Coping with hair loss through chemotherapy

When I was diagnosed with cancer and found out I would need to have chemotherapy, the first question I asked was "Will I lose all my hair?" In some cases, you can use something called a cold cap during chemo, which can help prevent your hair from falling out. However, with blood cancers like Hodgkin's Lymphoma this isn't an option.

Not everyone who goes through chemo loses their hair, however, unfortunately, it was unavoidable with the type of treatment I was on. I found losing my hair was one of the most difficult side-effects of chemotherapy, however, it has got a little easier with time. There's so much advice out there on coping with hair loss through chemotherapy, but here are a few things that helped me.

My hair loss story

Hair loss during chemo affects everyone differently. My specialist nurse advised me that it can start falling out around 2-3 weeks after starting treatment. For me it was more gradual. Below is my personal hair loss timeline:

• 26th February: Diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma
• 27th February: First chemo session (AVBD round 1)
• 13th March: Second chemo session of AVBD round 1
• 16th March: I cropped my hair into a shorter bob (photo below)
• 27th March: Third chemo session (AVBD round 2)
• 2nd April: My hair started to feel noticeably thinner and would come out in strands in the shower
• 9th April: Found my first bald spot at the back of my head
• 10th April: Fourth chemo session of AVBD round 2
• 18th April: Bald patch grew further. I started wearing hats everywhere to cover it up
• 21st April: Every morning I would wake up to more hair on my pillow. I felt miserable and fed up with my house being covered in hair. I made a decision to brave the shave that week
• 24th April: Fifth chemo session (AVBD round 3). When I got home from the hospital my Mum helped me to shave my head
• 7th May: My midway PET scan results came back and I was told I'd be switching from AVBD chemo to escalated-BEACOPP
• 20th May: BEACOPP round 1 begins
• 27th May: Large clumps of hair fell out in my hands while I'm in the shower. A few months ago this would have freaked me out, but now I just accept it
• 10th June: BEACOPP round 2 begins
• 23rd June: Very little hair left on my head. My eyebrows also thinned dramatically
• Mid-July: Eyelashes have completely gone
• August: The last few strands of my eyebrows fell out a few days after finishing my final round of chemo

Take advantage of your wig referral

Some people decide not to wear wigs during treatment - and that's completely fine! It's all down to personal preference. When I started losing my hair I was determined that no-one would ever see me bald. Although that attitude changed as I progressed through treatment.

My specialist nurse arranged my wig referral for me on the day I was diagnosed. I think she could tell it was something I wanted to sort out asap! My NHS Trust gave me £100 towards a synthetic wig from one of their approved suppliers. I'm not sure if this is the case with every trust, but it's worth checking. If you're aged 24 or under, you may be entitled to a free real hair wig from the Little Princess Trust.

Once my local wig shop received my referral form they gave me a call to organise a time for me to come in. I took my friend Tess with me for moral support and because I wanted a second opinion. The wig consultant took us through to a room where I settled into a chair. Weirdly it felt similar to being at the hairdresser's. She asked me what style I wanted to go for, then bought in a few different options. We quickly learned I don't suit blonde! I eventually settled on a long, brown wig with a fringe. It cost £170 in total; £100 of that was paid for with my NHS referral, then my Nan very kindly gave me some towards it (I paid the remainder).

Some people go for something completely different, but I wanted a style that was quite similar to how my hair was before. Mainly because I wanted to recognise myself when I look in the mirror!

Cut your hair shorter before starting treatment

I actually started chemo the day after I was diagnosed. However, I knew I wanted to get my hair cropped short as soon as possible so it would make the process a little easier. I was also curious to see what my hair would look like short, as I'd always had long hair.

Not everyone will feel comfortable cutting their hair short straight away, but I found it really helped. It was also easier to cover up the bald patches when my hair did eventually start falling out. For me, this was around 6 weeks after I started treatment. After 2.5 rounds of chemo I had noticeable bald spots at the back of my head, so my mum helped me to shave it all off and I started wearing my wig.

Stock up on cute hats and headscarves

You'd be surprised at the places you can find cool headscarves. I bought a lovely snake print one from Topshop, and I picked up a couple more from eBay. My Nan also knitted me a few wooly hats (while it was still winter). Then as the weather got warmer she started making me cotton chemo caps in various funky patterns.

Some people prefer to wear hats and wraps while they're going through chemo. Others prefer to wear wigs. It all comes down to what you feel most comfortable with. I wear a mixture of both; my wig on days where I want to blend into the background, hats on chemo days and for quick trips to the shop (or if I'm going out for a walk).

Explain to family and friends how you're feeling

There was a moment on the morning of my first chemo session where I broke down in front of the mirror. I got out of the shower and started to blow dry my hair. Then it hit me that soon I wouldn't be able to do that anymore. It was hard, but my mum came into the room and hugged me until I calmed down.

If someone you know is upset about losing their hair through chemotherapy, there isn't a lot you can say to make it better. I think the best thing you can do is acknowledge what they're going through sucks. Reassure them that they are justified in feeling sad. Hair can be such a huge part of your identity, and it can be hard to look in the mirror and feel like you no longer recognise yourself. Try to avoid saying stuff like "It's only hair" or "It'll grow back eventually." I used to say stuff like that to myself at the start, but it really didn't help.

Losing my hair was one of the hardest side effects of chemo I had to deal with. However I've now reached a point where I can look in the mirror and accept that this is what I look like for now.

Thank you for reading. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment below. Or you can reach out to me on Twitter or Instagram.