Hair loss is a common side effect of most of the chemotherapeutic drugs used in the management of Breast Cancer and this period is quite traumatic for patients. It takes them some time to adjust to their new appearance, but their problem does not stop there.
After chemotherapy, majority of the breast cancer survivors start curly hair and no one exactly knows the reason behind this. This trend is universal and not restricted only to India. There is a lot of information about this on the net but no one exactly knows the scientific explanation behind this phenomenon. After reading a lot of survivor stories, I could infer that the texture of the hair after chemo is certainly different from a patient’s original hair and although some patients experience slight improvement in the quality and texture of their hair over time, for majority, this problem is life long.
For some patients, hair growth after chemo is a morale booster and they welcome this hair growth, without being concerned about the texture and the quality of hair. But for some patients, managing these curls can be quite a problem. It takes them a long time to get used to their new appearance and new hairstyle.
The following websites provide more information about chemo curls and how to manage them
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/living/curls-after-chemo-hair-loss
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/living/chemo-curls-a-survivors-tale
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/chemo-curls-another-kink-cancer-recovery-1C9386921
Chemo curls
Random Reflections of a Breast Cancer Surgeon 