Living with a disease like cancer is horrible. The side effects of its treatment are even more depressing. Chemotherapy is recommended when there is a chance of cancer cells spreading in the body.
One of the most feared side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. Hair loss occurs because chemotherapy kills all the healthy cells of the body, not just cancer cells. Especially sensitive hair follicles as they multiply just like cancer cells. The only difference is normal cells can repair themselves gradually.
Chemo-related hair loss may be different for each individual. It can cause
Why does chemotherapy cause hair loss?
The hair loss due to chemotherapy is called Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). The degree of hair loss( CIA)depends upon the
We can better understand the traumatic situation by knowing the cause behind it:
Chemo cause hair loss because
The leading cause of chemotherapy-induced alopecia or hair loss is, it destroys all the rapidly growing cells of the body. Cancer cells grow at tremendous speed. They are called "Cells Gone Wrong". Because they don't respond to signals and mechanisms of cellular growth and programmed death (Apoptosis).
They evade all the instructions that tell the normal cells to stop dividing.
Similarly, normal cells of our body keep on dividing especially hair follicles. To stop uncontrollable cell division and spread of cancerous cells, chemo-medicines are given that eventually destroys all rapidly growing cells including hair follicles, causing partial, complete hair loss or hair thinning.
Blind destruction of cells:
The chemo drugs can not differentiate between healthy and wrong gone cells. Chemo-drugs attack hair cells the most because hair follicles grow tremendously fast and divide to produce more cells. In a normal person's hair cells divide every 24 to 72 hours.
Structural damage to cells:
Chemo causes structural damage to human hair. It targets the genetic of the hair cell. DNA and RNA. These genetic materials provide a guideline for cell division.
Chemotherapeutic medicines such as cisplatin, doxorubicin cyclophosphamide damage DNA and shatter cellular growth mechanisms.
Effects all hair growth phases:
Chemotherapy attacks all hair growth phases. That is why about 65% of patients suffer from Chemotherapy-induced alopecia. The hair growth cycle goes through different structural phases.
Anagen: Anagen is the longest phase the last for 3 to 7 years. 90% of the hair on your head is in this phase.
Catagen: hair growth slows down but hair remains attached to the scalp.
Telogen: this is the resting phase that lasts around 3 months. 10 to 15 % of hair rest in this phase all the time.
Chemotherapy affects all phases at different levels. However, the most affected phase is the active growth phase Anagen. In some cases, hair follicles are badly affected and cause complete baldness.
Blood flow to the hair:
A dermal vascular plexus surrounds hair and supply blood and nutrition. The blood supply takes chemotherapy medicines to the hair follicles and causes rapid damage.
Different chemo-medicine reactions:
Chemotherapy drug classification has a prominent influence on the degree of Chemotherapy-induced hair loss (alopecia). Each drug target a different phase of the cell growth cycle.
The ability of the drug to cause hair loss depends upon the specific drug, dosage, route, and schedule of drug infusion.
High- dosage: intravenous chemotherapy (injecting anticancer drug) starts working faster than other forms of chemo. They have a faster and direct effect on human hair cells. A complete hair loss is generally seen.
Low- dosage: oral medication or weekly intravenous chemo cause less damage to hair cells. Especially oral medicines are less harmful to hair follicles.
For example, low or moderate interventions cyclophosphamide cause complete hair loss. Whereas, oral cyclophosphamide causes less and reversible hair loss.
Combo therapy: The combination of both oral and intravenous therapy has more chances to cause hair loss than single therapy.
Chemo Drugs:
Around 50 chemo drugs are used to cure cancer. The following list contains drugs that have been proven to cause hair loss after chemo. Each individual's diagnose profile is different so the reaction to these drugs may not be the same for all. Alopecia may be mild, severe, or absent.
Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss. Other factors increase the extent and risk of hair loss after chemo.
Such as; older age, thyroid disease, androgenic alopecia, liver dysfunction, prior exposure to irradiation, prior chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant. Stress and poor nutritive status of the patients.
Take Away:
Hair loss (CIA) is a consequence of chemotherapy. It is unavoidable but it can be managed with the help of family, friends, your medical assistance, above all your willpower. Most likely hair loss is reversible. After 2 to 3 months of treatment hair will re-grow. Sometimes they grow back but stay thin.
Don’t let this temporary phase defeat your self-esteem and confidence. The ideal way to cope with the situation is to get informed well about chemo-related hair loss. Be mentally prepared for the coming damage. It will make you feel better and prepared.
During the hair loss phase, you can choose to wear wigs, hair extensions, head coverings, or welcome the new look with a dash of confidence.
One of the most feared side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. Hair loss occurs because chemotherapy kills all the healthy cells of the body, not just cancer cells. Especially sensitive hair follicles as they multiply just like cancer cells. The only difference is normal cells can repair themselves gradually.
Chemo-related hair loss may be different for each individual. It can cause
- Thinning of hair
- Partial hair loss (loss in patches)
- Complete hair loss
Why does chemotherapy cause hair loss?
