Why is shaving off your hair required for chemotherapy?

Answer 1

Chemotherapy destroys all fast-growing cells in your body.

Hair follicles are fast-growing cells; thus, the chemotherapy kills them and the dead hair falls out.

Shaving your head is not required, although some people do shave their heads as soon as they start chemo. They feel that if they have to lose their hair, they'd prefer to control when it happens themselves, rather than waking up to find it all over their pillow.

Some people who are undergoing chemo and have young children even let the children "help" shave their head, or at least watch, so that they understand what's going on... it can be very traumatizing to a child if Mommy or Daddy is suddenly bald!

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Yes, as other posters stated, it falls out during treatment. But do you want to hear it from a guy who's been there? I shaved mine while undergoing chemotherapy because my hair wasn't falling out evenly. I had patches that fell out, leaving hair that soon resembled a reversed mohawk. Rather than look ridiculas, I shaved the rest. I continued shaving once a week until the stubble started coming back evenly. I've got a full head of hair now!

Answer 3

is not required to shave off. Just that after undergoing the chemotherapy, due to 1 of the many side effects. Hair do drop and seeing hair drop do worsen the patient's mentally. So usually patients are advised to shave their hair.

Answer 4

Why would you think you have to shave your head or chemotherapy?NO TRUTH IN THAT! There are drugs given in treatment that make hair fall out,my daughter's hair fell out 3 different times with her treatment protocal,she has ALL,leukemia.So have some compassion for the hairless,it is not by choice ,I assure you.

Answer 5

shaving your hair isn't required for chemo. Actually, shaving your hair when going through treatment for cancer isn't a great idea. There is a chance that you might create a nick in your scalp and you will increase your risk of getting an infection which would result in slowing down your treatment process. Typically, your hair will fall out when going through chemo. The drug cocktail will determine if your hair will fall out. Most people suggest that you cut your hair very short so that you don't experience the major depression of watching your hair fall out in large chunks.

Answer 6

when I glided via way of chemo and radiation, I refused to shave my head, so I enable my long hair safeguard bobbing up. while all of it began falling out, it replaced into as quickly as a considerable mess and that i mandatory to scrub up hair continually. i ought to advise no longer shaving your head until eventually you're confident you are going to have have been given to bypass via way of chemotherapy, regardless of if cutting it short must be nicely in the form you do have chemo. On a individual be conscious, i'm so sorry think approximately to bypass via way of this and suitable needs for you and your husband

Answer 7

It's not that it's required, it's because when people take chemo their hair begans to come out in clumps or hand fulls that they decide to go ahead and shave their heads.It helps then cope better to just shave it off instead of losing by chunks

Answer 8

It is not required but most patients prefer to shave it off instead of letting it fall out in tuffs. My husband shaved his head when he began chemo and so did his entire pool team. It was very touching.

Answer 9

Honestly, I had no hair fall during or after my chemo. Guess I was one of the lucky ones. However, if one does shave the head - it will be more like being trendy then having going through the misery of Chemo. One can be reassured that if you had before chemo - your hair will grow back.

Answer 10

when you are going through chemo the hair all over your body falls out because the therapy needs the shedding of dead skin cells which is what hair is
it hurts alot
it feels like your skins falling off your body
it feel somewhat better if you shave it off