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10 Reasons I Found the Good in Losing My Hair During Chemo

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I had thick, gorgeous, long curly red hair. My hairdresser cut it super short in a pixie style cut so  it wouldn’t be as traumatic when I lost my hair during chemo. On Thanksgiving day, it started falling out in clumps in the shower. My dear mother-in-law shaved my head. I would have preferred a shopping trip to Macy’s for some MIL bonding, but head shaving works too.

As taken from my book, “The Coconut Head’s Cancer Survival Guide: My Journey From Diagnosis to ‘I Do,’” these are the top 10 reasons I found the good in losing my hair curing chemo.

10. The money market fund I have to pay for curly hair styling products is now directed to chemo costs.

9. With “chemo brain,” I would forget to turn off the curling iron and burn the house down.

8. If/when the hardcore sickness happens… no worries about anyone having to hold my hair back while getting sick.

7. Fun new head accessories to wear.

breast cancer survivor with bald head

6. One free wig, compliments of my insurance.

5. I’m now a good luck charm (must rub the bald head).

4. Keeps it in check — the trauma of losing my hair actually trumped the trauma of having cancer.

3. No more bad hair days — the worst it gets is the remaining stubble looking like a dog with mange, and that’s pretty sexy.

2. More time to sleep in the morning — it takes less time to get ready.

1. Not having to shave my legs (lost it there too) for the next several months is truly a very, very special gift from God.

Oh and as a bonus… and because it’s so much fun to go there… when else in life can you say, “Do these jeans make my head look bald?”

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Originally published: February 15, 2018
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