Chemo 14
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By jeand
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Although I frequently say I am lucky and have been able to cope most of the time with my chemo side effects, I don’t think I have told you about the thing that is better because of chemo - chemo curls.
I have very straight hair. My hairdresser says it reminds her of oriental hair - very thick and straight as a stick. And I have hated it all my life. When I was little my mom put my hair up in socks at night, And even worse, my older sister, Judy, had hair that curled with rags into lovely rings. Mine just stuck out at odd angles. When I was old enough, my mom agreed to give me a perm a couple of times a year. Perms in those days were very stinky - not only when the process was going on, but for weeks afterwards, made worse when you washed the hair. And although there were periods when I braved the straight look, most of the last 79 years I have had curls courtesy of my hairdresser. I left it 6 months between because perms aren’t very good for you and I didn’t cut it in between, because I knew that the last dregs of the curls were better than the alternative.
So when I last went to the hairdresser, for just a cut - I was scared to look when she was done. I had asked her to cut it really short - thinking that would mean I didn’t have to get it cut again for a while. So she cut most of it about 2 “ long. And when I looked in the mirror after she had finished - most of my front and sides had curls. And each time I wash it, the curls become nice and tight again.
My husband had chemo for his cancer, and lost all his hair, but when it came back, it was curly. And I had heard of chemo curls - but thought you had to lose your hair for it to work.
He didn’t seem to mind being bald, but when his hair came back, he decided not to cut it ever again. So this curly mixture got longer and longer. It looked awful. If he had had it seen to by a professional no doubt it would have enhanced his looks - but he had vowed to not have any cut at all. Finally it came to a crunch when he was asked to read a bible passage at his niece’s wedding. We begged him to cut it, and with great reluctance he agreed. The curls were gone, but he looked normal. But shortly after that his cancer came back, and it did make me think of Sampson.
Google tells me chemo curls are definitely a thing, and that they will go away as the chemo slowly leaves the body at the end of treatment. I don’t think I will wish for more cancer and more chemo for the sake of the curls, but I do enjoy having them now.
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Comments
Not heard of chemo curls
Not heard of chemo curls before. As ever, humbled by your positivity to a difficult situation. Keep smiling and take care, our Jean. Paul x
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I too have never heard of
I too have never heard of chemo curls. Went through a similar experience as you when I was younger. My hair is straight too. It was when a friend asked me to be a maid of honour at her wedding in about 1978. She wanted me to have permed hair so I could have flowers weaved in, I agreed on the condition I didn't have to cut my hair, it ended up looking like I'd had an electric shock, sticking up in the air everywhere...I did like it, even though my dad went mad, but I didn't care because I've always been a bit of a rebel.
I'm sure with your optimistic outlook, you'll get used to any style. The most important thing is to be healthy, and I wish your healing process to continue till you're in tip top condition.
Hoping you are surrounded with much love Jean.
Jenny.
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I'm glad you're enjoying your
I'm glad you're enjoying your chemo curls which I also had never heard of - and as you probably know, the grass (or hair in this case) is always greener on the other side. I have very curly hair and have spent most of my life trying to make it straighter!
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My sister had tight curls and
My sister had tight curls and disliked it. I think now she has her hair longer, and doesn't feel bothered by the curls at the ends! She envied my slightly wavy hair! As Insert says, the grass is always greener, and when you're young you feel so sensitive. Glad you've enjoyed the effect, and much love, Rhiannon
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What a gifted writer you are!
What a gifted writer you are! Thankyou for another brilliant account of your experiences
The strangest my hair has got was when having to keep going into the chilled storage room in a Sainsburys where salad etc was kept till it could be put on the shop floor, everyone there started calling me Frizzy :0)
keep getting better
xxx
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