Why do cancer patients have to shave their head?

Answer 1

Cancer patients do not have to shave their head. Certain chemotherapies given to patients cause rapidly dividing cells to die. Hair cells rapidly divide at the root so your hair falls out b/c these cells are killed. Also your blood, mucous membranes, skin and cancer cells are rapidly dividing. That is why chemo kills cancer cells also. That is also why patients have to watch their blood counts b/c chemo can cause low blood counts from too much cell death. Researchers are trying to develop ways to fight cancer without so much side effects, but it is hard b/c cancer cells are small and hard to kill without harming the body also. But not all cancer patients lose their hair, b/c some types of chemos don't effect the body as much.

Answer 2

Because this hair will fall automatically during treatment . Higher antibiotics are being used to treat the cancer . However you can have those if you it is one first stage and you have strong hair.

Answer 3

Most times they have no other choice in the matter since the Chemotherapy drugs used typically trigger that hair on the body to fall out. So whatever may be left over as far as hair on thier heads, will opt to shave off the rest. Many however do not even shave thier heads, it is just all fallen out.

Answer 4

I was given the drug Adriamyacin for the treatment of my breast cancer. The hair loss rate for this drug is somewhere around 99%. Before my diagnosis I had hair way past my shoulders. First I got it cut to my shoulders, then a couple of weeks later I got it cut above my ears. By the time it started coming out I had at least gotten used to having shorter hair. My hairdresser buzzed my head one day in the shop, and then my husband took an electric razor and finished the job a few days later. By taking the steps myself to cut my hair, I felt like I had a little more control. With a cancer diagnosis, even a little control can make a big difference.

Answer 5

I even have desperate to handle this as a severe question, yet i'm unsure all and sundry else will. for many of maximum cancers sufferers the bald seem isn't a decision. Chemotherapy drugs for some maximum cancers cures could reason all your hair to fall out. some maximum cancers sufferers experience that the chemo hair loss is inevitable and for this reason shave it so as that their hair is going while they want no longer as a effect of the ailment.

Answer 6

the treatments [chemo and radiation] cause their hair to come out, so a lot of cancer patients go on and shave their heads.My bf had long hair and when he had to start cancer treatments his hair started coming out in handfuls so he had me to shave his head.

Answer 7

bcos chemo-therapy usually causes hair loss to a large extent. So, many patients prefer to be totally bald, some shave the remaining hair off.

Answer 8

They dont have to shave their heads but their hair falls out in tuffs and it is somewhat unsightly to some people.. My husband shaved his head when he started chemo, actually his entire pool team shaved also. Sadly he passed in June. I miss kissing his bald head.

Answer 9

They don't shave their heads, they lose all their body hair due to the Chemo treatment.

Answer 10

PLEASE stop advising patients to do this UNTIL they know what drugs they ll be on. Not all chemo causes hair loss - and some patients don t lose all their hair. This is very bad advice and I wish websites and even cancer support groups would stop advising women to do this right away. I see it all over the web as "a way to take control" when so many patients don t even need to do it at all.