The hair loss due to chemotherapy is called Chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). The degree of hair loss( CIA)depends upon the
- Type of cancer
- Specific medicine or combo of medicine used for chemo
- Dose and pattern of chemo-treatment
- Patient's overall health and age
We can better understand the traumatic situation by knowing the cause behind it:
Chemo cause hair loss because
- It affects all the rapidly growing cells of the body in the same way including hair.
- It cannot differentiate between healthy and cancer cells.
- It causes structural damage to the cells thus destroys hair in different structural phases.
- It causes anemia that leads to poor health conditions such as hair loss, brittle nails, etc.
- Different chemo medicines react differently.
- Other medical conditions of the patient (thyroid disease).
- Stress and nutrition status of the patient.
The leading cause of chemotherapy-induced alopecia or hair loss is, it destroys all the rapidly growing cells of the body. Cancer cells grow at tremendous speed. They are called "Cells Gone Wrong". Because they don't respond to signals and mechanisms of cellular growth and programmed death (Apoptosis).
They evade all the instructions that tell the normal cells to stop dividing.
Similarly, normal cells of our body keep on dividing especially hair follicles. To stop uncontrollable cell division and spread of cancerous cells, chemo-medicines are given that eventually destroys all rapidly growing cells including hair follicles, causing partial, complete hair loss or hair thinning.
Blind destruction of cells:
The chemo drugs can not differentiate between healthy and wrong gone cells. Chemo-drugs attack hair cells the most because hair follicles grow tremendously fast and divide to produce more cells. In a normal person's hair cells divide every 24 to 72 hours.
Structural damage to cells:
Chemo causes structural damage to human hair. It targets the genetic of the hair cell. DNA and RNA. These genetic materials provide a guideline for cell division.
Chemotherapeutic medicines such as cisplatin, doxorubicin cyclophosphamide damage DNA and shatter cellular growth mechanisms.
Effects all hair growth phases:
Chemotherapy attacks all hair growth phases. That is why about 65% of patients suffer from Chemotherapy-induced alopecia. The hair growth cycle goes through different structural phases.
Anagen: Anagen is the longest phase the last for 3 to 7 years. 90% of the hair on your head is in this phase.
Catagen: hair growth slows down but hair remains attached to the scalp.
Telogen: this is the resting phase that lasts around 3 months. 10 to 15 % of hair rest in this phase all the time.
Chemotherapy affects all phases at different levels. However, the most affected phase is the active growth phase Anagen. In some cases, hair follicles are badly affected and cause complete baldness.
Blood flow to the hair:
A dermal vascular plexus surrounds hair and supply blood and nutrition. The blood supply takes chemotherapy medicines to the hair follicles and causes rapid damage.
Different chemo-medicine reactions:
Chemotherapy drug classification has a prominent influence on the degree of Chemotherapy-induced hair loss (alopecia). Each drug target a different phase of the cell growth cycle.
The ability of the drug to cause hair loss depends upon the specific drug, dosage, route, and schedule of drug infusion.
High- dosage: intravenous chemotherapy (injecting anticancer drug) starts working faster than other forms of chemo. They have a faster and direct effect on human hair cells. A complete hair loss is generally seen.
Low- dosage: oral medication or weekly intravenous chemo cause less damage to hair cells. Especially oral medicines are less harmful to hair follicles.
For example, low or moderate interventions cyclophosphamide cause complete hair loss. Whereas, oral cyclophosphamide causes less and reversible hair loss.
Combo therapy: The combination of both oral and intravenous therapy has more chances to cause hair loss than single therapy.
Chemo Drugs:
Around 50 chemo drugs are used to cure cancer. The following list contains drugs that have been proven to cause hair loss after chemo. Each individual's diagnose profile is different so the reaction to these drugs may not be the same for all. Alopecia may be mild, severe, or absent.
- Carboplatin (Paraplatin):
- It is an intravenous (IV) Alkylating medicine. It damages the cell's DNA at all phases of the growth cycle. And cause reversible hair loss.
- Taxotere (Docetaxel)
- Taxotere is an IV and can cause hair thinning. It affects cell reproduction.
- Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) :
- It is an anti-tumor antibiotic. It discourages cell growth and division and causes reversible hair loss
- Methotrexate (Folex, Mexate, Amethopterin )
- These drugs are used for cancers of the breast, blood, bone. And cause reversible hair loss.
- Etoposide (VePesid, VP-16):
- This medicine group targets particular enzymes that help DNA strands to separate and produce copies of them. The hair loss is reversible.
Not all chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss. Other factors increase the extent and risk of hair loss after chemo.
Such as; older age, thyroid disease, androgenic alopecia, liver dysfunction, prior exposure to irradiation, prior chemotherapy, bone marrow transplant. Stress and poor nutritive status of the patients.
Take Away:
Hair loss (CIA) is a consequence of chemotherapy. It is unavoidable but it can be managed with the help of family, friends, your medical assistance, above all your willpower. Most likely hair loss is reversible. After 2 to 3 months of treatment hair will re-grow. Sometimes they grow back but stay thin.
Don’t let this temporary phase defeat your self-esteem and confidence. The ideal way to cope with the situation is to get informed well about chemo-related hair loss. Be mentally prepared for the coming damage. It will make you feel better and prepared.
During the hair loss phase, you can choose to wear wigs, hair extensions, head coverings, or welcome the new look with a dash of confidence.
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