Where would you be without hairloss?

[EvilLocks]

Although I agree it is a horrible horrible side effect of cancer/chemotherapy. I don't think the experiences of a 14 year old girl ( with very little responsibilities, and with an excellent prognosis) are at large indicative of cancer sufferers experiences.

Maybe not, but it was just one example out of many. I'm not saying it's the norm for cancer patients to think that hair loss is the worst part of the disease, but many think it's among the worst things about cancer.

 

[Wolf Pack]

Just interested but have you got a source for that? I remember when I've had training when working oncology wards/ palliative care they always mentioned the future, pain, finances and care of children/relatives as the big concerns.

This is correct. I've mentioned this previously having met quite a few dying cancer patients. The hair thing has been glorified in movies!

 

[doublebatman]

Maybe not, but it was just one example out of many. I'm not saying it's the norm for cancer patients to think that hair loss is the worst part of the disease, but many think it's among the worst things about cancer.

It depends on the individual, but I can see how it would be particularly devastating for young boys/girls/women.

I'd be interested to see how peoples attitudes change depending on age and gender.

 

[RoyD]

Have I mentioned about this ad I saw a few days back where this female who is like completely bald (obviously coz of cancer) goes to work and everyone stares at her. But then the other women come and put black dots on her face (it's an Indian custom to do to someone looking beautiful since it apparently wards off an evil eye). The ad ends saying bald is beautiful.

Basically they used a ****ING woman to portray the Mother ****ing message that bald is ****ing beautiful when there are so many ****ing bald men trying to cope with their trauma in this ****ing country. **** SOCIETY!!!

 

[doublebatman]

It depends on the individual, but I can see how it would be particularly devastating for young boys/girls/women.

I'd be interested to see how peoples attitudes change depending on age and gender.

Let's take the gut reaction here. Ask people what's the first thing that comes to their mind when you say the word cancer. That's right, we all think "bald".

I'd imagine the top answer would be death by a long shot.

Many people who undergo treatment for cancer don't even experience hairloss. Its certain chemotherapy drugs that are notorious for hairloss, an example would be the drugs used to treat breast cancer. Many people undergoing chemo for metastatic bowel cancer retain a decent head of hair.

 

[EvilLocks]

Everyone stop the hypocrisy and tell it like it is, no double-standard, bald makes you look like an alien, and everyone finds it ugly, cancer or not.

Very true. Bald is ugly, in females or males. "Bald is beautiful" has just been invented to make it sound better, which it's not.

 

[templerecess]

Gotta agree with Fred here. Bald is fvckable, not beautiful.

 

[billybob mcdougal]

Gotta agree with Fred here. Bald is fvckable, not beautiful.

Beauty on the inside.

 

[EvilLocks]

Beauty on the inside.

LMFAO

 

[kirk]

I would be where my boss is now. It took me almost 3 extra years to finish school.

I also would have only .10% of knowledge about science and human body that I do now. This is only a benefit if I can someday fix my hair loss. If I remain bald, there is no upside.

Do you guys thinks hair loss has an effect on the economy due to under-performing bald people?

 

[billybob mcdougal]

Gotta agree with Fred here. Bald is fvckable, not beautiful.

No bald is sublime. The way a head beams in the sun, like a beacon of heavenly light descending, filling ones soul with hope, promise and joy.

 

[kirk]

Definitely. Or bald men that are not even given a chance because the company needs young people that actually look like they're young.

Even guys 10-15 or sometimes 20+ years older can look younger than a bald one. It's really a mind ****!

 

[Wolf Pack]

Even cancer patients try to remain politically correct I guess. Deep down, they know it's the hair loss that's the worst.

It's like that with everything, ask a woman about what she wants in a man and she will tell you she wants a confident man and that his looks don't matter.

The day has yet to come when cancer patients will all dare to say in front of cameras that they're sad because they're losing their hair.

And the day has yet to come when women will tell the media that they only want the hottest guy and that they don't care one bit for his personality.

Let's take the gut reaction here. Ask people what's the first thing that comes to their mind when you say the word cancer. That's right, we all think "bald".

