The short answer
Some types of chemotherapy make the hair on your head and body fall out, and radiation therapy can cause hair loss in the treated area. Hair loss is called alopecia. It's usually temporary—hair often grows back a few months after treatment ends. Gentle hair care and talking about your feelings can help you cope.
Hair loss is called alopecia; some chemotherapy causes it, and radiation can cause it in the treated area.
Ask your team whether the treatment you'll receive is likely to cause hair loss.
Treat your hair and scalp gently, and protect your scalp from sun and cold.
After chemotherapy, hair often grows back in 2 to 3 months; after radiation, in 3 to 6 months.
Choose how you want to understand this
The full explanation.
The simple version
Some types of chemotherapy cause the hair on your head and other parts of your body to fall out. Radiation therapy can also cause hair loss on the part of the body being treated. Hair loss is called alopecia.
Not everyone with cancer loses their hair. Whether it happens depends on the specific treatment. Talk with your health care team to learn if the treatment you will be receiving causes hair loss. Your doctor or nurse can share strategies that have helped others.
Ways to manage hair loss
- Treat your hair gently. Use a soft-bristle brush or a wide-tooth comb. Avoid hair dryers, irons, and products like gels or clips that may hurt your scalp. Wash your hair less often with a mild shampoo, be very gentle, and pat it dry with a soft towel.
- You have choices. Some people cut their hair short to make it easier to deal with when it starts to fall out. Others shave their head—if you do, use an electric shaver so you won't cut yourself. If you plan to buy a wig, get one while you still have hair so you can match the color. If wigs feel itchy and hot, try a comfortable scarf or turban.
- Protect and care for your scalp. Use sunscreen or wear a hat outside. Choose a comfortable scarf or hat that keeps your head warm. If your scalp itches or feels tender, lotions and conditioners can help.
- Talk about your feelings. Many people feel angry, depressed, or embarrassed about hair loss. It can help to share these feelings with someone who understands, including others who have lost their hair during treatment. Talking openly with your children and close family can help too—let them know you expect to lose your hair during treatment.
When your hair grows back
Hair loss is usually temporary.
- Be gentle. When your hair starts to grow back, avoid too much brushing, curling, and blow-drying, and you may not want to wash it as often.
- After chemotherapy. Hair often grows back in 2 to 3 months after treatment has ended. Your new hair will be very fine at first, and it can be curlier, straighter, or even a different color. In time, it may go back to how it was before.
- After radiation therapy. Hair often grows back in 3 to 6 months after treatment ends. If you received a very high dose of radiation, your hair may grow back thinner, or not at all, on the part of your body that received radiation.
Preparing to talk with your team
Making a list of questions before your visit can help you feel more prepared. You might ask whether treatment is likely to cause hair loss, how to protect and care for your head, where to get a wig or hairpiece, what support groups might help, and when your hair will grow back.
Words to know
Tap any term to see what it means.
Common questions
Does all cancer treatment cause hair loss?
No. Some types of chemotherapy cause hair loss, and radiation therapy can cause it on the part of the body being treated. Talk with your health care team to learn if the specific treatment you will receive causes hair loss.
Will my hair grow back after treatment?
Usually, yes. After chemotherapy, hair often grows back in 2 to 3 months after treatment ends. After radiation therapy, it often grows back in 3 to 6 months. With a very high dose of radiation, hair may grow back thinner or not at all in the treated area.
Will my hair look the same when it grows back?
It may be different at first. Your new hair will be very fine when it starts to grow back, and it can be curlier, straighter, or even a different color. In time, it may go back to how it was before treatment.
How should I care for my scalp during hair loss?
Use sunscreen or wear a hat outside, and choose a comfortable scarf or hat to keep your head warm. If your scalp itches or feels tender, lotions and conditioners can help it feel better.
Should I get a wig before or after I lose my hair?
If you plan to buy a wig, get one while you still have hair so you can match it to your hair's color. If you find wigs itchy and hot, a comfortable scarf or turban is another option.
Questions to ask your doctor
Being prepared helps you get the most out of your appointments. Save or print these questions.
Tap a question to save it to your list (kept on this device).
Your next step
What needs a call today, what needs an emergency room, and what can wait.
Speak With Trained Specialists & Human Navigators
Cancer Explained provides educational guidance, but does not replace trained specialists, social workers, or your medical team.
Talk to a trained cancer information specialist
Free, confidential assistance from NCI Cancer Information Service via phone, chat, or email.
Contact your oncology team
Locate after-hours contact numbers, portal messages, or urgent triage phone lines.
Find a patient navigator
Get one-on-one help with appointments, logistics, translation, and care coordination.
Find a genetic counselor
Discuss inherited mutation risk, family history, and genetic testing options.
Find an oncology social worker
Access emotional counseling, family support groups, and mental health resources.
Find a financial navigator
Locate copay assistance foundations, grant programs, and lodging/travel support.
Find a clinical-trial specialist
Search matching studies and speak with NCI trial information specialists.
Get urgent help
Immediate emergency guidance for fever (>100.4°F during chemo), severe pain, or shortness of breath.
Help Us Improve This Guide
Did this explanation answer your question and help you determine your next step?
Know someone who needs this?
Plenty of people are looking for something like this and do not know where to start. If this would help a friend or someone you love, send it on — we have written an opening line so you do not have to stare at an empty message. You can change every word of it.
Your message is written and sent in your own email or messaging app — we never see who you send it to, and nothing is added to any list.
Knowledge Check
0 of 4 answered
This self-assessment checks understanding of educational content only. It is not medical advice.
Plain-language explanation of the published sources cited on this page. AI-assisted, source-checked, not clinician-reviewed.
Last updated: 2026-07-02Next planned review: 2027-01-02
How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status — Source checked. This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
General education — varies by person. Answers genuinely differ between people. This page explains what commonly varies and points you to your care team for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
Read more about our editorial process, our use of AI, and our corrections policy.
Spotted a problem? Report an error — a factual mistake, broken or outdated source, confusing wording, or anything that seems unsafe. Please do not include names, medical record numbers, dates of birth, addresses, or other identifying medical information in your report.
After using this page, do you understand what to do next?
Anonymous — we only record the answer, never who gave it.
Related articles
Still have questions?
Educational answers, plain language
Free to print and share