What Are The Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy?

Hair Loss

Some individuals having radiation therapy as part of their treatment protocol for cancer may experience hair loss. An individual typically only loses hair in the region of the body being treated with radiation therapy. The amount of hair loss and the time it takes for it to grow back depends on the dosage of a patient's radiation and can vary from one patient to the next. In most cases, the patient experiences hair loss on the part of the body being treated around two to three weeks following the first session. Hair loss is usually temporary in cases where smaller doses of radiation are administered frequently versus when larger doses are administered less often or just as frequently. Some patients experience a permanent form of hair loss in the area being treated. Many patients will see hair regrowth at some point between three and six months following the final session of radiation therapy. It is not uncommon for a patient's hair to grow back with a different color, texture, and consistency.

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