010-10-20 08:55:14Hair Growth After Chemotherapy (Video)

Hair Loss Acceleration from Propecia Means It’s Working?

Dr. Rassman, thank you for your very imformative site!!

If after starting Propecia, one’s hair loss temporalally accelerates, would this be a sign that the drug is working and that regrowth is likely (i.e., would one be better off if they actually see accelearted loss versus not seeing it)?

When regrowth occurs with Propecia, is the initial hair very fine or does it grow back as normal hair?

Sometimes it is thought that Propecia, when it is working, may accelerate the cycling of the hair. If this happens, there is a possibility that hair loss might worsen temporarily after starting Propecia. Most people who are responding to Propecia should be minimizing or preventing further male pattern hair loss and that is what most people tell me.


2006-07-18 08:28:25Hair Loss Acceleration from Propecia Means It’s Working?

Traction Alopecia from Pushing Down on Hair?

Could a head band cause hair loss? I know the answer will probably be “if it pulls on the hair it may cause traction loss” which I understand, but I honestly don’t know if something like this has potential to pull on the hair.

Here is a photo of the item in question, it would be good to hear your thoughts on the possibility of traction loss: Photo

I guess another question is, since something like this pushes down on the hair, is traction possible from something pushing down on your head like this would? Thanks.

The band you are using does not appear tight. If that is correct, I would doubt that this would be a problem.


2012-02-07 11:01:33Traction Alopecia from Pushing Down on Hair?

Hair Loss and Accutane, Part 2

My original blog entry (found here) detailed a reader’s thinning hair, possibly due to taking Accutane when he was a young man. The following is my response to him along with one of his photos, which I was given permission to post.

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Thanks for sending your pictures. I am using one of these for the Balding Blog to make good reading for our audience, showing only a top down view without anyone able to identify you. What I see in this photograph along with the other you sent, is that you seem to have miniaturization throughout the Norwood Class 6 pattern. The frontal hairline looks stronger than the area behind it (a good surprise), suggesting that the frontal line has different and stronger genetics than the hair behind it. I can not determine the amount of miniaturization that is there, but a good baseline is needed to determine change over time and any response to medications. Also, the donor area around the back and sides needs to be assessed to determine if you have a condition called Diffuse Patterned Alopecia, a diagnosis that is important to make prior to considering what to do about your problem.

With such an extensive area of thinning, your donor supply, skin laxity, and varying hair characteristics need to be determined before any treatment recommendation can be made. You may be a good candidate for Propecia and/or Rogaine. The pictures help, but I would think that you need to be managed by a competent doctor before going forward from here.