Should I Shave My Head
Before Chemo?

What's Really at Stake Here

This decision matters more than it might seem on the surface. Not because of the hair itself, but because of how prepared you feel walking into treatment. Here's the honest difference between the two paths most women face:

Most of the women who've shared their stories with us over the years say the same thing: it wasn't about the hair. It was about finding a small piece of control in a situation that had taken so much of it away.

First: Will You Definitely Lose Your Hair?

One thing to hold onto before anything else: for most chemotherapy treatment plans, hair loss is temporary. Your hair will grow back after treatment ends, typically within three to six months. It may come back slightly different in texture or color at first, but it comes back.

Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss. It depends on which drugs you're receiving and the dosage. Ask your oncologist what to expect from your specific treatment before making any decisions.

One other thing to be aware of before you decide: scalp cooling (cold cap therapy). If you're considering it, you need to know about it now. It only works if you haven't shaved, so once that decision is made, this option is no longer available.

Cold caps work by cooling the scalp during infusion to reduce how much chemotherapy reaches the hair follicles.¹ Whether they work depends heavily on the specific drugs and doses in your treatment plan, and results vary considerably from person to person.

What women have told us: the caps are cold, tight, and uncomfortable. Sessions typically involve wearing the cap for around 30 minutes before the infusion, throughout, and for an extended period after. Not everyone finishes the full course. For women who are truly distressed about losing their hair, some find it worth going through. Many others find the discomfort, cost, and uncertainty aren't worth it. If it's something you want to explore, your oncologist can tell you whether your specific treatment plan is a candidate.

¹ American Cancer Society. Cold Caps and Scalp Cooling Systems. cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/hair-skin-nails/hair-loss/cold-caps.html

The Case for Shaving

The overwhelming majority of women who've been through this recommend shaving. Their reasons come down to one word: control.

Beyond reclaiming control, there are real practical reasons shaving works better for most women:

• It can shorten the hardest part. Watching hair fall out over days or weeks can stretch the hardest part of this into something prolonged. Shaving makes it a single event, one you chose, that you can process and move through.

• It's more comfortable. As hair weakens and sheds, it can cause real scalp pain: itching, tenderness, and sensitivity. Many women are surprised by the relief shaving brings.

• It can become something meaningful. Some women describe shave day, done with a daughter, a sister, or a husband, as one of the most powerful moments of their experience. It doesn't feel that way for everyone, but it can.

The Case for Waiting

Waiting is also completely valid, and for some women it's the right choice. There's no need to rush a decision like this.

You may not want to lose your hair a day sooner than you have to. Your hair is part of you right now. There's nothing wrong with wanting to hold on to that while you're adjusting to everything else that's changing.

Hair loss may be less dramatic than expected. Some women experience noticeable thinning rather than complete loss. Waiting lets you see what happens before making an irreversible decision.

If you do wait, the most important thing is to have your headwear ready before hair loss starts. That readiness is what protects you from the hardest version of this experience.

If You Decide to Shave: What to Know

A few things that make shave day go better:

• Use electric clippers, not a razor. Shaving to the skin with a blade can irritate the scalp and trap stubble beneath the surface, causing intense itching as the hair dies off. Use clippers on a #2 or #3 setting. Behind the ears is the spot most people miss. Also: cut long hair short with scissors first before using clippers. It makes the process much easier.

• Have someone you love do it. Many hairstylists will come to your home or stay after hours for cancer patients. Don't do this alone if you don't have to.

• Your scalp will be more sensitive than you expect. Skin that's never been exposed is tender. Use gentle, fragrance-free products and protect it from the sun with SPF or headwear outdoors.

What to Get Before Hair Loss Begins

This is the step most women wish they'd taken sooner. Shopping for headwear before hair loss begins, while you're not exhausted or in a hurry, is a completely different experience from scrambling after the fact.

When you're ready to think practically, most women find they need at least these three things before hair loss begins: