Q: Can you have a permanent when you are having radiation and chemotherapy?
A: This is going to depend largely on the type of chemo and radiation you receive and the way your radiation and chemotherapy has
affected you. I have known clients who have undergone radiation therapy and chemo and have had no ill effects. One gets her hair
permed every four months. While another client who used to have her hair permed reacted badly to the patch test we performed, and
couldn’t tolerate the fumes any more when she was undergoing courses of treatment.
As long as the chemo and radiation haven’t affected your hair too significantly you should be
fine. However, I would not have any chemical service done without talking with your doctor first, and certainly not without having
the stylist perform a patch test and test curls on your hair before the service is performed.
In many areas there are salons and organizations that offer cosmetology services to cancer
patients, so you may want to ask your oncologist if they know of any similar salons or services in your area. Working with a
salon or stylist who are practiced in the issues inherent in dealing with cancer patients can be a benefit and can help you get
the look you want more comfortably.
