Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

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JMRWife
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:41 pm

Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby JMRWife » Sun Sep 12, 2021 3:45 pm

I'm not noticing a lot of hair fall, but its stawlike and looks "witchy".

Has anyone noticed same?
Age 58.
4/27/2021 - Dx obstructing "apple core" sigmoid tumor at 30cm. MMR proficient. 4/28: Diverting colostomy.
Neoadjuvant Folfox 5/18; CEA 107.
9/8: 9 rounds Folfox completed. CEA 2.1.
Pathology: COLON, SIGMOID: -- INVASIVE ADENOCARCINOMA, MOD DIFFERENTIATED Clinical stage IIA.

9/28/21 CAT scan: Tumor was 6.4 x 3.8 cm, now 2.6 x 4.5 cm.

10/4/21: Sigmoid colectomy. 36 lymph nodes removed, 0 cancerous. Stage T2N0M0.

Nor Cal
Posts: 89
Joined: Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:18 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby Nor Cal » Sun Sep 12, 2021 5:08 pm

JMRWife wrote:I'm not noticing a lot of hair fall, but its stawlike and looks "witchy".

Has anyone noticed same?


It did that to my beard.
Dx June 2020, stage IV, w liver mets in both lobes. M, age 50. Right-sided colon tumor. CEA 120.
BRAF+ TMB 5% MSS TDL1-1%
July 2020 - Present: 55 cycles chemo (All the various 5-FU regimens)
December 2020 - February 2021 Y90 Radioembolization, Chemoembolization x2

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ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby ginabeewell » Sun Sep 12, 2021 9:20 pm

Since I started chemo, I have what I have called “Albert Einstein hair!”

Olaplex #3 overnight treatments help, as does leave in conditioner. I also now have to wash it only once or twice a week vs daily.
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

My favorite posts here:
https://weareallmadeofstars.net/favorite-posts

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beach sunrise
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2020 7:14 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby beach sunrise » Mon Sep 13, 2021 2:35 am

IVC is good for your hair, natural hair products that don't have alcohol and other stuff that is counter productive. I use straight aloe vera gel for mousse/hair gel, avocado based or bamboo based shampoo/conditioner. I don't wash my hair every day like I use to. I miss that shower scalp massage but Oh Well.
8/19 RC CEA 82.6 T3N0M0
5FU/rad 6 wk
IVC 75g 1 1/2 wks before surgery. Continue 2x a week
Surg 1/20 -margins T4bN1a IIIC G2 MSI- 1/20 LN+ LVI+ PNI-
pre cea 24 post 5.9
FOLFOX
7 rds 6-10 CEA 11.4 No more
CEA
7/20 11.1 8.8
8/20 7.8
9/20 8.8, 9, 8.6
10/20 8.1
11/20 8s
12/20 8s-9s
ADAPT++++ chrono
CEA
10/23/22 26.x
12/23/22 22.x
2023
1/5 17.1
1/20 15.9
3/30 14.9
6/12 13.3
8/1 2.1
Nodule RML SUV 1.3 5mm
Rolles 3 of 4 lung nodules cancer
KRAS
Chem-sens test failed Not enough ca cells to test

Deb-o
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:55 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby Deb-o » Mon Sep 13, 2021 8:03 pm

My oncologist assured me, most people’s hair only thins, but I lost most of the hair on the top of my head. I had 9 rounds of Folfox. It came back in very frizzy and dry. Using a hair dryer made it worse. I started using products for curly hair, which improved it’s appearance. It has been 9 months since my last treatment and my hair is just curly now. It will get better!

roadrunner
Posts: 460
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 8:46 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby roadrunner » Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:15 pm

My hair did fall out as well—noticeably thinner, large amounts in the comb. However, it came back nicely, and mostly dark! Had been white with gray (and a little black), turned pretty much 100% white on chemo, then came back mostly dark. Weird.
7/19: RC: Staged IIIA, T2N1M0
approx 4.25 cm, low/mid rectum, mod. well diff.; lung micronodule
8/19-10/19 4 rds.FOLFOX neoadjuvant, 3 w/Oxiplatin (reduced 70-75%)
neoadjuvant chemorad 11/19
4 rounds FOLFOX July-August 2020
ncCR 10/20; biopsies neg
TAE 11/20, tumor cells removed
Chest CT 3/30/21 growth in 2 nodules (3 and 5mm)
VATS 12/8/21 sub-pleural met 7mm.
SBRT nodule 1/22
6/20/22 TAE rectal polyp benign)
NED from 3/22 - 3/23
4 cycles FOLFIRI
LUL VATS lobectomy for radio resistant met 7/7/23

JMRWife
Posts: 99
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:41 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby JMRWife » Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:01 pm

From white/gray to black! I'm all gray now because I stopped dyeing it during covid and I actually like it. But I wouldn't mind if it turned black again either. :-)
Age 58.
4/27/2021 - Dx obstructing "apple core" sigmoid tumor at 30cm. MMR proficient. 4/28: Diverting colostomy.
Neoadjuvant Folfox 5/18; CEA 107.
9/8: 9 rounds Folfox completed. CEA 2.1.
Pathology: COLON, SIGMOID: -- INVASIVE ADENOCARCINOMA, MOD DIFFERENTIATED Clinical stage IIA.

9/28/21 CAT scan: Tumor was 6.4 x 3.8 cm, now 2.6 x 4.5 cm.