But with women it is so obvious that looks do matter. Why would anyone think otherwise? Attraction is largely innate, happens in the first few minutes when you meet someone, they already know at that point what they potentially see you as. We all know of a guy who persisted and persisted, ended up getting her, but ultimately he had to work a lot and probably will have to long term as well with her.

Some cancer patients may be worried about hair loss, young girl perhaps, but if you have terminal cancer hair would not be an issue. Finances, relatives and so on are way more important IMHO.

 

[bilboswaggins]

They say people who have been afflicted with life threatening illnesses gain a new-found appreciation for life and allows them to see what's really important etc etc
Well a friend of mine had cancer that almost killed him but fortunately the chemo worked and he survived. however his hair didn't all grow back and now he is a hat prisoner. so even people who feel lucky to be alive are worried about something as "unimportant" as hair

 

[Wolf Pack]

They say people who have been afflicted with life threatening illnesses gain a new-found appreciation for life and allows them to see what's really important etc etc
Well a friend of mine had cancer that almost killed him but fortunately the chemo worked and he survived. however his hair didn't all grow back and now he is a hat prisoner. so even people who feel lucky to be alive are worried about something as "unimportant" as hair

That actually does not prove anything lol. If you look at what I read I said terminal cancer.

What you have shown is what happens to people anywhere in life: They want more. Some people on here say "don't cry about baldness, people are dying in Africa." I always say yes kids are starving in Africa but if they live in the west for a bit, then they will want MORE and have the same kind of issues as people here. Western society is fast paced.

It's a no brainer. Your friend survived and now wants hair. What if the Doctor told he was going to die in 6 months, would he be looking for a transplant and get on Minoxidil? I have spoken to dying people before, hair does not really matter when you are going to be cremated pretty soon funnily enough.

The argument that cancer patients worry about hair is rubbish. Only those that have a curable cancer will worry about hair but then you can't say it's a serious condition can you?

I never said hair was unimportant either. I know most people look repulsive bald and I am the first to say and acknowledge that girls like full hair and hairstyles. Hence why I am on meds and doing everything I can.

 

[EvilLocks]

I can't believe some people are still arguing the living hell hair loss is.

Me neither. I can think of few things worse than hair loss. Only thing(s) that come to mind is burn damage on most parts of the body, blindness and sitting in a wheel chair. I'm sure there are some other things worse than baldness as well but not many.

 

[Wolf Pack]

He has gone to one of the most traumatic experience a human being can go through. Or has he?

Well, no, the most traumatic experience is hair loss apparently since he's now a hat prisoner.

He could face death, but he cannot face people looking at his bald head.

I can't believe some people are still arguing the living hell hair loss is.

Fred, I am not. Hair loss is horrible as a young guy and probably one of the most psychologically damaging. Most may get over it or appear to, but I am sure it hurts inside still big time.

It's not comparable to Cancer in anyway and that's my point. Cancer can be short lived or long, it can kill you or you can be cured, it can lead to loss of function. This guys cancer was not bad, he was cured, so why would he still worry about it? It's the repercussions he is worried about now, things like hair loss or if he had lost a limb for example. And no, it's not that traumatic, that's what movies tell you. If you know it's under control which you normally have an idea of after staging and grading the tumour, why would it be traumatic?

It's the way it goes.

Compare something like Multiple Sclerosis/Dementia to hair loss. All could be life long and nothing you can do. Advantage male pattern baldness has it not does affect your physical health but can destroy your youth. Most older people do accept it grudgingly and get on it with life though. The type on this forum will be hurt the most.

Someone dying of cancer will not worry about hair loss either.

 

[bilboswaggins]

Your friend survived and now wants hair. What if the Doctor told he was going to die in 6 months, would he be looking for a transplant and get on Minoxidil? I have spoken to dying people before, hair does not really matter when you are going to be cremated pretty soon funnily enough.

The argument that cancer patients worry about hair is rubbish. Only those that have a curable cancer will worry about hair but then you can't say it's a serious condition can you?

.

You realise chemotherapy is not a one and done cure for cancer right? It's not like the doctor says "oh you have this type of cancer, we will put you on some chemo and you will be good to go". Everyone reacts differently to chemo treatment and heaps of people die on it too. The oncologist told my friend there was a good chance he would die and yet there he was wearing his beanie, worrying about hairloss when he could very well be gone in a few months. Even now he is not fully in the clear like many cancer patients.

