Shaved head

[Roo]

I have shaved my head but it only went as low as stubble ,which I am finding itchy and quite sensitive. We thought it would fall out but has not. If I smooth shave my scalp, will it stay smooth and not grow back stubble?

[Budgie]

Hi Roo,

Your hair will still grow back if you shave it, starting with a stubble.  It might only be itchy for a day or two.  If you use a moisturiser on your head it might help in keeping the itch away.  

Budgie

[RJG]

Hi Roo,

Different cytotoxins have different effect on hair growth/retention and this will vary from person to person. Your hair, or at least some of it, should grow back resulting in stubble. But then there is a chance that it could all fall out anyway - or not.

Easiest solution for you is to shave our scalp every couple of days. Better option is to have a bit if fun and ask someone close to you to shave you.

As I understand it...

• Cancer cells usually reproduce very quickly.
• Chemotherapy cytotoxins are intended to slow the activity and reproduction of fast-growing cells.
• Hair follicles also have high activity and are often 'hit' by chemo. BTW, this is not limited to the hair on the top of your head.
• Everyone is different and their bodies react differently to the same cytotoxins. This can range from no effect on hair growth, to thinning of hair, to big chunks of hair falling out, to complete baldness.

Best wishes,

Rick

[Roo]

Thank you..I have close shaved and will see what happens.

another question is, as I am slightly tech limited, how do I access a safe online chat room

Regards

[RJG]

What do you mean by 'safe'? Nothing that you do on the internet is entirely 'safe' - it relies on hosting sites and the participants 'doing the right thing'. Hence I don't use FaceBook or other similar facilities.

What are you really wanting to do?

1. If you want to send a message to another user on this forum without everybody getting to read it, you can send a personal message.
2. If you really want to start or join a private chat-room with trusted friends, that is another thing altogether - search the internet. I still wouldn't consider these as entirely 'safe'.

Regards,

Rick

[Katekat]

Hi @Roo and welcome!

If you're worried about the safety and authenticity of this site, don't be. We put a lot of thought and planning into the creation of this community, and it is managed ongoing. This site is linked from every state and territory Cancer Council website too.

I should take a moment to introduce myself - I'm Kate, you'll get used to me popping up here and there. I am the Community Manager for the Online Community and I am employed full-time by Cancer Council. I also have a team of health professionals around me that help me manage and moderate the community, also employed by Cancer Council.

We encourage people to use a nickname when signing up, we hide identifiable information, and we have Community Guidelines and terms of use which I do enforce on a regular basis, as well as a lot of stuff you don't see behind the scenes. I spend a large part of my time ensuring this site is and remains a safe space for anyone affected by cancer.

As @RJG mentioned, we do have private messaging but this is a privilege earned by interaction in the community as it is currently locked down for new members (mostly to stop people from signing up and sending spam to unsuspecting people). We also have closed groups for some things and plan more in the future for discussion about the more sensitive cancers.

I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Cheers,

Kate