When I first started chemotherapy to treat my lung cancer, my doctor insisted I would not lose my hair. She told me I might have other side effects, such as nausea, fatigue, and others typically associated with chemo, but those particular chemotherapy drugs would not cause hair loss.
I started my treatment in early August, and by the end of August, I was shedding hair like crazy all over the house. It was so bad, my husband bought buckets to put in each room to collect my hair in. In early September, I cut my hair short.
I asked other lung cancer survivors online if they had hair loss from the chemo I was on, and they did. I think it is just that everyone’s bodies respond differently to these treatments. My body definitely did not respond the way my doctor thought it would.
The hair loss didn’t concern me, though, because I didn’t have any other side effects. The first week, I did have a slight loss of appetite, but it came back after a few days. To this day, I have never had to face nausea. In fact, I was able to eat almost entirely normally throughout treatment. If I had to pick between hair loss and some of the other side effects, such as nausea or extreme fatigue, I would pick hair loss every time.
Unfortunately, my hair did not fall out stylishly. It fell out in chunks, leaving me with some patches of hair and some bald spots, which started to creep me out. On my birthday in early October, I had my husband shave my head. I recorded it while my daughter and mom watched. It was kind of fun. I was making crazy faces with each pass of the clippers, and my daughter was picking up the hair off the floor.
I’ve always been more adventurous with my hair, changing the colors and length, but it was a bit of a shock to look in the mirror after I shaved my head. It was the first time I looked like I had cancer. While I never had a moment of hesitation about shaving my head and I’m still glad I did it, it probably took me about 3 weeks to get used to my “new look.”
I ordered a wig that I thought I would wear, but I only wore it two or three times. It was really uncomfortable and hot. I found that I preferred beanies and hats, particularly after I shaved my head; the soft fabric felt so much better than the itchy wig. It just wasn’t worth it to me to be uncomfortable.
I also liked hats because your head can get shockingly cold without hair, particularly in Indiana winters, and Minnesota where I received some of my treatment. I wasn’t wearing a hat to hide my bald head, though. In fact, I didn’t want to hide it. There is so much stigma around lung cancer, and people don’t realize how common it is. It wouldn’t have bothered me to look outwardly sick because I want people to talk to me about it so I can help them understand that lung cancer can happen to anyone.
Now, about 6 months after I originally started to lose it, my hair is growing back in. I had heard stories it might come back different than before, so I was curious how it would look. Before it fell out, my hair was really dark and straight. So far, it’s come back straight, but all shades of gray. I noticed a little color the other day, though, so I have no idea what it will look like 6 months from now.
Ultimately, the hair loss was worth it. To me, the most important thing was that my cancer was being treated. Hair grows back; even if it didn’t, I still would’ve done the treatment. If it’s better for my health, it’s worth it.
If you are starting a treatment that might cause your hair to fall out, the best advice I can give is to remember two things: it is temporary, and it is a sign that your cancer is being treated. If you need more encouragement, join the Virtual Meetups to talk to long-term lung cancer survivors who have been through it all. They will give you hope and help you realize that a few months of hair loss might lead to years of life, even with stage IV lung cancer.
Looking for tips to deal with hair loss? Check out our blog post Coping with Cancer Treatment-related Hair Loss.
Related Reading:
- The Importance of Community for Lung Cancer Survivors
- Palliative Care: An Important Tool for Advanced-Stage Lung Cancer Patients
- Coming to Terms with a Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Ashley was diagnosed with stage III B lung cancer in July 2020. Her team initially tried to shrink the tumor with chemo in order to remove her lung with surgery, but unfortunately, there was little response. She then received proton therapy radiation with concurrent chemo for 6 weeks at the Mayo Clinic. During treatment, it was discovered that she had progressed to stage IV (most likely prior to starting radiation) with one bone metastasis that was subsequently treated with SBRT radiation. After biomarker testing, it was determined she had a RET mutation, and she now takes a targeted therapy to treat her cancer. Her 3-month follow-up scan is planned for March 2021.
Ashely lives with her husband, Nick, 4-year-old daughter, Tyler, and several pets in Indiana, where she works full-time for a medical device company.