Chemo curls: What to expect and how to take care of it?

written by Christina

Published on Dec 10, 2021

What is chemo curls? What to expect after chemotherapy?

It is unfortunate that someone needs to go thru a difficult time like a bout with cancer. There are many emotional, mental and physical changes that come with battling the disease and recovering from it. And one aspect of physical recovery is the hair. Hair loss after chemo is very common for people undergoing the treatment.  For some, they might think that it is only vanity to worry about growing the hair after fighting cancer. But for the survivors themselves, their hair is part of their identity and personality. Cancer survivors will grow their hair back, although some may not go back to their original hair. “Chemo curls” is when you have straight hair before your chemotherapy and grow back to be curly after the treatment. How does this happen? Chemotherapy affects the cells of the inner root sheath which determines the texture and shape of the hair strands. But this is only temporary and the hair will grow back to its normal texture.

How long will it take to grow back your natural hair?

Like any other recovery, growing back your natural hair is a process. It takes time and patience to be back to your natural self. Some survivors start growing their hair back from 8 to 10 weeks after their last chemotherapy session. And it may take about 2 years to grow back to healthy shoulder-length hair. 

How to care for post-chemo hair? Tips for promoting regrowth and healthy hair

Growing back your post-chemo hair needs time and patience. Whether you have chemo-curls or not, it is important to understand that growing back your hair is a process. Your hair will start growing back in different spots in your head. Hair at some parts of your head will grow faster compared to other spots. This can be frustrating especially if you have long locks before your chemotherapy. 

  1. Take Biotin supplements to improve your hair growth. But this should be done with the supervision of your physician. 
  2. If you are conscious of how your hair is sprouting all over your head, you can use a bandana or a silk-lined cap to cover your hair. Plus, a bandana can make you look more chic and fashionable.
  3. Trim every 2-3 months to keep the shape of your hair. Some of you wouldn’t want to trim your hair as you grow them. But trust us, trimming your hair regularly will help you in keeping the shape of your hair.
  4. Get a good pixie cut to keep in style while recovering and growing back your hair. Once you feel that the majority of your head has grown hair, you can start growing your hair longer.

Products for Chemo Curls to Make your Hair Grow Faster

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Rosemary oil

Improve your hair growth with Rosemary oil. It works as an exfoliator for dry scalp and prevents flaking. It can be used in the skin as anti-aging oil or as an essential oil for humidifiers. 

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Rosemary oil is proven to help in stimulating hair growth and prevent flaking. You can massage this oil to your scalp to stimulate your scalp for faster hair growth. And it smells therapeutic that it feels like you are having a spa session.

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Aveeno Baby Moisture Gentle Bath & Wash Shampoo

A gentle cleansing body wash and shampoo with natural oat extract to gently cleanse your scalp without drying the skin. It is pH-balanced, hypoallergenic and chemical-free that is gentle enough for your sensitive skin.

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Think of your scalp as a baby’s sensitive skin that you need to use a gentle cleanser. Clean your scalp once or twice a week to keep its natural oil that helps in keeping your skin moisturized. 

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SheaMoisture Jamaican Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Styling Lotion

Made from nutrient-rich Jamaican castor oil, Shea butter and peppermint that protects the hair while restoring moisture and life to dry and damaged hair. Makes hair more resistant to breakage and makes the hair grow stronger and healthier.

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Once you start growing your strands, you need to strengthen your hair strands. Make sure to use hair products that will help you in keeping your hair strong and moisturized. Our scalp needs moisture to be able to produce healthy strands.

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Alikay Naturals Mositure Rich Hair Parfait

Keep your growing textured hair healthy and soft with this award-winning product. The perfect blend of Shea Butter, Argan oil and Coconut oil provides hydration to your hair. The moisture-rich ingredients make the hair soft, shiny and more manageable.

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Another hydrating and moisturizing product to use for your growing hair. Use this hair parfait to style your hair and to support hair growth. A little goes a long way so start with a pea-sized amount and work your way to whatever hairstyle you want.

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Eprouvage Gentle Volume Conditioner

The quick-absorbing proteins from vegetable, soy and rice keratins in this product penetrate the hair fibres to rebuild and restore weakened hair. It works on a cellular level to produce thicker and fuller hair. It amplifies hair volume and restores the health of the hair.

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Condition your hair after every shampoo with this lightweight and moisturizing conditioner. This will help in rebuilding thicker and stronger strands plus it gives the hair more body and volume.


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