Growing your hair back after chemo and the products that helped me!
Losing your hair during chemotherapy is no easy thing. For me, I choose to lean in and embrace it — mostly because the alternative just didn’t feel like me. Once I shaved my head, I kept wearing my cold cap anyway. In my mind, it was still helping — maybe protecting my hair follicles, maybe even my brain a little. (Let’s be honest, I’m not a doctor, so take that with a grain of salt and do what feels right for you.)
Almost immediately after shaving my head, I noticed new growth starting to peek through. I was so thankful for that! But the regrowth wasn’t quite what I expected — a little patchy, a little slower than I expected, even though people were always telling me how fast it was growing. That’s when I decided to try something new: a head spa treatment to deeply clean my scalp and stimulate the follicles.
During my appointment, my cosmetologist and I talked about what she’s seen work well for others in the same boat. She swears by the Surface Awaken line, so that’s what I started using right after. It’s definitely on the pricier side, so I’ve been alternating with ALRA mild shampoo, which I used before and during chemo to help stretch it a bit.
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It has been over a year since I have been using this combo, and even though my crown area is still thin, it is looking better and better by the month. Yes, month, you have to give it time, and thanks to my cell phone, I am monitoring closely! LOL Yep, I am constantly checking my follicles and my hair growth using my cell phone to take pictures.
Over this past year, I have had several haircuts to keep it looking as put-together and even as possible.
Finding Beauty in the Process
Watching my hair come back has been a reminder that healing doesn’t happen overnight — and that’s okay. Each new strand felt like a little victory, proof that my body was still fighting and rebuilding. It’s funny how something as simple as shampoo or a little stubble on your head can spark so much hope.
I’ve learned that sometimes embracing change — even the hard, uncomfortable kind — can lead you right back to yourself, stronger and softer all at once.
