Hair Loss

[gardengirl965]

I am in week 15 of my Triple therapy treatment. I had to stop my Incevik at week 10 because of severe rash. Now I am having severe hair loss from the Interferon. Is anyone else experiencing this? if so, what are you doing about this. My hair is coming out by the handfuls!!!

[gardengirl965]

Thanks for your kind response. I posted pics on my profile page od the skin rash i suffered while on the Incevik and the hair loss I had in the last couple of months. it was terrible! Go look at my oictures.

[Dee1956]

I just wanted to chime in, I know how hard it is to lose your hair.  I got obsessed about it.  My hair was coming out so fast I could not keep up with it.
It will grow back maybe even better than it was before
I am now 8 month post tx and I have more hair than I ever did before, it is very short, shorter than it has ever been but I have it and my liver which is very good
Bo is right, you were brave to cut your hair.  I refused to do it as I wanted to hold on to every strand, pretty stupid.  I ended up getting it cut a few months after I finished treating
Good luck to you
Dee

[crossroadsec]

I'm like you, I worked and no one knew I was treating. I bought the wig. It was a mess with itchy scalp, but I played it off as well as possible. It seems like you have to have a whole bag of stuff everywhere you go. My hands split and cracked also. Deep crevices that were painful and bled.
I quit getting them wet for long. No dishes! lol. I also took quick cool baths and did not wash my hair as frequently. I used thick eucerin cream and wore cotton gloves at night. That part didn't get better for long until after treatment was over. It seemed awful at the time, and hair loss seemed to worsen after tx. About 60 to 70% loss in all.
I got it trimmed this week and she said that my hair felt like someone who had worn a pony tail too much. Thick to about 3 inches out and then fine and feathery! All this just to encourage you. I remember reading posts about hair loss looking for an answer. Hang in there!
Karen :)

[gardengirl965]

Well, they say the hair will grow back. I guess we'll find out. I hope the best for you as you head towards the end of your treatment!!

[anyonelistening]

Nioxin hair products are supposed to help. I haven't tried it yet but will be so as I am just starting to experience hairloss. Also try not to wash it everyday. And b extra careful with it when wet. Good luck. Maybe try and find a nice wig if it gets really bad. It ***** but unfortunately there is not a whole lot u can do. Rock the wigs hats and bandanas!!

[Idyllic]

My Derm gave me a bunch of tubes of CerVe as well. It was the first time I treated though. It came in four-pack box from the pharmacy with same-size tubes of a topical called Tetrix. He told me to apply the CeraVE and then wait a few minutes and then apply the Tetrix.

I really like the ingredients of the CeraVe body creme. I still use now and then.  I live in the south west and the texture of the CeraVe absorbs rapidly. I doubt it would do much in my case if I lived in a high altitude. I use it mostly for upper body.

If a Derm looked at your rash then I am thinking it must be healing since a topical steroid will speed up the cracked skin, This is a medication induced skin side effect and it could (could) linger or snow ball if not managed properly.

Keep an eye on this and to be afraid to be persistent!
I have lost 90% of my hair. This is not typical however.

[gardengirl965]

I got a bad rash all over my whole body and all my skin peeled off! The skin on my hands and feet even cracked and shed. It was very painful! I had to go off Incevik at week10. Most of my skin has healed except on the bottom of my feet, ears, hands and scalp. I spent so much time in the mornings applying lotions, creams, and ointments I thought I would never get out of the bathroom!!  lol I had to go to a Dermatologist and she recomended a  cream called CeraVe. It really helped moisturize and wasn't greasy.

[gardengirl965]

Well, I am half way through week 20. I go do another blood work tomorrow. Mine have all been good so far. I shouldn't complain so much, because from what I read on the forum some people are having a very hard time still late into their treatment. The last 2 days I imagine I am feeling stronger and more energetic. Most of my rash is gone and the itching is not as bad as it was. But this hair loss thing is the pits!! I also had long hair. I hate looking at myself, but I have a loving, supportive husband and being able to read about other peoples experiences on the forum gives me hope. I am on the count down and must keep things like appearance (hair) in perspective.

[nonsensical]

Your hair will grow back, no worries.  Try to keep your problematic skin areas moisturized at all times.  Benadryl can help with the itching as well as OTC steroid cream.  The dryness will subside once you stop the medications.

