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What Cancer Causes Hair Loss

Child Birth Injury Cerebral Palsy Brain Damage & Erbs Palsy

CAN MICRONEEDLING FOR HAIR LOSS CAUSE FIBROSIS AND CANCER?!

There is nothing more joyous than the miracle of birth. Like everything else in life, there is a certain amount of risk and of course opportunities for neglect to creep in and cause damage. Another common form of medical malpractice that we encounter at the law firm is that of a child birth injury. A birth injury is a very serious injury. Depending on the severity of it, the expenses for treatment will run a lifetime and can be insurmountable without compensation. If your newborn child was injured during birth, first make sure the child is okay and then seek the legal counsel of an experienced child birth injury lawyer.

Child birth injuries are often caused because of distractions, inattention, and mistakes caused by overworked medical staff at hospitals and birth centers. Typical child birth injuries involve the negligent use of birthing forceps or vacuum extractor, and failure to treat infections, meningitis, jaundice and other conditions. Such negligence often results in the following child birth conditions:

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Dilation and curettage
  • Oophorectomy
  • Removal of transvaginal mesh products

Complicating the situation, relatively noninvasive gynecological procedures are often performed with the assistance of robots. One device, in particular, Intuitive Surgical, Inc.s da Vinci surgical robot, has been linked to severe burn injuries. If these devices are not programmed with the utmost care, patients can be severely injured.

Who Experiences Hair Loss

Not every person will lose his or her hair during cancer care. In fact, two patients taking the same medication may experience different hair-loss side effects. One patient may lose hair, while another doesnt. If alopecia does occur, the extent of hair loss varies widely depending on the type, dosage, frequency and method of treatment, as well as other individual factors.

In some cases, the hair may fall out, but become thin, dull and dry. When hair loss occurs, hair may fall out gradually, quickly, in clumps or entirely. The scalp may also feel tender or itchy beforehand.

Most hair loss is temporary, and hair will grow back after cancer treatment ends. Hair generally grows back within three months after chemotherapy ends and three to six months after radiation ends. Sometimes hair re-growth begins even before therapy is complete. Its common for hair to grow back a slightly different color and texture at first.

Baldness drug treatments, such as minoxidil, are not proven to be consistently effective to reduce or prevent hair loss caused by cancer treatment. In some cases, cooling caps, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for some patients, may help to protect hair cells from chemotherapy drugs. Cooling caps are designed to work by constricting cells, making it more difficult for the drugs to penetrate, and by reducing cellular activity in the hair follicles, making them a less likely target for chemotherapy drugs.

When Not To Use Scalp Cooling

Scalp cooling is not suitable for use in all types of cancer or situations. You wont normally have scalp cooling if there is too high a risk that there might be cancer cells in your scalp blood vessels. This is because the cells in the scalp blood vessels might survive the treatment.

Scalp cooling is not recommended in people:

  • with blood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma
  • whose cancer has spread to the scalp
  • who are due to have radiotherapy to their scalp

You would not have scalp cooling with continuous chemotherapy through a pump or with chemotherapy tablets. This is because you would have to wear the cold cap for 24 hours a day.

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Before Treatment Begins / Before Hair Loss

  • Discuss side effects with the care team. Plan for side effects, including hair loss, by talking with the care team. Hair loss is not always predictable, but the care team can help families understand whether hair loss is likely with a particular treatment.
  • Prepare ahead of time. Hair loss can be sudden or gradual. It can be surprising and scary when it happens, even if you expect it. Hair may fall out in the shower or you may notice hair on the pillow or in your brush. A child life specialist can help families prepare children using age-friendly information.
  • Make a plan for when hair falls out. Some patients cut their hair short or shave their head before hair falls out. Other patients may wait and see what happens. This might be a time to try a crazy haircut or hair color. Be sure to check with the care team before using any dye or chemical product. Also, keep in mind that hair dye can damage hair and contribute to hair loss.
  • Consider head cover options. It can help to think about hats, head scarves, and wigs before hair falls out. Shopping for head coverings can give patients some sense of control and personal choice. Encourage patients to think about their personal style and comfort. A variety of options are available, and they can be a way to express personality, communicate gender, and promote social interaction. Hats and wigs are available in sizes and styles specially designed for children.

