loss of eyebrows, eyelashes and other hair...

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  • NJMom10
    NJMom10 Member Posts: 176
    #22
    Hair left after 3 weeks...brows and lashes after 7th treatment
    Hi Mitzi,
    I had 8 treaments every 2 wks, 4 AC and 4 Taxol. I lost my hair about 3 wks after the 1st treament. It came out rapidly when it started but not all at once. I did cut it super short to cut down on the shock of losing it. I also bought wigs in advance and began to wear them as soon as I chopped my hair. Just a note a about wigs. I really, really hate my wigs. Then my mother-in-law, who is a hair dresser, said that salons will style wigs for free for cancer patients. I finally went to her salon and had my wigs (I had 3) styled and I actually loved them after that. So if you aren't happy with your wigs, go have them styled. It can make a huge difference in how you feel. it's 6 wks since my last treatment and I have a about 1/2 in of hair now.

    My eyelashes and eyebrows fell out gradually during the last 4 Taxol treatments. This actually bothered me more than my hair because it wasn't as easy to fix. But, my mother-in-law showed me how to apply false eyelashes and draw in eyebrows and again it made all the difference. Find a girlfriend or hair shop that you feel comfortable with and have them help you. By the way, my eyelashes are growing in already, only 6 wks after last chemo. I think I should be able to stop the falsh eyelashes in about 4 more weeks.

    Good Luck!
  • pparis
    pparis Member Posts: 2
    #23
    hair loss
    Mitzi, I lost all my hair. Every inch of my body was hairless. I did use eyeliner but my my wig wass a page boy style so I kept the wig bangs long. I felt much better knowing my non existing eyebrows were covered. I did not begin to lose my hair until about 6 weeks after my first chemo. When my hair came back- it was all different. My hair on my head came in much thinner than before. My eyebrows are sparse and there is very little hair past the arch. My eyelashes are very thin. My legs really don't need to be shaved but once a week and the hair came in very light ( I have dark hair) Under my arms.... it's funny I will get 1-2 long hairs to shave every other week, really they grow super fast but only a few hairs and the hair on my arms did not come back until about year 10 ( I am at year 13 now)and the hair is very fine and light. After all these years, I still have not met anyone else that lost as much hair as I did so it is interesting to hear from people in this forum.
  • linpsu
    linpsu Member Posts: 747
    #24
    eyebrows, lashes
    I didn't lose my eyebrows and eyelashes until a month after I finished chemo (4 A/C, 4 Taxol), then i lost them again about 2 months later, and I can't believe this, but I am losing them all again and I am 8 months out. Geesh.
  • Mitzi333
    Mitzi333 Member Posts: 511 Member
    #25
    linpsu said:

    eyebrows, lashes
    I didn't lose my eyebrows and eyelashes until a month after I finished chemo (4 A/C, 4 Taxol), then i lost them again about 2 months later, and I can't believe this, but I am losing them all again and I am 8 months out. Geesh.

    OMG Linpsu...
    Sorry to hear you've loss your eyebrows and lashes two times, now a third...WOW, hard to believe. Gosh... This is a tough journey. The good thing ... it appears they grow back. Thanks for the response.

    Hugs~
  • Mitzi333
    Mitzi333 Member Posts: 511 Member
    #26
    NJMom10 said:

    Hair left after 3 weeks...brows and lashes after 7th treatment
    Hi Mitzi,
    I had 8 treaments every 2 wks, 4 AC and 4 Taxol. I lost my hair about 3 wks after the 1st treament. It came out rapidly when it started but not all at once. I did cut it super short to cut down on the shock of losing it. I also bought wigs in advance and began to wear them as soon as I chopped my hair. Just a note a about wigs. I really, really hate my wigs. Then my mother-in-law, who is a hair dresser, said that salons will style wigs for free for cancer patients. I finally went to her salon and had my wigs (I had 3) styled and I actually loved them after that. So if you aren't happy with your wigs, go have them styled. It can make a huge difference in how you feel. it's 6 wks since my last treatment and I have a about 1/2 in of hair now.

    My eyelashes and eyebrows fell out gradually during the last 4 Taxol treatments. This actually bothered me more than my hair because it wasn't as easy to fix. But, my mother-in-law showed me how to apply false eyelashes and draw in eyebrows and again it made all the difference. Find a girlfriend or hair shop that you feel comfortable with and have them help you. By the way, my eyelashes are growing in already, only 6 wks after last chemo. I think I should be able to stop the falsh eyelashes in about 4 more weeks.

    Good Luck!

    Thanks NJ mom... As a matter of fact
    I'm not happy with the wigs I've purchased. ;0( Thanks for the advice to get them styled. I'm calling my hair sylist for HELP!!! Thanks Much for the response.

