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Breast Cancer and Hair Loss

Donna Nichols • October 19, 2021

Most people experience hair loss from chemotherapy as the treatment for breast cancer. The chemo drugs target the cells so some healthy cells get damaged along with the cancerous cells.

The good news is that not all chemotherapy causes hair loss ; how much hair loss you experience depends on the type of drug you are given and the dosage.

This can be devastating, especially for women, so how do you prepare for losing your hair?

You may choose to cut your hair short or start wearing headwear now in order for you to get used to the feel and look. If the cancer is caught early enough and you have long hair, you can cut it short and take it to an organization that makes wigs out of your own hair.

If this is not the case for you, you may want to start looking at wigs, or choose to go bald; after all bald is beautiful!!

Make sure you protect your scalp should you decide to go au naturel.

Your head will be particularly sensitive so be sure to use plenty of sunscreen underneath your hat; remember, your head hasn’t had the full effect of the sun, your hair was always there to protect it.

If your scalp becomes dry, flaky, or itchy, using a moisturizer or an oil such as almond or olive may help.

As I stated above, losing your hair can be devastating and some people tend to feel guilty because they get so upset over it. They feel there are many worse things to be upset over other than hair loss, but it can make you feel vulnerable and exposed.

There is no right or wrong way to feel about losing your hair or about getting breast cancer; you feel the way you feel and you have a right to be upset if you choose to be.

Hair loss is a noticeable side effect and can change how you see yourself. Men who experience breast cancer have a very difficult time with losing the hair from their chest. Losing your hair may be a constant reminder of your cancer, or perhaps you are a very private person and now everyone can see you have cancer; this can be extremely difficult to deal with.

Some people have no problem with hair loss, others find it terribly difficult to accept and adapt.

There are some cultures and religions where hair has a special significance and losing it may affect your religious identity as well as your self-esteem. If the latter is the case, you may need to speak to a counselor for additional support.

How are others going to react to your diagnosis?

Who cares?!?!

This is your journey and your journey alone; no one has to know unless you want them to know. Some people only tell their close friends and family, while many others want everyone to know.

Everyone will respond to your hair loss in different ways and some may be hard to understand. Not everyone will know what to say or do; if they say or do anything it may be the wrong thing because they won’t know what to say. Be patient, they try.

Whatever you do, don’t quit being social.

This is so important, you may not feel like socializing , but you must otherwise you may become isolated and depressed.

Hanging out with friends can also serve as a wonderful distraction and help keep some level of normalcy in your life. Other people’s reactions may bother you at first, but your reaction to them should improve over time. Talk to others who have experienced this to see how they handled it.

If you have children, please talk to them about your breast cancer AND your hair loss.

Children don’t want to see their mother lose her hair if they don’t know what’s happening; help them prepare for what they will witness. Life is so stressful on kids now-a-days, please don’t add to their frustration.

If you find dealing with breast cancer and hair loss overwhelming, please seek support.

There are many organizations who will gladly help you. You may just have to check with your doctor’s office for local support.

Facebook has support groups, you can go to cancer.org to find support, breastcancernow.org has many resources also.

PLEASE find the help you need!!

If you’re looking for other senior living articles and resources then click here.

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Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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