A Google search might find a solution to stop your hair from falling out after chemo. The chances of it working is the same as running into the Skunk Ape in the Everglades; pretty low. Face it, your hair is going to fall out. Hair loss is the tip off for people with cancer and you can’t unsee it. You know when someone is having chemo just by their looks: pale skin, no eyebrows, completely bald. Hair care is a trillion dollar industry, just walk through the hair products aisle at the grocery store and you’ll witness a vast array of shampoos, conditioners, gels to maintain your vanity- so many you can’t keep track of them. Let’s be frank, the majority of products are for women and a tiny amount for men. Women spend a heck of a lot of time, energy, and money on their hair and I feel the worst for them when they have chemo. Losing my hair was one of my biggest fears growing up; and I worried more about it than the Russians sending nukes over. In the late 1970’s I worked in the hospital laundry in the summer, so I’d collect all the dirty laundry from the nursing floors and haul it down to the laundry twice a day. The worst floor to visit was the Cancer Ward where dying patients were kept for their last days after horrific chemo bouts. Everyone, men and women all looked alike especially all bald. I prayed to God I’d never get cancer and lose my hair. Fast forward to 2004 when I had Stage 4 Lymphoma – Heavy duty chemo mixed with a full month of radiation. When I started chemo I asked the nurse if all patients lose their hair and she said, “some don’t”. “What about me?” “It’ll all fall out.” “Thanks.” It did, but it came in phases, so I thought maybe it wasn’t going to fall out completely. Within a month it was getting pretty thin, but no one was saying anything to me just to be polite. One day I realized I could actually pull my hair out in clumps, so I showed my sons and they all laughed and started pulling it out for me. That went over well when Diane came back from shopping. The final straw was one morning I had to fly early to Little Rock on business, so I took a good look in the mirror and I realized how silly I looked with the patchy hair. I told Diane, “ get the clippers out, I want you to shave my head.” “Are you sure?” “Look at me, I look like a Martian.” Diane got the electric clippers and sat me down in front of the mirror and started shaving away. It got pretty quiet, so I broke the silence and said, “I bet I know what you’re thinking.” “What’s that?” “You’re thinking that on our wedding day you never thought you would be doing this.” Diane reminisced, “No, actually I’m thinking that I used these clippers yesterday to shave the cat’s ass.” So much for sympathy about the hair. Long story short, hair is not that important; yes it will fall out with treatment, but it grows back. You’ll realize that people still love you the same without your hair, its a badge of honor, so wear it that way.