Headwear Etc Blog

Hair loss, hair thinning and chemotherapy
Hair loss is one of the most well known side effects of chemotherapy. This can be

Your hair just gets thinner and does not look very different
You lose some of your hair and it is noticeable (partial or patchy hair loss)
All of your hair falls out (alopecia)
Chemotherapy drugs can cause anything from slight thinning to complete loss of hair. Some drugs don’t cause any hair loss at all. Other body hair may also fall out, including your eyelashes, eyebrows, underarm, leg and sometimes pubic hair.

The chemotherapy drugs can damage the hair, making it break close to your scalp. If your hair is going to fall out, it usually begins about 2 - 3 weeks after you start the treatment. Sometimes it starts within a few days. It will not usually be sudden, so you are unlikely to wake up one morning with no hair. It is usually a gradual loss.

We can’t tell beforehand who will get it or how bad it will be. Some drugs are more likely to cause hair loss than others. Below there are lists of drugs, showing which are likely to cause hair loss. You can click on the name of the drug to go to information on the specific side effects associated with that drug.

Hair loss also depends on other factors like

The type of drug or combination of drugs you are taking
The dose
Your individual sensitivity to the drug
Your drug treatment in the past
When your hair grows back
If your hair falls out because of chemotherapy, it will grow back once you have finished your treatment. This may take several months and your hair is likely to be softer. It may come back a different colour, and may be more curly than before. It will probably grow back at the same rate as it grew before chemotherapy. By 4 - 6 months you should have a ‘good head of hair’.

Covering up
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“We help women with hair loss look and feel confident…with style, fit, and comfort.”

6 Cancer Screening Tests for Women
From Lisa Fayed,
Your Guide to Cancer.
Screening tests play a vital role for optimum health care. Many types of cancer do not present any symptoms in the beginning stages, so early detection often begins with screening tests.

Several screening tests are available for women that screen for many cancers. Each are highly effective screening methods and are recommended for all women. Many tests are performed at different ages, so it is important for women to know what tests are available and the recommended screening age of each test.
1. The Pap Smear for Cervical Cancer
A Pap smear is a highly effective test that screens for cervical cancer in women. The test involves the collection of cells from the cervix to be examined under a microscope. It is not a diagnostic test, however, and if any abnormalities are discovered, more testing may be needed.

2. Mammogram for Breast Cancer
Women who are over 40 or at high risk for developing breast cancer need to have a regular mammogram. A screening mammogram is able to detect breast abnormalities that could signal breast cancer. Aside from regular mammograms, women of all ages should perform monthly breast self exams to check for abnormalities.

3. Colonoscopy or Other Recommended Colon Cancer Screening Test
Several tests are available to screen for colon cancer. Your doctor will recommend a a colon cancer screening test based on your colon cancer risk factor, your age, and general health. Common examples of colon cancer screening tests include colonoscopy and fecal occult blood tests. Colon cancer screening normally begins for men and women who are over 50, however those who are at an increased risk for the disease may begin screening earlier.

4. Clinical Skin Exam for Skin Cancer
At home, you should check your skin for abnormalities every month. Each year, however, you should have a clinical skin exam. During a clinical skin exam, a doctor visually examines the skin to look for any new developments or changes to existing moles or spots. Remember, if you find anything abnormal, report it to your doctor as soon as possible. Do not wait for your yearly exam.
5. Pelvic Exam for Gynecologic Cancers
A regular pelvic exam is necessary for all women. A pelvic exam is one of the first steps in diagnosing several conditions like gynecologic cancers, sexually transmitted diseases and other benign diseases. How often a woman needs a pelvic exam varies depending on her risk factor for certain conditions and previous exam findings. A pelvic exam is often accompanied by the Pap smear.

6. Oral Exam for Oral Cancer
A yearly oral exam is not only necessary to prevent and detect dental problems, but also to screen for oral cancer. Before the exam, the dentist may ask if you smoke or chew tobacco or drink alcohol. It is important to let your dentist know if you have these habits so he or she can determine your risk of developing oral cancer. During an oral exam, the doctor will visually exam your mouth and gum, checking for oral cancer symptoms.

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The AMAS test, a diagnostic test which tests for circulating levels of a specific antibody, provides a unique tool for monitoring cancer patients in remission. The antibodies bind specifically to a 10,000 molecular weight protein found in a wide range of cancers. Because it monitors an aspect of the body’s immune response to cancer, rather than cancer antigens or cancer cells in the bloodstream, the AMAS test is especially accurate early in the recurrence or first occurrence of cancer, when clinical signs of the disease may not be evident or may just be emerging.

Patients in remission after successful cancer therapy, or a healthy normal population, generally have normal circulating levels of the antibody assayed in the test. AMAS’s low false positive rate, shown to be 5% in double-blind clinical studies, means that elevated results on the test are highly suspicious for a recurrence or unrelated new occurrence of cancer, and warrant further clinical investigation. While the AMAS test is not generally useful in advanced cancer, its high sensitivity and specificity early in the disease allow it to be used to improve early detection of first occurrence and recurrence of the disease.

The emergence of new imaging techniques such as MRI and CT scans provides a powerful complement to the AMAS test’s ability to flag early cancer occurrence and recurrence. With these tools, which are now becoming affordable and widely used, it is often possible to find small malignancies, leading to early and effective clinical treatment. Survival rates for cancers found early are generally much better than for those found later in the disease, and death rates, treatment costs, and productivity losses can be minimized.

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American Cancer Society Quick Tips
for Sun Protection
Wear hats with broad rims, shirts with long sleeves and tightly woven clothing. Good clothing choices include dark colors and specially treated garments and bathing suits.
Try to limit the time you are in the sun, especially in the middle of the day when UV light is most intense.
Use SPF 15 or higher on all skin exposed to the sun.
Apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before going outside.
Apply generously. Use at least one ounce to cover your body effectively. A palmful is best.
Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming, sweating, vigorous activity or towel drying.

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Use sunscreen even on hazy or partly-cloudy days.

Wear sunglasses. Wrap-around sunglasses with at least 99% UV absorption protect your eyes the best.