Does cancer treatment always cause hair loss?

No. Only 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, but only on the part of the body being treated.

Because it depends on the specific treatment, the best step is to talk with your health care team to learn if the cancer treatment you will be receiving causes hair loss. Your doctor or nurse can also share strategies that have helped others cope.

Hair loss, called alopecia, is usually temporary. After chemotherapy, hair often grows back in 2 to 3 months after treatment has ended. After radiation therapy, it often grows back in 3 to 6 months—though a very high dose of radiation may cause hair to grow back thinner, or not at all, in the treated area.

When hair grows back, it's very fine at first and can be curlier, straighter, or even a different color, but in time it may go back to how it was before. If hair loss is likely for you, gentle hair and scalp care and talking about your feelings can help you cope.