You see heaps of people with terminal cancer wearing bandanas and hats. Why would they do this unless they are worrying about their hair?

 

[Wolf Pack]

You realise chemotherapy is not a one and done cure for cancer right? It's not like the doctor says "oh you have this type of cancer, we will put you on some chemo and you will be good to go". Everyone reacts differently to chemo treatment and heaps of people die on it too. The oncologist told my friend there was a good chance he would die and yet there he was wearing his beanie, worrying about hairloss when he could very well be gone in a few months. Even now he is not fully in the clear like many cancer patients.

You see heaps of people with terminal cancer wearing bandanas and hats. Why would they do this unless they are worrying about their hair?

I'm a medic mate, think I do know a thing or two about oncology. Once you have graded and staged the tumour, you know A LOT. I can't verify what the oncologist said via a third person, patients say a lot of random stuff they apparently heard but is misunderstood.

What type of cancer was it and where? What stage? What grade? Maybe your friend didn't ask many questions or you're unaware.

Why do they wear hats? Why do they take anti emetic tablets on chemo or put on certain creams? It's about managing the consequences that's why. Terminal people exercise too and date others. Again, why is this surprising?

Like I said I am not surprised he is wearing a hat so not sure what your point is. It's a give away someone having chemo with no hair in hospital, maybe he wants to hide his condition too. How many male pattern baldness people wear hats? I see loads of shaven around the UK or limited horseshoe. No body wears hats. There was actually research done in the UK and shave was at the top. So since they don't wear hats, it's ok to be bald?

Hair loss is the worst 'medical condition,' well that's to be expected on a hair loss forum. It can be psychologically damaging and socially especially in youth but most people don't lose so much so early. Nor do many people develop severe depression from it. Facts.

I believe my sig quote summarizes hair loss and how I feel. We on this forum are a minority in that we may worry more.

 

[bilboswaggins]

I'm a medic mate, think I do know a thing or two about oncology. Once you have graded and staged the tumour, you know A LOT. I can't verify what the oncologist said via a third person, patients say a lot of random stuff they apparently heard but is misunderstood.

What type of cancer was it and where? What stage? What grade? Maybe your friend didn't ask many questions or you're unaware.

Why do they wear hats? Why do they take anti emetic tablets on chemo or put on certain creams? It's about managing the consequences that's why. Terminal people exercise too and date others. Again, why is this surprising?

Like I said I am not surprised he is wearing a hat so not sure what your point is. It's a give away someone having chemo with no hair in hospital, maybe he wants to hide his condition too. How many male pattern baldness people wear hats? I see loads of shaven around the UK or limited horseshoe. No body wears hats. There was actually research done in the UK and shave was at the top. So since they don't wear hats, it's ok to be bald?

Hair loss is the worst 'medical condition,' well that's to be expected on a hair loss forum. It can be psychologically damaging and socially especially in youth but most people don't lose so much so early. Nor do many people develop severe depression from it. Facts.

I believe my sig quote summarizes hair loss and how I feel. We on this forum are a minority in that we may worry more.

So it's entirely coincidental that people who do not wear hats prior to losing their hair are wearing hats after chemo makes them bald?

male pattern baldness hair loss is different to hair loss from chemo. male pattern baldness is mostly slow and hence guys eventually come to "accept" their condition and hence shave their heads, stop wearing hats etc. Cancer patients lose all their hair in a short timespan and even though in many cases the loss is temporary, the experience is traumatic enough that they want to hide their new shiny scalps. And yes this is regardless of the fact that for some of them they are going to die anyway.

In my country we even have National Bandanna day where a charity sells bandannas and people wear them in support of cancer patients. Cancer patients wear bandannas not to hide their cancer condition but their grotesque hair loss condition. Someone even linked an article on here a couple weeks ago about some scalp cooling treatment to prevent people from losing their hair during chemo. Like I said, if hair loss is supposedly unimportant to those dying of cancer, why would they do this? Surely, they have more pressing issues to worry about?

And I never said that hair loss was the worst medical condition. But under the age of 35 there dosen't seem to be much that we would prefer to avoid. Of course the exceptions are terminal illnesses, aids, amputation?