Will chemotherapy for malignant hydatidiform mole cause hair loss?

Chemotherapy for malignant hydatidiform mole often causes hair loss, which is a common side effect of chemotherapy drugs because their mechanism of action affects rapidly dividing cells throughout the body, including hair follicle cells. Whether hair loss occurs and its severity vary depending on individual constitution, the type of drug used, and the dosage.

Chemotherapy is one of the main methods for treating malignant hydatidiform mole. Commonly used drugs include methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin. These drugs achieve therapeutic effects by destroying rapidly growing cancer cells in the body. However, these drugs not only kill cancer cells, but also damage normal rapidly dividing cells (such as hair follicle cells), leading to hair loss. Hair loss usually occurs 1-3 weeks after chemotherapy. Generally, hair will grow again within a few months after the completion of treatment. The texture and color of the newly grown hair may be different from the original one at first. Patients may also experience other side effects such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue during chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy is one of the main methods for treating malignant hydatidiform mole. Commonly used drugs include methotrexate, doxorubicin and cisplatin. These drugs achieve therapeutic effects by destroying rapidly growing cancer cells in the body. However, these drugs not only kill cancer cells, but also damage normal rapidly dividing cells (such as hair follicle cells), leading to hair loss. Hair loss usually occurs 1-3 weeks after chemotherapy. Generally, hair will grow again within a few months after the completion of treatment. The texture and color of the newly grown hair may be different from the original one at first. Patients may also experience other side effects such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and fatigue during chemotherapy.

In order to reduce the psychological pressure caused by hair loss, patients can take some measures before and after chemotherapy, such as wearing a wig or hat to protect the head, using a mild shampoo, avoiding too frequent shampooing and high-temperature blow-drying. At the same time, you can also try cold cap therapy, which reduces the possibility of hair loss by lowering the scalp temperature to slow down the absorption of chemotherapy drugs by hair follicle cells. However, the actual effect varies from person to person. Maintaining adequate nutritional intake during chemotherapy and eating more foods rich in protein and vitamins can also help hair regeneration and recovery. During the treatment process, you should communicate with your doctor regularly, evaluate the side effects of the chemotherapy regimen in a timely manner, and seek psychological support to cope with related discomfort.