Hair loss caused by treatment for cancer is usually temporary. Talk to your doctor about what to expect after your treatment.
Learn more about:
When treatment finishes
| After chemotherapy | The first soft hairs usually start to reappear 4–6 weeks after treatment ends. Hair usually grows about 1 cm every 4 weeks so after 4–12 months, you may have a reasonable amount of hair. |
| After radiation therapy | The time it takes and the way hair grows back depends on the dose of radiation you receive. Hair usually grows back a few months after treatment. Occasionally, after a large dose of radiation therapy, the hair may not recover completely, new growth may be patchy and there may be some permanent hair loss. |
| After other drug therapies | Hair thinning or slowed growth caused by hormone therapy will usually improve, but it can take a few months. If you experience hair thinning after immunotherapy or targeted therapy, hair usually starts to grow back when treatment has finished. |
When your hair grows back
As your hair grows back, it may be curlier, thicker or finer than it was before treatment, or it may be a different colour. Often these changes are not permanent. A hairdresser may be able to help you manage thinning hair and hair care during regrowth.
Talk to your hairdresser about different styling to give the appearance of thicker hair. Hairpieces can be effective in covering partial hair loss.
Ask your doctor or nurse about how soon after treatment you can colour your hair – for example, it is often recommended that people wait at least 6 months to colour their hair after chemotherapy has finished.
If your scalp is sensitive, your hairdresser may be able to suggest dyes that may be gentler on the hair and scalp than chemical hair treatments.
For more information about treatments and hair loss, see our sections on chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
More resources
A/Prof Rachel Dear, Senior Staff Specialist, Medical Oncologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, NSW; Gillian Blanchard, Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Calvary Mater Newcastle, NSW; Cindy Cunningham, Head of Programs, Look Good Feel Better; Sharon Dreise, Consumer; Amanda Maple, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA; Mariad O’Gorman, Clinical Psychologist, Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre and Bankstown Cancer Centre, NSW; Tessa Saunders, Consumer; Maryanne Van Dal, Cancer Centre Volunteer and Wig Service Program Coordinator, Cancer Council WA; Gabrielle Vigar, Nurse Lead, Cancer Program, Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, SA.
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