I am curious about hair regrowth after high dose melphalan. How long does it take before hair begins to re-grow after administration of melphalan? Is permanent hair loss a real possibility?
Thank you, Karen
Forums
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KarenaD - Name: Karen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 4, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
It took about 10 - 12 weeks before I saw any significant hair regrowth. I was never completely bald – close, but I had a fringe around my hairline. I never shaved my head, as some people do. FYI, my eyelashes and brows thinned, but I did not lose them completely; also, you may lose all of your pubic hair, too, but that will grow back, as well.
My hair was wavy before the transplant. Now it is curlier and thicker. That is common, as well.
Good luck and please keep us posted. There are many good links on stem cell transplants on the Beacon.
My hair was wavy before the transplant. Now it is curlier and thicker. That is common, as well.
Good luck and please keep us posted. There are many good links on stem cell transplants on the Beacon.
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
Welcome to the forum, Karen.
As Ellen hinted in her posting, there are a lot of discussions here in the forum related to stem cell transplants, including discussions of hair loss. This link, for example, will take you to all discussions related to "hair".
Also, this posting,
"Useful links to existing forum discussions"
will take you to a list of links that will quickly take you to lists of discussions about specific treatments and side effects. Notice that, at the bottom of that posting, there is a list of transplant journals people have made here in the forum.
Almost all the links in the posting are created using the forum's search functionality, which works best when you search on one keyword at a time (like "hair"), rather than phrases (like "hair loss" or "preventing hair loss").
Good luck!
As Ellen hinted in her posting, there are a lot of discussions here in the forum related to stem cell transplants, including discussions of hair loss. This link, for example, will take you to all discussions related to "hair".
Also, this posting,
"Useful links to existing forum discussions"
will take you to a list of links that will quickly take you to lists of discussions about specific treatments and side effects. Notice that, at the bottom of that posting, there is a list of transplant journals people have made here in the forum.
Almost all the links in the posting are created using the forum's search functionality, which works best when you search on one keyword at a time (like "hair"), rather than phrases (like "hair loss" or "preventing hair loss").
Good luck!
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
Thank you for your replies, Cheryl and Ellen! All the best.
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KarenaD - Name: Karen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 4, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
Hi Karen!
During my stay in the hospital (ASCT in May 2015), my hair started to fall out, so a wonderful caring tech shaved it for me. Most of my hair, except my eyebrows and eyelashes, vanished over time. My hair started to return at the end of August, and came back thick and curly. Before, my hair was pretty straight and thick. I still wear nice warm beanie caps to keep my head warm.
I wrote a little about my transplant experiences here on the forum. See this thread:
"My autologous stem cell transplant at Jefferson" (started May 4, 2015)
Everyone is different, though. Every four weeks or so, my eyelashes gradually fall out, but then they grow back.
I am still waiting for many of my taste buds to return, but I am grateful that I can taste chocolate. I wish you well in your journey.
Denise
During my stay in the hospital (ASCT in May 2015), my hair started to fall out, so a wonderful caring tech shaved it for me. Most of my hair, except my eyebrows and eyelashes, vanished over time. My hair started to return at the end of August, and came back thick and curly. Before, my hair was pretty straight and thick. I still wear nice warm beanie caps to keep my head warm.
I wrote a little about my transplant experiences here on the forum. See this thread:
"My autologous stem cell transplant at Jefferson" (started May 4, 2015)
Everyone is different, though. Every four weeks or so, my eyelashes gradually fall out, but then they grow back.
I am still waiting for many of my taste buds to return, but I am grateful that I can taste chocolate. I wish you well in your journey.
Denise
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computerteacher - Name: Computer Teacher
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November/December 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
Thanks, Denise. Interesting about your eyelashes. When I lost my eyelashes during breast cancer treatments in 2014, I jump-started their re-growth with Latisse (bimatoprost). It worked like a charm, and my eyelashes grew back lush and thick within a few weeks. Unfortunately, Latisse didn't work as well on my eyebrows, and they took much longer to re-grow.
I really had no problem with being bald at that time (I wore scarves instead of a wig), but once I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows, I was much more self conscious – because I felt I then looked really sick. But it's all part of the process, and we have no choice but to accept it and adapt to it as best we can.
And thank goodness you can still taste the tongue-tantalizing cocoa bean!
Karen
I really had no problem with being bald at that time (I wore scarves instead of a wig), but once I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows, I was much more self conscious – because I felt I then looked really sick. But it's all part of the process, and we have no choice but to accept it and adapt to it as best we can.
And thank goodness you can still taste the tongue-tantalizing cocoa bean!
Karen
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KarenaD - Name: Karen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 4, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
Does anyone know when the hair starts growing back again?
I lost all the hair on my head and face except for my eyebrows. I have shaven daily for 40 years & this is the very first exception. I had the stem cell transplant a month ago and haven't shaved in two weeks and my face is as smooth as if I just shaved 5 minutes ago.
I lost all the hair on my head and face except for my eyebrows. I have shaven daily for 40 years & this is the very first exception. I had the stem cell transplant a month ago and haven't shaved in two weeks and my face is as smooth as if I just shaved 5 minutes ago.
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scoob - Name: dave
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
As a postscript to my original post, it is now 5 months since my transplant, and I’m thrilled to have over an inch of hair regrowth. However, the hair texture has changed quite dramatically!
My head is now covered in a mass of tight ringlet-like curls, and I’m wondering how long this curly chaos will last? Will my Chia® Pet be permanent (no pun intended)?
My head is now covered in a mass of tight ringlet-like curls, and I’m wondering how long this curly chaos will last? Will my Chia® Pet be permanent (no pun intended)?
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KarenaD - Name: Karen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 4, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
My husband sported the chia look for just a few months. He's always had very thick, coarse, straight hair, and it came in crazy curly and very fine. After his first real haircut though – a buzz cut – the curls never came back. I really miss them though.
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reece93 - Name: reece93
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 57
Re: Hair regrowth after high-dose melphalan
Karena,
Enjoy the ringlet curls while they last! I had some nice wavy curls too, but as the hair grew back in, eventually I went back to my straight hair. The ringlets were not a permanent change, but I think that my hair grew in better than it was previously. It seems thicker now, so maybe being healthier has had something to do with that.
Enjoy the ringlet curls while they last! I had some nice wavy curls too, but as the hair grew back in, eventually I went back to my straight hair. The ringlets were not a permanent change, but I think that my hair grew in better than it was previously. It seems thicker now, so maybe being healthier has had something to do with that.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
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