colouring hair on obinutuzumab and venetoclax

[Geministars]

I have finished obinutuzumab and am now just on venetoclax.My hair has been unaffected by these treatments. I would like to have good quality highlights and lowlights - is this OK?

[Poodle2]

I dye my hair all the time, even when I was on the same treatment.

[Geministars in reply to Poodle2]

Thanks for sharing - this is encouraging

[GMa27]

I dyed my hair during chemo. All ok.

[Geministars in reply to GMa27]

Thank you for sharing - this helps

[SofiaDeo]

My eyebrows and hair started coming in white on venetoclax, very odd. Since I've been off it, some of the color has come back, so I am fairly certain the drug accelerated the aging process!

[Geministars in reply to SofiaDeo]

sorry to hear about your side effects from

Venetoclax and hope you continuing to improve

[SofiaDeo in reply to Geministars]

My eyebrows are now darkening again off the med as well as my hair, although it's not the black of my youth, it's a dark brown/light black. The texture hasn't changed, and it colored easily unlike reports of graying hair, so that's why I am inclined to think the drug contributed.

[Geministars in reply to SofiaDeo]

Glad that things are going the right way for you

[Swissnology]

My replied to this is if you have to ask this question you know the answer. You're taking medicine to keep you alive and you're worried about dying your hair really

[Geministars in reply to Swissnology]

Thank you for your thoughts on this one

[Agfar in reply to Swissnology]

It may well help ones mental state, of course!

[Geministars in reply to Agfar]

Yes - it would help my mental state - thank you for this comment

[Poodle2 in reply to Geministars]

Geministars I totally get you. My hair has gone terribly white and until SofiaDeo mentioned what happened to her on treatment, I wouldn't have even thought there could be a link. I really struggled with my enlarged nodes on my neck, I felt like a monster, really. If I added my white hair to the mix on top of that, I wouldn't be able to get out and about at all. It might sound vain to some but it did make me feel confident enough to live life with the monstrosity of my nodes - could not do anything about those.

[Geministars in reply to Poodle2]

Thank you to Poodle2 for sharing and glad your confidence was strengthened

[Suzieinwv in reply to Swissnology]

Looking for an “unlike” button! Totally unnecessary. A trip to the beauty salon with fresh highlights can do wonders for one’s self esteem.

[Geministars in reply to Suzieinwv]

Thank you Suzie for your empathy here

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Swissnology]

That response is not in the spirit of the way we respond to others on this site Swissnology.

Newdawn

[Jm954 Administrator in reply to Swissnology]

Your comment is rather unkind, we try to be supportive and helpful in this group.

[Geministars in reply to Jm954]

These two comments from the administrators helped me at a vulnerable moment

[bonbeat in reply to Swissnology]

Well I am! I still have to work and live in the world. I'm already the old nurse. I don't want to advertise that that I am the sick one on cancer treatment too.

[Geministars in reply to bonbeat]

Interesting reply - made me think - thank you from Geministars ( cheery highlights and lowlights making me more inclined to re-enter our world)

[LuzyCLL]

My hematologist told me to stop using hair dye... she was specifically talking about dark colors though

[Geministars in reply to LuzyCLL]

Thank you for this

[Amberesque in reply to LuzyCLL]

I read that dark hair dye has been linked to some forms of blood cancer. I dyed my hair dark brown/black for years....

[SofiaDeo in reply to Amberesque]

Harvard reported on this in 2021:

health.harvard.edu/blog/do-...

The NIH/NCI states dyes used before 1980 were linked to non Hodgkins lymphoma, and that formulations have changed since then.

cancer.gov/about-cancer/cau...

[Amberesque in reply to SofiaDeo]

Thanks! The link doesn't work though.

[Flute117]

While the chemicals in hair dye are far from good for us, my specialist told me it was ok to continue using it during V+O treatment. It did make me feel better to try and look my best. (Two years post treatment I stopped coloring and decided to let the gray come in. I kind of like it now.)

[Geministars in reply to Flute117]

Thank you very much for this; the fact that your treatment was exactly the same as mine means your answer is highly relevant! I know we are all different and react to things differently but it was good to hear that your consultant empathised with the need, for some people, to try to look your best (or not too bad, anyway) during treatment.

