Ways To Improve Hair Growth After Chemotherapy

Thursday, April 23, 2015, 10:35 [IST]

A person goes through a immense physical and mental trauma when they suffering from cancer. Chemotherapy is an intense and knotty treatment for cancer which has many side effects like mucositis, myelosuppression and alopecia or hair loss.

Hair loss is inevitable during chemotherapy, but there are many ways to improve hair growth after chemotherapy. Chemotherapy means using powerful medications aimed to kill the rapidly multiplying cancerous cells in the body.

Ways To Prevent Hair Loss During Chemotherapy

Unfortunately, it cannot differentiate the healthy cells and the cancerous cells, thereby killing both the cells alike.

Thus, hair loss happens to your scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes and armpit. Losing tresses are again an emotional setback to all cancer survivors who have finished chemotherapy. But, you can regrow the lost hair by following some proper and natural hair care after chemotherapy.

Normally, you will notice hair fall after ten to fifteen days of chemotherapy and the hair regrow within three to eight weeks after cessation of chemotherapy. Your hair might even start to regrow in two months, if you give good hair care after chemotherapy.

How To Deal With Chemotherapy?

Sometimes, the colour, texture, and thickness of the regrown hair will be different from your original hair. Still, with some tips to improve hair growth after chemotherapy, you can fasten the regrowth of your hair.

High-Protein Foods

As hair consists of proteins, eating protein-rich foods can boost the growth of your healthy hair from within. Include high-protein foods like eggs, meats, tofu, lentils and beans in your daily diet can enhance your hair to grow quickly. Avoid foods containing saturated fat and added sugars.

Vitamins And Minerals

Consuming more vitamins and minerals, either in their natural form or as supplements can nourish and speed up the growth of your hair. Vitamin B increases the blood flow to your scalp that promotes the hair growth since vitamin E and vitamin C can improve the health of hair follicles. Biotin, a water-soluble vitamin B, boosts the thick growth of your hair.

Fatty Acids

Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements encourages the regrowth of your hair and is one of the best tips to improve hair growth after chemotherapy. Cancer survivors can get enough fatty acids from different types of fishes - sardines, salmon, herring or mackerel. Also, freshly ground flax seeds contain the required amount of fatty acids.

Inositol

Inositol, a simple carbohydrate of the vitamin B family. It is an essential nutrient that promotes the functions of scalp cells to improve the hair growth. Whole grains, nuts, navy and lima beans, wheat germ, molasses, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits excluding lime, cantaloupes and brown rice has inositol in abundance.

Essential Oils

Applying essential oils directly to the scalp regulates the hair growth quickly. Rubbing essential oils such as lavender oil, rosemary oil, bergamot and ylang-ylang on the scalp is one of the tips to improve hair growth after chemotherapy. These oils strengthen the hair roots and nourishes the follicles.

Gentle Hair Care

Hair colour and styling treatments, straightening, curling, dyeing and other heat treatments can cause permanent damage to your hair thereby it slows down the hair growth. Hence, use gentle products on your hair as it is an effective method for hair care after chemotherapy.

Positive attitude and confidence is important to successfully fight and overcome the dreadful disease. Handling out the temporary loss of your beautiful tresses is an essential part of this.