eyelash growth

One in a series about staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen’s battle against breast cancer.

The hair loss that results from chemotherapy can be the most devastating side effect of the treatment, some experts say.

“There are studies that show that for many women, losing their hair is worse than losing a breast. That’s because you can conceal the loss of a breast, but hair loss is so obvious and apparent,” writes breastcancer.org founder Marisa Weiss, a breast radiation oncologist from Philadelphia, Pa.

Chemotherapy targets all rapidly dividing cells — healthy ones included — and since hair follicles are among the body’s fastest-growing cells, the chemicals attack them. Hair loss often results.

I prepared for this by buying alternative head coverings and trying to have fun with the whole thing.

I broke in my primary wig the other day, and it was a psychological adventure. I’d already worn my back-up wig to the grocery store, but that didn’t really count, because the grocery store is filled mostly with strangers and the visit was going to be a short one.

I wore my main wig to a social function with people I know, and that was expected to last a while. I spent the whole time concerned that the thing was going to go flying off my head.

The same principle led to my decision to go with special stencils and powder for missing eyebrows rather than stick-on ones. I imagined myself interviewing someone and having to explain an eyebrow dangling in the breeze.

None of my neurotic fears have come to pass so far, and, judging from most reactions, I guess I should have started wearing wigs and turbans years ago.

I’ve put into practice some make-up and other “beauty” tips given at the American Cancer Society’s Look good Feel Better class that I attended, and feel like I look pretty good.

I may keep the various head-covering options even after my hair grows back, assuming it does, making bad hair days a thing of the past.

Yet another silver lining.

Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or rzrihen@timesheraldonline.com.

<a href="http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_15856691tag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_15856691Sun, 22 Aug 2010 07:46:17 GMT 00:00″>Hair loss: No. 1 woe of chemo