Why do Chemo patients lose their hair?

SENTENTIA

Why and How Hair Loss Happens Hair loss occurs because chemotherapy targets all rapidly dividing cells—healthy cells as well as cancer cells. Hair follicles, the structures in the skin filled with tiny blood vessels that make hair, are some of the fastest-growing cells in the body. If you're not in cancer treatment, your hair follicles divide every 23 to 72 hours. But as the chemo does its work against cancer cells, it also destroys hair cells. Within a few weeks of starting chemo, you may lose some or all of your hair. http://www.breastcancer.org/hsn_why_hair_loss.html May 13 06, 11:28 PM

barbara5

Hair loss occurs because chemotherapy can sometimes damage healthy cells. It is so common because hair follicle cells multiply very quickly like cancer cells and chemotherapy drugs have difficulty in discerning the difference. May 14 06, 2:20 AM

helenasykes

That is why sickness is another side effect, because the cells in your gut also divide frequently. May 14 06, 10:53 AM

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