CARACAS, Venezuela - Hugo Chavez has told Venezuelans he expects to lose his hair as a result of his cancer treatment.

He says on state television that within days Venezuelans could begin to see "a bald Chavez."

Chavez underwent a first round of chemotherapy in Cuba last week. He says he plans to keep working while undergoing more treatment.

He says he may begin to look like the actor Yul Brynner. He joked that he would look like "Yul Chavez."

Chavez made the remark in a telephone call to state television on Wednesday.

He said earlier that his levels of white blood cells have decreased has a result of his chemotherapy. He says that due to his lower-than-normal immune defenses he has to be particularly careful not to catch an illness.