Patients experiencing hair loss encounter shedding of hair, obstacles to routine hair grooming, and difficulty in maintaining body heat, particularly at night, as well as scalp sensitivity and tenderness. Hair loss can also evoke feelings of low self-esteem and fear of how an altered appearance will be perceived by others. Cancer therapy is different for every patient. Before your regimen begins, consult your physician about the likelihood and location of hair loss.
Hair protects the surface of the skin and conserves body heat.
It also plays a major role in self-image. Alopecia is the medical term to describe hair loss. Cancer cells grow rapidly and uncontrollably. Chemotherapy affects any cell that grows rapidly, such as hair cells. Hair falls out at the root when the hair bulb shrinks.