People with cancer are often concerned with whatchemotherapyside effects are going to occur during their treatment.
They often hear about how terriblechemotherapy side effectsare and how sick it’s possible for you to feel.
Remember that not everyone will experience side effects.
Portra Images/Taxi/Getty Images
One person may experience many effects, while someone else may only suffer from one or two side effects.
Why Are There so Many Side Effects?
Chemotherapy works by killing cancerous cells.
However, sometimes it is aggressive against healthy cells, too.
Hair loss is one of the most emotionally devastating side effects of chemotherapy.
Hair Loss
Hair lossoccurs because chemotherapy can sometimes damage healthy cells.
Will You Lose All of Your Hair?
There is no way to tell if someone willlose their hairduring chemotherapy.
Some people do not lose any at all.
Some only suffer from thinning of the hair.
However, there are many people who do lose all of their hair.
Hair loss depends on your medications, dosage frequency, and how aggressive your treatment is.
Can You Do Anything to Prevent It?
Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed way to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatment.
Many people make a run at use over-the-counter hair growth shampoos, like Rogaine.
Research has not proven this to be effective at reducing hair loss for chemo patients.
Coping With Hair Loss
Hair loss can be devastating.
It’s completely normal to feel this way.
Hair maybe differentwhen it begins to grow back.
Some people find their hair a different color or texture.
Coping with hair loss can be difficult.
We often associate our hair with physical beauty.
Without it, it’s hard to feel attractive.
Wigs and hairpieces can make a big difference.
Many look so natural, no one will recognize you are wearing a wig.
Have fun exploring different looks with wigs.
Have comfort in knowing that your hair will grow back.
Many times, it will grow back in better condition than what it was prior to treatment.
Call it “Chemotherapy’s Compensation Policy.”
Prevent and Manage Diarrhea
Diarrheais the passage of loose or runny stools.
Frequent diarrhea can irritate the skin around the anus, making sitting or lying down very uncomfortable.
It can also result in weight loss.
If symptoms persist, your practitioner can prescribe a medication such as Lomotil, to combat diarrhea.
Odors and certain smells can cause nausea as well.
There are several medications for your healthcare provider to prescribe.
You might need to try a few different ones before you find the right one for you.
CancerCare.Understanding and managing chemotherapy side effects.
Lundqvist EA, Fujiwara K, Seoud M.Principles of chemotherapy.Int J Gynaecol Obstet.2015;131 Suppl 2:S146-9.
doi:10.1016/j.ijgo.2015.06.011
American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy side effects.
American Cancer Society.How is chemotherapy used to treat cancer?
American Cancer Society.Hair loss (alopecia).
Young A, Arif A.The use of scalp cooling for chemotherapy-induced hair loss.Br J Nurs.
2016;25(10):S22-S27.
2019;13:2777-2786. doi:10.2147/DDDT.S214907
National Cancer Institute.Hair loss (alopecia) and cancer treatment.
National Cancer Institute.Loss of appetite (anorexia) and cachexia.
OncoLink.Preventing dehydration during cancer treatment.
Moffitt Cancer Center.Nausea related to cancer treatment.
