Last week the Princess of Wales announced to the world that following her abdominal surgery, her doctors found cancerous cells had been present. She also revealed she’s currently undergoing a course of preventive chemotherapy. According to the
BBC , the princess began the course of chemotherapy in late February. One of the most commonly associated side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. However it doesn’t always happen to everyone. Other side effects can include fatigue, nausea, possibility of increased infections, anaemia, bruising and bleeding, loss of appetite, mucositis (a sore mouth), skin and nail changes, memory and concentration problems, sleep issues, sex and fertility issues, as well as diarrhoea and constipation. Chemotherapy targets fast-growing cells in the body, which can include the cells found in hair follicles. But Caroline Geraghgy, Senior
cancer Information Nurse at Cancer Research UK, told the Mirror that not all cancer patients will experience hair loss. Caroline told MirrorOnline : "Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss. Only some types of chemotherapy cause hair loss. And the reason it causes hair loss is because chemotherapy works on fast-growing cells. The Princess of Wales revealed she'd be undergoing a course of preventive chemotherapy (Image: PA) "Cancer is technically fast-growing cells, but you have other fast-growing cells, they replicate quite quickly. These are the ones that line your mouth, and your gastrointestinal tract. So all the way down from your oesophagus to your anus." The nurse explained that your hair follicles could be affected as they also have ‘fast-growing cells’, much like how your nails grow. But it may not just be the hair on your head that’s affected, but also the ones all over your body. So while some people may lose hair on their head, others can lose their eyebrows, pubic hair, as well as leg and arm hair. However, this isn’t always the case for some. “In some cases, if chemotherapy doesn't cause hair loss, it can cause hair thinning. But it's temporary. Once the treatment is stopped, your hair starts to come back,” Caroline explained. According to Cancer Research
UK , only some chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss or hair thinning. Hair loss is usually gradual rather than sudden. If your hair will fall out, it usually begins within two to three weeks after treatment starts. Hair loss is also dependent on a range of factors, such as the dosage, sensitivity to the drug or combination of drugs, and how it’s administered. Cancer Research UK noted that most people’s hair will grow back once chemotherapy treatment has finished. The NHS explains that if you’re on a treatment course of radiotherapy, the medicine causes hair loss only in the area where the treatment is focused. Your hair will grow back once your treatment is over, unless you’ve had very high doses of particular chemotherapy drugs, in very rare cases. It may take several months for your hair to grow back, Cancer Research UK estimates between three to six months after treatment, with most people’s hair coming back fully within six to 12 months. It’s possible for the appearance of your hair to change after chemotherapy. This can include texture, density, colour, as well as the colour and thickness of eyelashes. There are a number of options for people dealing with hair loss, such as cutting it, cold caps (a hat worn during some chemotherapy treatments with a cooling effect to reduce blood flow to the scalp), and wigs. If you need more information or support concerning hair loss during chemotherapy, Cancer Research UK , Macmillan , and the NHS all have pages to help.