Chemotherapy Hair Loss and Scalp Pain: Gentle Care Tips for When Your Hair Starts Falling Out
After a shower, you look down and see far more hair than usual collecting near the drain. When you wake up, there are strands on your pillow. Each time you run your hand through your hair, several more come away at once. The hair loss itself can be distressing, but it may feel even more alarming when your scalp also becomes sore, tender, itchy, or painful when your hair moves. “Is it normal to lose this much hair?” “Will all of my hair fall out?” “Will washing my hair make it worse?” “What can I safely put on a painful scalp?” “Would it be easier to shave my head now?” When chemotherapy-related hair loss begins, patients may suddenly find themselves making many unfamiliar decisions. You may wonder which shampoo to use, whether you should keep washing your hair, whether to cut it short, whether to shave it, and whether you should prepare a wig, scarf, or soft cap. The first thing to understand is this: Gentle shampoo and careful scalp care cannot always prevent chemotherapy-related hair...