Why did my straight hair grow in curly after starting chemotherapy?

[RedQueen]

I take low-dose chemo as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and a side effect was gradual hair loss. Because it never fell out all at once, I hadn't noticed that my new hairs were growing in curly. Eventually, they reached a length that was noticeable.

Having always wanted curly hair, I do love this side-effect. I'm just wondering why it would do this, and can I expect it to last?

If it makes a difference in your answer, I've been taking methotrexate for three years now, and unless my doctor changes my treatments I can expect to continue using it for the long-term.

Thank you.

[tinmuning]

Patients are advised that although hair growth is possible post-chemotherapy, the hair that grows may not be the same as to what they have before. It may be a different texture, like what happened in your case, and even a different color. Let me quote from Naturallycurly.com: Where curls come to life! :
"Cancer patients often find that after chemotherapy, their once-straight hair grows in curly. Chemo affects rapidly growing cells more than slowly growing ones, and hair follicles in the scalp grow rapidly. They are jolted by the chemo, and when they go back to work, they may have a new job description, says Dr. Jennifer Griggs. Over time, the hair follicle tends to return to its normal shape."