Hi everyone. Yesterday John had his first chemo treatment and first radiation treatment. I'm anxious and nervous dreading the upcoming side effects but trying to just take things one day at a time. When he met with the Oncologist he told him that he would most likely loose his hair. Yesterday the infusion nurse told him that only 30% of people on Cisplatin loose their hair. Since he will be receiving 1 dose a week for 7 weeks, I was wondering what personal experience people had with this. Thank you and have a wonderful weekend. Wanda

Wanda, he will loose some hair from the exit radiation at the back of his head. This generally grows back. The extent would depend on the irradiation plan. Also he may will be able to throw away his razor except for trimming sideburns.... although that too seems variable. Now at almost 2 years out, more and more patches are coming back.

As far as cisplatin/carboplatin is concerned... it certainly did nothing (hairwise) in my case and most others here would agree wit that. Enjoy the peace for the next 2 weeks and let him enjoy any food that he might like before the radiation kills the taste buds.

M

I had carboplatin and didn't lose my hair to that, but I did lose my hair from the radiation. It started falling out at the beginning of the second week. It was on the back of my head from a little below the top of my ears down - it formed a perfect line right across - you couldn't tell because my other hair covered it up. It's all mostly grown back in now - it's just not as long as my other hair is yet.

Ditto for me. I am two months out of treatment and the hair on the back of my head is starting to come back. It is a different texture than the rest of my hair. It's more like "baby" hair. I hear (read) that some of the guys never have a "full" beard again.

I lost every hair on my head during my chemo and then just as it was growing back I lost the bottom at the base of my head to radiation. It is starting to come back now, but it is a different color and texture than it was before. The lady at MVD did not believe that it was me on my DL when I went to get a copy a few weeks ago. LOL

Patty

I never lost any of my hair due to the chemo and I was told I wouldn't but like everyone else I also lost the hair on the back of my neck which did grow back and I also lost all of my whiskers and only the ones above my chin line recovered. I now don't have to shave below my chin ever again and that is THE ONLY good side effect of my Tx, other than killing the cancer.

I didn't lose much to erbitux and rads. Just some between my sideburns and chin. I let that hair go witout shaving it for a couple of days. It grew into a perfect goatee. LOL I had to shave that ugly thing. As for hair on my head, I don't remember losing any there. My angels were on duty at that time.

My hair thinned during my treatment, and like others, I ended up with a bald spot at the back of my neck. The thickness has returned, and most on the hair in back, although there are still some bald patches.

I had cisplatin and didnt lose any hair. It never even thined, it stayed nice and thick. I did have a couple spots on the back of my neck where I lost hair due to the radiation exit area. Its now grown back, but it did take about 6 months after treatments before it started to come back.