Many people dislike chemotherapy of cancer because of a side effect of hair loss. It reduces acceptance and demotivates the patient. When it comes to somebody's life and death, hair loss is a very minor thing and has to be neglected. But it is a human nature not to accept this situation logically. Instead, many people taking such therapy become emotionally disturbed and make this a very big issue.

The emotional impact of hair loss, one of the many horrid side effects of chemotherapy, is genderless. Effecting men and women, the amount of hair loss or even whether you may be affected is dependent on the type and quantity of medicinal treatment that the cancer warrants. Nevertheless, hair loss, unfortunately is a likely side effect.

Hair loss is one of the side effects of cancer treatment most commonly linked to chemotherapy. The reason chemotherapy causes hair loss is the way that chemotherapy targets cancer cells. Cancer cells are some of the fastest growing and multiplying cells, so chemotherapy works by attacking fast growing cells. Unfortunately, hair cells are also fast growing, so chemotherapy kills off the living cells of the hair follicles causing it to fall out. Luckily though, this hair loss is usually temporary (though it might grow back with different texture and color).

Chemotherapy results in hair loss and a number of methods have shown promise in minimizing this problem. Minoxidil (Rogaine being the best known brand) does not stop hair loss but it does help in slowing down the loss to some extent and also enabling faster re-growth of hair. Another fundamental method that exists is to apply ice packs to the scalp. This helps in slowing down the blood flow in that area thus reducing hair loss in that area. However the negative side is the increased risk of cancer in the area where ice pack is applied because of the slowing down of blood flow. Also this technique may be uncomfortable for some people.

The effect of the alopecia on your life can be reduced if you anticipate by taking certain steps. It is not advisable to dye, color or bleach the hair before treatment, as this places further stress on the hair. It is worth bearing in mind that the visual impact of the hair loss, which accompanies chemotherapy treatment, can be reduced by wearing a wig, shaving the hair beforehand or cutting it short.