10/4/21: Sigmoid colectomy. 36 lymph nodes removed, 0 cancerous. Stage T2N0M0.

User avatar
ginabeewell
Posts: 565
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:30 am

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby ginabeewell » Tue Sep 14, 2021 10:29 pm

Deb-o wrote:My oncologist assured me, most people’s hair only thins, but I lost most of the hair on the top of my head. I had 9 rounds of Folfox. It came back in very frizzy and dry. Using a hair dryer made it worse. I started using products for curly hair, which improved it’s appearance. It has been 9 months since my last treatment and my hair is just curly now. It will get better!


I found myself on a Curly Girl Method Facebook group, and got some tips that I’m likewise applying. Curious whether you did likewise or would be willing to share which products? All this talk about moisture vs protein and Olaplex which has neither is confusing the heck out of me!!
49 YO mom of twins (11) lucky stepmom of 16/19 year olds
9/17/18 DX stage 4 CRC w inoperable liver mets CEA 931
Currently NED!

Join me on a lookback of my journey via my Strive for Five on Substack here:
https://ginajacobson.substack.com

All treatment details here:
https://www.weareallmadeofstars.net/col ... nt-journey

My favorite posts here:
https://weareallmadeofstars.net/favorite-posts

Deb-o
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:55 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby Deb-o » Wed Sep 15, 2021 4:21 pm

ginabeewell wrote:
Deb-o wrote:My oncologist assured me, most people’s hair only thins, but I lost most of the hair on the top of my head. I had 9 rounds of Folfox. It came back in very frizzy and dry. Using a hair dryer made it worse. I started using products for curly hair, which improved it’s appearance. It has been 9 months since my last treatment and my hair is just curly now. It will get better!


I found myself on a Curly Girl Method Facebook group, and got some tips that I’m likewise applying. Curious whether you did likewise or would be willing to share which products? All this talk about moisture vs protein and Olaplex which has neither is confusing the heck out of me!!



I use two Aussie products, Miracle Curls Frizz Taming Cream which can be used on wet or dry hair. I also use the Total Miracle Shampoo. Both are inexpensive. I had my hair cut before chemo into a shorter style. I continued to get it cut each month or so. Cutting the older damaged hair seemed to help. Now I am growing it out again and liking the curls I’ve been left with.

Markdale
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2020 4:45 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby Markdale » Thu Sep 16, 2021 5:18 am

How long did it take for your hair to change once finishing chemo? During chemo my hair thinned and mostly turned grey and white. It’s been about 3 months since I finished chemo.
09/20:Diagnosed after colonoscopy for bleeding.
MRI and ct scan confirmed tumor at rectosigmoid junction aswell as lung nodules in RLL (1X1.2cm) and RUL (3X.5cm)
10/20: LAR tumour t3n2m1 4/24 lymph nodes.
11/20: pet scan confirmed Mets
11/20: folfoxiri - 10/6/21. 12 rounds in total
1/1/21 thoracotomy 1 met removed
2/2022 sabr to 2 lung nodule
09/22 PET scan progression of sabr’d nodules
10/22 phase 1 trial bispecific antibody
9/23 added pd1 blocker
12/23 bilateral VATS all visible (7) lesions removed

perthgirl
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:34 am
Facebook Username: glenda.crawford

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby perthgirl » Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:27 am

My hair really thinned out. I was on both FOLFOX & Vectabix.
I know it’s expensive, though I felt like I needed to treat myself, I used AVEDA shampoos & conditioner. My hair went very whispy, and just no body. It just hung limp.
It started growing back at around round 10 (out of 12)
It can back as tight cork screw curls.
I’m 2 years post treatment end and my hairdresser has said it’s just got to where I started - I have just above my shoulder length hair.
It’s now thicker than when I started and still quite wavy.
DX 12th Feb 2019
CT/PET Scan Feb 19
Clinical: T4 N2b M0
1st March temp ileostomy & port
Mar - Aug 19 12xFOLFOX + Vectibix
Aug/Sept 19 Rad+5Fu for 6weeks
Jan 20 ULAR
Path: ypT0N0M0
Apr 20 ileostomy takedown
Aug 20 - clear PET Scan
Feb 20 - clear colonoscopy

roadrunner
Posts: 460
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 8:46 pm

Re: Does FOLFOX turn your hair to straw?

Postby roadrunner » Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:36 am

Pretty sure it was longer than 3 months for me. I’m now over a year from it and it may still be improving. It’s a little hard to say as it’s been a slow change for color and thickness. Maybe I recall starting to see a change at 6 months, could have been a little shorter or a little longer. The hair stopped actually falling out pretty much right after I stopped chemo, though.
7/19: RC: Staged IIIA, T2N1M0
approx 4.25 cm, low/mid rectum, mod. well diff.; lung micronodule
8/19-10/19 4 rds.FOLFOX neoadjuvant, 3 w/Oxiplatin (reduced 70-75%)
neoadjuvant chemorad 11/19
4 rounds FOLFOX July-August 2020
ncCR 10/20; biopsies neg
TAE 11/20, tumor cells removed
Chest CT 3/30/21 growth in 2 nodules (3 and 5mm)
VATS 12/8/21 sub-pleural met 7mm.
SBRT nodule 1/22
6/20/22 TAE rectal polyp benign)
NED from 3/22 - 3/23
4 cycles FOLFIRI
LUL VATS lobectomy for radio resistant met 7/7/23


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