Embracing My Chemo Curls!

For as long as I can remember, I've been flat ironing my hair straight.  I've always had somewhat wavy hair, but not in a good way.  Some parts were stick straight, some were super wavy, and the rest was somewhere awkwardly in between.  I was never able to wear it natural, so I was a slave to the flat iron (or the ponytail!).

But here's a positive thing that's come out of chemo: curly hair... that actually looks good!

I have actual ringlets of curls!  And they're actually quite pretty!

I will admit, I'm still trying to perfect the curly hair look.  Most days they look great, some days they look flat and messy.  But for the most part, I've figured out what products are best for me and how to style it to make it look good.  It is SO nice to hop out the shower, spend less than 5 minutes on my hair, and be done!

Don't be fooled, my brother actually loves me.

Apparently, it's very common for hair to come back a different texture (sometimes even a different color!) after chemo.  Something about the chemo changes the hair follicles, which can change the hair.  Many people experience what I have - chemo curls!

I still straighten my hair sometimes, here's what it looks like when I straighten it:

Huge difference from last year, right?!  Sometimes it doesn't seem like it's grown and filled in all that much since I finished chemo, but then I see this picture from a year ago... holy moly!

There's no telling how long these "chemo curls" will last, but I'm embracing them and loving them while I have them!

Love,
Melissa