[gardengirl965]

Well, I'm at the beginning of week 20. In many ways I'm doing good. Moral has been good during treatment, until I lost so much hair. My main side effects at this point are itching, cracked skin on my hands, feet and ears, and this hair loss thing. I bet I have lost 60 % or more of my hair. I started using the Nioxin shampoo and taking Biotin, but I can't see that it has helped. I am embarressed about my appearance and have been avoiding seeing family and friends. I know that's silly, but I can't help how I feel. I went and bought a bunch of hats and wear them all the time. When I started this triple therapy it was not made clear to me the exact extent of how bad the rash and  hair loss would be. Now I am worried what if my hair doesn't grow back in?! It makes it hard to focus on how good I am really doing. I have not told any of our family or friends that I have HCV. Have been suffering alone. Luckily we live in the country and I don't have to see many people.

[BoceprevirGal]

  You are brave to get the short cut! I am 6 weeks post Tx, and my hair is falling out rapidly, and seems to be a silier texture.
   I am cutting it off myself, a little more everyday :(
   I am going to keep cutting off the part where I used to dye it (I havent in 7 months) because that part looks like frizzle fry.
  I am seeing this whole experience as part of a transformation, for the better :)  
  I shed so much hair today, I could've built a birds' nest :/
  I'm still taking the biotin, but only 1 pill a day, which is what is recommended on the bottle.

[gardengirl965]

Thanks for your reply. My rash went all over my body too! My skin has peeled off ever where. Now it is peeling off my hands and the soles of my feet. It's so painful I can hardly walk. Even off my eye lids!
Now at week 15, I think I have suffered every side effect there is. I tell them at my doctor's appt.s and they just look at me and say " Oh you're doing so good". Go figure!!

[gardengirl965]

Thanks for your reply! I went to the beauty shop last Friday and told them about my hair falling out due to a strong medication. The lady that worked on me was familar with ladies losing hair due to cancer medications. She gave me a really good short cut. And she told me the same thing you did. Take Biotin and use Nioxin hair care products. When i got some Nioxin and Biotin.
I cried a little when I saw all my long hair on the floor of the beauty shop. I have had long hair down the middle of my back for the last 30 years.

[Dannyboi7]

My hair was falling out by the handful until week 12 into my treatment,I had wavy shoulder length hair.By then I decided to have it cut really short,doing that made hair loss less noticeable.As the others have said there is not much you can do except what is recommended such as don't wash it or style it often as you use to ect.

Best wishes


Dannyboi7

[Idyllic]

Sorry this is happening. I agree with OH. There is not much you can do to mitigate medication-related hair loss. Sure maybe some shampoos might be better than others and there are less stressful ways to style your hair but other than that hair loss is going to run its course.

There might be supplements and hair care products that help when you are finished with treatment but I am not sure how much they would benefit at this stage of the game.

Not to worry tho: your hair will grow back when this is over.
Hang in there :)

[swhep]

I am in my 20th week of incivek triple therapy. I have lost most of my side hair, looks like having a Punk/Mohawk hair style. I think it will grow back.

[orphanedhawk]

Hair loss is a common sx.
Use shampoo that is gentle, and don't over comb it. However, there is little you can do.
It will grow back after.
Look at this link.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Hair-growth/show/1814203

[BoceprevirGal]

  Hi there, sorry about your Incivek rash, but 10 weeks is a good long time with such a powerful drug, and now the Interferon/Riba are doing a good job, as well~
   Uhm...I didn't start getting hair loss, until my 20 th week, although my rash went all the way up to my head, and gave me an itchy scalp.
   But at 4 weeks Post treatment, yes, my hair is also falling out, about 10 strands come out, if I run my hand thru it.
   If my husband catches me doing this on his bed, he sends me out, like a shedding pet!  I cut the dry ends off, and it helps, if I moisturize my scalp, with cocoa butter, etc, but I dont do that much, since I have straight hair which looks greasy, with oil in it.
   I am taking a B vitamin called Biotin, which is good for hair and nails, but havent noriced a difference yet.
   There is a speciicf Chemo shampoo, for our problem, that can be bought at a Medical Supply Store though..it starts with "N" , like Nixoril~  I
havent tried it yet...but I bought I pretty cotton hat yesterday...good luck