Choosing a Wig or Hat

  • Comfort

Common Questions About Hair Loss And Cancer

New cancer treatment prevents hair loss from chemotherapy ...

Will chemo make me lose my hair? It depends. Hair loss is very common with certain chemo medicines. However, chemo does not always cause hair loss. Some patients may not lose their hair. Others may have thinning hair. With some chemotherapy, hair loss is complete and includes eyebrows, eyelashes, and body hair. The specific type of chemo and the dose you receive will determine the risk of hair loss and how it occurs.

When will my hair fall out after chemo? Usually, hair begins to fall out 2-3 weeks after starting chemo. Hair loss may be seen sooner or later, depending on the chemo schedule.

Will my hair grow back after chemo? Hair loss after chemo is usually temporary. But it might take a while to regrow hair after treatment ends. Most patients see hair growth 2-3 months after chemo is complete. New hair may appear more like peach fuzz and then will fill in as the hair growth cycle returns to normal. It can take 6-12 months before hair reaches full thickness. Parents may need to explain to children who had long hair that growing out the length can take a very long time. On average, hair grows about 6 inches per year.

Will I lose my hair after radiation? Hair loss after radiation therapy is generally limited to the parts of the body that receive treatment. Patients who have radiation to parts of the body other than the head will not lose the hair on their head unless they also receive chemo or other medicines that cause hair loss.

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Diagnosing The Cause Of Hair Loss

As a first diagnostic step, your vet will do a thorough physical exam, focusing on the skin and coat and looking for evidence of pain or any fleas.

Your vet will also ask about any other symptoms you might be seeing, like any scratching, head shaking, behavioral changes, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or urinary issues.

Mites, bacteria, yeast, and fungi like ringworm, can only be seen with a microscope so your vet will probably recommend checking for these with testing like skin scrapes, cytology, and fungal cultures.

Allergy testing can be done with a blood test or a skin test. Your vet may recommend blood and urine tests as well. Some unusual cases may need additional testing like a skin biopsy or may be referred to a specialist veterinary dermatologist.

When Can I Perm Straighten Or Dye My Hair

Ask your medical team how long you should wait after finishing treatment before you colour, chemically straighten or perm your hair. Traces of chemotherapy in your hair strands could react with the chemicals used in the styling processes.

Natural, temporary dyes might be better than permanent chemical products. If youd like to dye your hair, you could ask your clinical nurse specialist if a vegetable-based hair dye that you wash out is suitable for you. These are milder and less damaging to your hair and scalp than chemical ones.

Whichever treatment type youve had, your new hair might be fragile so you should wait for at least six months after your hair has started to grow back before you have woven-in or glued-in hair extensions.

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Read To Know What Dr Pawan Gupta Has To Say About Hair Loss And Breast Cancer

Written by Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : October 31, 2017 11:59 AM IST

We all know that leaky breasts or a lump in the breast are a sign of breast cancer. But one common question that most people have is — can breast cancer also lead to hair loss? We asked Dr Pawan Gupta, Additional Director, Surgical Oncology, Jaypee Hospital, Noida about the same and here is what he has to say about hair loss and breast cancer.

If you thought that hair loss is a symptom of breast cancer, you are wrong. Breast cancer does not cause hair loss. Moreover, the severity of hair loss is independent of the stage of the cancer and the type of breast cancer. In the case of cancer, as the cell divides continuously, there is a less chance of hair loss. However, if you suffer from breast cancer and are undergoing chemotherapy, then there are high chances that you can lose hair because of the medications. Also, the severity of hair loss is high, if the dose of drugs is high. Hence, hair loss in the case of breast cancer is mainly because of the treatment process — chemotherapy and radiation and not a symptom of the cancer. Here’s more on what to expect after your breast cancer treatment.

Can hair loss during chemotherapy be prevented?

