Hair loss is a common side effect of cancer fighting drugs and radiation therapy. Hair loss usually starts a week or more after treatment begins. It may be a slow process that takes a month or more. First you may notice more hair on your child's pillow in the morning or more hair on the comb after combing. Then the hair falls out more quickly.
In most cases your child's hair will grow back shortly after treatment stops. Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia usually grow their hair back during maintenance therapy. Your child's eyebrows and eyelashes may or may not get thin and/or fall out. When the hair does grow back, it may be a different color or texture. In some cases, especially with radiation therapy, the hair may not grow back where the radiation was given.