[Janie67 in reply to Flute117]

I like mine too

[SofiaDeo]

All I have read, says that there may be some risk with hair dyes, especially darker ones. That being said, even as a "foodie" who was also an exercise nut, I dyed my black hair to match when the silver started.

It's not acutely toxic, but like most things, one can have a skin reaction or absorb enough that it may one day affect things. Life is short, go for it!

My hair & eyebrows turned white on venetoclax, the drug contributed some because the new growth post treatment has dark again, and my eyebrows are coming back. I chose a level 3 violet recently to start blending the bottom dark, then almost white/silver, now darker. Lolol a nurse at my specialists thought I picked red! So much for my attempt to look radical hahaha!

[Geministars in reply to SofiaDeo]

Thank you Sofia for writing back

[Geministars in reply to SofiaDeo]

Violet? Sounds marvellous !

[Unglorious]

I appreciate your concern and feel the same way you do, we need a "pick me up" and dying one's hair does the trick, go for it. I could not stand my greying hair and decided to at least do a dye job at home. I would have gone the route you want to undertake. highlights and lowlights but too chicken to go to a salon to get it done, ( re; possibility of Covid), but that is me, although I am considering going to one, to bring back my once ago highlights and lowlights. I was advised long ago that there was no risk by my oncologist. By the way I am taking Acalabrutinib. Thank goodness we still have hair. Good luck!

[Geministars in reply to Unglorious]

Yes this matters a lot to come people, including me - than you for sharing

[bonbeat]

I am on the same treatment as you (about 5 months in). I just got highlights. My doctor said it was fine. I have been getting highlights for years. When I was pregnant, my Obstetrician even said it was fine. I'm glad your hair is not affected. I am losing hair and eye brow hairs. I am thankful I am not balding, just thinning. The highlights help give it a little texture.

[Geministars in reply to bonbeat]

Good to hear your highlights add texture - good luck !!

[Gradyboy]

I did mine every 8 weeks on Venclexta. No issues at all. Go for it. Feel your best. You deserve it!

[Geministars in reply to Gradyboy]

Phew - good news !

[Geministars in reply to Gradyboy]

Phew - this is a great example - thank you !

[wellbeingwarrior]

Life is short, really. How you live it is all you have to put your personality into and claim!

We can all be guaranteed we'll have to pay taxes and we'll eventually leave the world and nothing else - As the rest is our lived experience and our story and much of it is so beyond our control.

Do what makes you feel good.. There are so many more benefits to doing this one thing than being anxious about what might kill you, and you think you should avoid .. when we'll all end up in the same place eventually.

Live life on your own terms. 🙂

[Geministars in reply to wellbeingwarrior]

Thank you for your encouragement

[Geministars in reply to wellbeingwarrior]

Thank you wellbeingwarrior ( what a great name)!

[GoingDownFighting]

I too am on the same treatment as you (7 months). I asked my Drs before I started treatment if ...

a) I was going to lose my hair (they said no, BUT I did experience extreme thinning - started at 5 months in). They think it was the result of stopping the medication I was on for my MS.

And b) could I still get it colored / highlighted (they said yes).

My eyebrows and eyelashes decreased as well but I still have some. And the new growth on my head is coming in white. I have not colored my hair since August of 2023 (I had it done right before I started treatment and since my hair growth slowed way down I didn't see the need to have it colored since then). I am now in the process of picking out a wig, and seriously considering having my hair cut really short or even shaved to let the white hair shine.

I agree with others that having a hair cut and color that you love can help a person psychologically - which can also assist in your mental state to deal with this disease.

GDF

[Geministars in reply to GoingDownFighting]

Thank you GDF for your most interesting reply - I realise from what you have written how different we all are in our responses to anything: it very kind of you to offer me empathy and moral support when you are coping with a lot yourself. All the various replies I have received so far, including yours, have helped me feel that my planned physical and emotional spruce up is going to be OK -special good luck with your wig - best wishes Geministars

[Geministars]

Hello everyone - after reading all your different replies I went ahead and had foils highlights and lowlights put in my hair yesterday (not bleach). The process took nearly three hours and I am now a textured dark blonde. The positive effect on my morale has been excellent. Everyone is different and everyone has to make their own decision but your replies helped me to do the right thing for me so thank you from Geministars