The short answer
NCI says hair often grows back 2 to 3 months after chemotherapy ends. New hair can be curlier or straighter, or even a different color, and in time it may go back to how it was.
Some types of chemotherapy cause the hair on your head and other parts of your body to fall out.
NCI says hair often grows back 2 to 3 months after chemotherapy has ended.
New hair can be curlier or straighter, or even a different color. In time, it may go back to how it was before treatment.
Use sunscreen or wear a hat outside while your scalp is exposed.
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This page is for people whose hair is growing back after chemotherapy, or who want to know what to expect. It covers timing, changes in curl and color, and what to do if regrowth is thin.
Why hair may fall out
NCI says 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.
When regrowth starts
NCI says hair often grows back 2 to 3 months after chemotherapy has ended. After radiation therapy, it often grows back 3 to 6 months after treatment has ended. Timing varies from person to person, so ask your care team what to expect for your treatment.
New hair can look different
NCI says new hair can sometimes be curlier or straighter, or even a different color. In time, it may go back to how it was before treatment.
Caring for your scalp
NCI advises using sunscreen or wearing a hat when you are outside. If your scalp itches or feels tender, lotions and conditioners can help it feel better. Ask your care team before coloring or perming new hair.
When regrowth is thin or does not come
Tell your care team if hair is not coming back, or if regrowth is patchy or very slow. Ask whether a referral makes sense and what options exist for you. If your hair is thinning while you take hormone therapy, report it too. Do not stop hormone therapy or any other treatment on your own over hair; talk with your care team first.
Feelings about hair changes
Hair regrowth is often the point at which people expect to feel finished. Finding that the person in the mirror looks unfamiliar can be hard. If it weighs on you, tell your care team.
Sources
Common questions
Why is my new hair curly when I have always had straight hair?
NCI says new hair can sometimes be curlier or straighter, or even a different color. In time, it may go back to how it was before treatment.
When should I worry that my hair is not coming back?
NCI says hair often grows back 2 to 3 months after chemotherapy ends. If it has not come back, or regrowth is patchy, tell your care team and ask what could be done.
When can I color or perm my new hair?
Ask your care team. This page does not have a federal source for a specific timeline.
I am on hormone therapy and my hair is thinning. Is that related?
Possibly, but a federal source on this was not checked for this page. Tell your care team about any hair thinning. Do not stop hormone therapy on your own.
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Written by: Cancer ExplainedSources last checked: 2026-07-30 what this meansLast updated: 2026-10-16Next planned review: 2027-01-30
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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.
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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, and this 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 then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. 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.
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