Chemotherapy can cause hair loss by damaging hair follicles responsible for hair growth. Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss.
Some people may feel upset by these changes. It is also important to know why these changes are happening and to find ways to maintain and support a healthy body image.
Hair loss is usually temporary. It may begin one to three weeks after the first treatment and may begin to grow back six to eight weeks after the last treatment. Complete re-growth can take months. Some people notice hair re-growth between treatments. Hair that grows back may be of a slightly different colour or texture.
Hair loss may be complete, may occur in patches, or in some cases, hair may simply become thin, dull, or dry. Hair loss may occur all over the body, including the head, face (eyelashes, eyebrows, and beard), arms, legs, underarms, and pubic area.