Relationship Between Chemotherapy and Hair Loss

Hair loss or alopecia is a kind of skin disorder. It affects both men and women irrespective of age. There are certain factors responsible for the loss of hair. One of the factors, which cause hair loss in men and women, is chemotherapy treatment. During this treatment a patient suffers excessive loss of hair from the body as well as from the scalp.

Chemotherapy is a kind of therapy to treat cancer. One of the most common side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. The hair loss due to chemotherapy is known as Anagen Effluvium. Anagen effluvium is an extensive form of hair loss that is caused by sudden disturbances to the cells of the hair follicles.

Chemotherapy drugs act on the fast growing cells, which includes the hair follicles and its roots. It destroys our hair by breaking it close to the scalps. The hair starts falling rapidly or gradually within a few weeks after the first chemotherapy session. The speed and the amount of hair loss depends on the type and the dosage of drugs taken by the patient. In some case, the patient suffers complete baldness. This means even the eyebrows and eyelashes are affected but as soon as the chemotherapy treatment is over, hair starts growing steadily though it usually is weaker and thinner than the original hair. When the hair grows back, patients find that it has a slight change in color and texture from the original. This is mainly due to the fact that the new hair has less thickness. This affects the overall strength, texture and color of the hair.

There are no known treatments for hair loss due to chemotherapy treatment. Most patients follow a remedy, which is quite common. They put ice pack on their scalp to slow down the circulation of blood, which they believe might slow down the speed of hair loss. This remedy maybe helpful but patients often find it uncomfortable as they feel cold and sore and not worth another risk of cancer recurring on the scalp region. Not all drugs used in chemotherapy treatment is responsible for hair loss. So it is better for patient to talk to doctors and consult for any drugs, which does not cause hair loss.

To regain the original hair after chemotherapy, proper care of hair is necessary. One should always use soft shampoos and hair creams, which contains biotin. Biotin is an element, which helps to maintain the growth and strength of hair in the body. It is found in liver and egg yolks in high quantity. Some of the foods that contain biotin include green peas, brown rice and sunflower seeds etc.