Side Effects Of Scalp Cooling

Hair Loss: Chemotherapy Symptoms

Scalp cooling can make you feel cold all over and uncomfortable. At the start, you might feel very uncomfortable for around the first 15 minutes. This should then ease. Let your nurse know if you cant cope and want to stop the treatment. Scalp cooling can also:

  • give you a headache
  • cause pain in your forehead
  • make you feel sick

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After Treatment / New Hair Growth

  • Continue to treat hair and scalp gently. Protect scalp from the sun while hair grows in.
  • Wait until hair has grown in before coloring hair or using chemical products.
  • Do not use vitamins, supplements, or topical hair growth products without talking to a doctor.
  • Find a professional hair stylist who has worked with cancer patients and can give advice during the growing out process.

Each patient copes with hair loss differently. What is helpful for one person may not be helpful for another. For example, friends and family often wish to shave their heads in support of the patient. For some patients, this can help them feel like they are not alone. But for other patients, this can make them feel worse. Some patients say that seeing their family or friends without hair is just another reminder and further reduces the normalcy in their lives. Family and friends can ask the patient directly about what they find supportive.

Is It Possible To Prevent Hair Loss

Scientists have tested different drugs to see if they could prevent hair loss in people who are treated for cancer. So far, there are no treatments approved for use in the UK to prevent hair loss.

You might have heard of something called cold capping or scalp cooling, where you wear a hat filled with a cold gel or liquid while you have your chemotherapy. Cold capping reduces the flow of blood carrying chemotherapy to your hair. Although it can reduce hair loss, it is not recommended for people with lymphoma or other cancers affecting blood cells. This is because you could have lymphoma cells in the blood vessels of your scalp. If you wear a cold cap, the cells are more likely to survive chemotherapy, making the treatment less effective.

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Cold Caps During Chemotherapy

A cold cap is a hat that is worn during some chemotherapy treatments. Its cooling effect reduces blood flow to the scalp, which also reduces the amount of chemotherapy medication that reaches this area. This helps to prevent hair loss.

It’s usually worn for 15 minutes before each chemotherapy treatment. You can find out about scalp cooling caps on the Macmillan website.

How To Deal With Cancer

Cancers That Cause Hair Loss

When you’re struggling with cancer, treatments and the challenges that come with a diagnosis, it may be difficult to adjust to hair loss and other changes to your body and appearance. But there are ways to prepare for and deal with hair loss when it occurs. Here are 12 ways to help cope with cancer-related hair loss:

Give yourself time. Losing your hair may be difficult to accept. It may take time to adjust to how you look, then more time to feel good about yourself again. Its okay to feel upset. At the same time, understand that losing your hair is usually temporary and hair will re-grow after you complete treatment.

Remember youre still you. Losing your hair and experiencing other physical changes brought on by cancer and its treatment may come as a shock. It may be disorienting to look in the mirror and not recognize yourself. Remember that youre still the same person on the inside. Try to celebrate who you are and focus on those qualities.

Prepare ahead for hair changes. Before you begin cancer treatment, prepare in advance for changes to your hair. Talk to your doctor about what to expect. Meet with a stylist who is familiar with cancer-related hair loss. Some people choose to wear head coverings, and others dont. Choose whatever feels most comfortable for you. It also helps to think about how you will respond to reactions from others.

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Ways To Manage Hair Loss

Talk with your health care team about ways to manage before and after hair loss:

  • Treat your hair gently. You may want to use a hairbrush with soft bristles or a wide-tooth comb. Do not use hair dryers, irons, or products such as gels or clips that may hurt your scalp. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo. Wash it less often and be very gentle. Pat it dry with a soft towel.
  • You have choices. Some people choose to cut their hair short to make it easier to deal with when it starts to fall out. Others choose to shave their head. If you choose to shave your head, use an electric shaver so you wont cut yourself. If you plan to buy a wig, get one while you still have hair so you can match it to the color of your hair. If you find wigs to be itchy and hot, try wearing a comfortable scarf or turban.
  • Protect and care for your scalp. Use sunscreen or wear a hat when you are outside. Choose a comfortable scarf or hat that you enjoy and that keeps your head warm. If your scalp itches or feels tender, using lotions and conditioners can help it feel better.
  • Talk about your feelings. Many people feel angry, depressed, or embarrassed about hair loss. It can help to share these feelings with someone who understands. Some people find it helpful to talk with other people who have lost their hair during cancer treatment. Talking openly and honestly with your children and close family members can also help you all. Tell them that you expect to lose your hair during treatment.

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