# Chemothearepy question, pt 2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 1, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434 "2012-03-01T12:52:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![copperwindow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@copperwindow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/copperwindow)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/1 "2012-03-01T12:52:54Z")
Let’s try this question when I type it into a computer, rather than speak it into my phone. If hair is dead, why do we lose it when we get chemotherapy? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/2 "2012-03-01T12:56:08Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > Let’s try this question when I type it into a computer, rather than speak it into my phone. If hair is dead, why do we lose it when we get chemotherapy? My very basic understanding is that hair grows in a similar way to a tumor. That is, constantly (and very quickly) growing, never stopping. Since it acts like a cancer, the cancer drugs treat it like one. ETA from [here](http://cancer.about.com/od/chemother3/f/hair_loss.htm) Cancer cells divide at a high mitotic rate, meaning they divide quickly – much more than most of the cells in our body. Chemotherapy drugs work by targeting these rapidly dividing cells. Some cells in our bodies do rapidly divide, like our hair follicle cells and the cells in the lining of our stomach and digestive tract. Chemotherapy drugs simple cannot tell the difference between these normal, rapidly dividing cells and cancer cells, so the drug attack these cells as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/3 "2012-03-01T13:06:19Z")
The simple answer is that hair is only mostly dead. The part that is alive - the hair follicles buried in your skin, is affected by the chemo drugs. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/4 "2012-03-01T13:31:12Z")
Joey P got it, but let me see if I can simplify: Chemotherapy drugs can only kill cells at a certain point in their lifespan. That point is when they’re dividing to make two cells. This works out really well, actually, because the drugs can’t tell the difference between a cancer cell and a healthy cell - they kill ALL dividing cells that they can find. Cancer cells are almost always dividing. Our healthy cells spend a lot of time doing cell stuff like putting out hormones and making energy and absorbing nutrients - time spent NOT dividing. This means that chemo drugs tend to kill more cancer cells than healthy cells. That’s why they tend to get rid of cancer without killing the person. There are a couple of Type A personality cell types out there, however. These cells almost never stop dividing. Your hair creating cells are this kind. Little buggers divide and divide and divide all the time and do almost nothing but divide. This means that they’re vulnerable to the chemotherapy drug, just like cancer cells are. The cells that line your stomach also have a high cell division rate. Some researchers think that these are also attacked during chemotherapy, and may be the reason why some people on chemo feel nauseous, throw up, get really bad heartburn, etc. The protective barrier that usually keeps your stomach from digesting itself is somewhat eroded during chemotherapy. Like hair, it will generally recover when chemo is stopped. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/5 "2012-03-01T13:49:23Z")
Why don’t chemo patients lose their fingernails? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/6 "2012-03-01T13:52:57Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Why don’t chemo patients lose their fingernails? Sometimes they do. It’s not as common or well publicized as hair loss, probably because it’s not as noticeable to a casual glance. But chemo can wreck havoc on your fingernails and toenails. > **[How to Videos, Articles & More - Discover the expert in you. | ehow.com](https://www.ehow.com)** > > Learn how to do just about everything at ehow. Find expert advice along with How To videos and articles, including instructions on how to make, cook, grow, or do almost anything. ETA: It should also be mentioned that not everyone loses their hair from chemo, and not everyone loses ALL their hair. Sometimes it stays on, sometimes it falls out in patches or clumps, and sometimes you end up totally bald and without eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic hair or body hair. There are many possibilities, depending on the patient, the particular chemo drug, the dosage and the duration of treatment. So shaving your head in anticipation of it falling out may be emotionally liberating, but it may be jumping the gun a bit, too. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/7 "2012-03-02T04:38:13Z")
I want to apologize on my snark on your OP. It was just so bizarre, I couldn’t figure it out. That’s all. Sometimes my smart ass gets the better of me. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/8 "2012-03-02T07:20:02Z")
[A number of chemotherapies target cells with a rapid growth cycle.](http://m.breastcancer.org/tips/hair_skin_nails/hair_loss.jsp) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chemothearepy-question-pt-2/614434/9 "2012-03-02T15:27:02Z")
> [@copperwindow](#): > > Let’s try this question when I type it into a computer, rather than speak it into my phone. If hair is dead, why do we lose it when we get chemotherapy? That’s what you were trying to say in the other thread? Day-um!