I'm a cancer survivor

[defunct]

I'm 30 and had a malignant tumor on the top of my head... just where my hairline began. Before I had no baldness. Well to rid my body of the cancer one of the treatments was radiating the tumor and about a 2 inch diameter out from it. The radiation has apparently killed the hair there as I have a bald spot there now.

 

It's been 2 years. The cancer is gone (which is the most important thing), however the hair never has grown back where my head was radiated. I would describe myself as the number 2 on that scale. No sign of balding anywhere else.. my hair grew back everywhere else. I'm healthy again but I still wear a hat to hide my shame of being bald.

 

My question is: do HT's work on areas that have been radiated? It's been 2 years and it hasn't grown back on its own so I'm thinking of a HT, but am worried that because of the radiation, it will not work. Any help is appreciated.

[defunct]

I'm 30 and had a malignant tumor on the top of my head... just where my hairline began. Before I had no baldness. Well to rid my body of the cancer one of the treatments was radiating the tumor and about a 2 inch diameter out from it. The radiation has apparently killed the hair there as I have a bald spot there now.

 

It's been 2 years. The cancer is gone (which is the most important thing), however the hair never has grown back where my head was radiated. I would describe myself as the number 2 on that scale. No sign of balding anywhere else.. my hair grew back everywhere else. I'm healthy again but I still wear a hat to hide my shame of being bald.

 

My question is: do HT's work on areas that have been radiated? It's been 2 years and it hasn't grown back on its own so I'm thinking of a HT, but am worried that because of the radiation, it will not work. Any help is appreciated.

[NC30]

Well....congratulations on beating the cancer. Like you said, that's the most important thing.

 

This is definitely a question for the doctors it would seem. This is just me, and I would have NO idea whether it would be successful or not, but I would probably approach doctors who perform FUE/FIT. Even if a doctor told me that a strip HT would work, I'd not want to take a chance of taking a strip of hair from the back of my head to place into a spot where it may not work whatsoever.

 

I would think that at least some doctor would welcome the opportunity to perform this procedure as a chance to perform an HT in a situation which they've never done. I hate to even say this, because I'd hate to get your hopes up, but, some doctors even perform HT's for free in certain situations.

 

Good luck and definitely let us know what you decide to do, what doctors tell you in your consultations, etc.

[dodgedabullet]

Defunct,

A HT would not grow as well in an area that has previously received a high dose of radiation. Many of the post-radiation changes are vascular in nature. Surgical wounds do not heal as well. It may be reasonable to have a few FU's placed in the area to see if they grow, but perhaps some type of mini scalp reduction may work better because it would remove most of the damaged tissue.

[defunct]

I should add that the radiated area is not completely void of hair. Hair has grown back in the area which leads me to a little bit of hope. It's just so little of an amount that it doesn't cover anything up or even combable. But the fact that it is growing is what gives me hope.

 

Thanks for the honest replies so far. I'm not looking for a sugar coated answer. I need the straight dope.

[HairBeThere]

go see a well known HT surgeon. They are the only one's to give you the true answer. Good luck and glad to hear that you kicked the unthinkable!!