    Hugs~
  • lilsandra62
    lilsandra62 Member Posts: 3
    #27
    jessiesmom1 said:

    Hair Loss
    Hi Mitzi,

    I am sure you will get widely varying responses to your post. We are all very different when it comes to hair loss. I had 4 rounds of A/C and 12 rounds of Taxotere following my mastectomy. No radiation or hormone pills as I am triple negative.

    Just before chemo started I had my hair cut short in anticipation of it falling out. I figured it would be easier going from short hair to no hair than going from longer hair to bald. On exactly Day 10 following my 1st chemo infusion I absent mindedly ran my fingers through my hair and came away with a handful of hair. It took about 2 weeks before it started looking ridiculous. At that point I had my husband shave off what remained. It was serving no purpose. This is when I started wearing head coverings. I got a great wig at my local American Cancer Society office. It was VERY hard on me emotionally. I cried a lot. I couldn't look in the mirror for weeks without tearing up. Eventually I got used to it. Sure makes shampooing easier. Bald heads are, however, cold.

    I also lost all my eyebrows and eyelashes. That took a while longer. 2 or 3 lashes on the bottom of one eye seemed to hold on for a while. That was a strange look. If you are good at it, you can use eyebrow pencil and draw some on.

    The hair on my legs and underarms disappeared, too. I had absolutely no problem with that. I have never had such smooth skin. It was actually fascinating. It has been 7 months since my last chemo treatment and that has not come back in as it was before. I do have to shave my legs - just not as often. My pubic hair did not completely fall out but I would say 90% of it did. That was another strange look. I haven't looked like that since I was 12 years old. Most of it has come back now.

    I hope hearing about my experience has been of some help to you. Good luck. Most of us have had to deal with this issue to some extent or another.

    hair loss
    my scalp hurts and my hair is falling out i need help does shaving your head help the pain go away?
  • new2me
    new2me Member Posts: 177 Member
    #28
    linpsu said:

    eyebrows, lashes
    I didn't lose my eyebrows and eyelashes until a month after I finished chemo (4 A/C, 4 Taxol), then i lost them again about 2 months later, and I can't believe this, but I am losing them all again and I am 8 months out. Geesh.

    I'm about 6 months out...
    and my eyelashes were getting nice and thick but now afew fall out very now and then - kind of discouraging but I just try to roll with it. Nothing we can do about it really :)
    My leg hairs grew back immediatly and still growing fast. I have to shave everyday. My underarms have slowed down with the exception to my left underarm. I think radiation stopped that on all together.
    As for the hair down there - I'm about all back now. It didn't grow back evenly either. they were all over the place... :0 gotta laugh.

    Kelly
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #29
    new2me said:

    I'm about 6 months out...
    and my eyelashes were getting nice and thick but now afew fall out very now and then - kind of discouraging but I just try to roll with it. Nothing we can do about it really :)
    My leg hairs grew back immediatly and still growing fast. I have to shave everyday. My underarms have slowed down with the exception to my left underarm. I think radiation stopped that on all together.
    As for the hair down there - I'm about all back now. It didn't grow back evenly either. they were all over the place... :0 gotta laugh.

    Kelly

    hair and all
    Everyone warned me that 4 or 5 days after my 2nd a/c cocktail I would start to lose my hair. It started the morning of my 2nd treatment so I had it shaved off that afternoon. It was sown to buzz cut/stubble and it still hurt when it was falling out so I poped open the shave gel and took it the rest of the way. That helped. Was finished with the a/c and hand't yet started the taxatere when someone comment that I still had eyebrows. That did it! They started to come out within the week and pretty much disappeared. Eyelashes got really thin and public hair disappeared then too. About the time I was loosing everything else the hair on my head started to grow back. I'm getting it cut tomorrow, well trimmed anyway, just to even up the length. My last treatment was the day before Thanksgiving so it's come a long way. It's also really thick (but it always was) and uncontrolably wavey. Wishing you the best! It will grow back! (Oh yeah, never did lose leg hair but only had to shave once a week. Underarms went with the head.)
  • Mitzi333
    Mitzi333 Member Posts: 511 Member
    #30
    skipper54 said:

    hair and all
    Everyone warned me that 4 or 5 days after my 2nd a/c cocktail I would start to lose my hair. It started the morning of my 2nd treatment so I had it shaved off that afternoon. It was sown to buzz cut/stubble and it still hurt when it was falling out so I poped open the shave gel and took it the rest of the way. That helped. Was finished with the a/c and hand't yet started the taxatere when someone comment that I still had eyebrows. That did it! They started to come out within the week and pretty much disappeared. Eyelashes got really thin and public hair disappeared then too. About the time I was loosing everything else the hair on my head started to grow back. I'm getting it cut tomorrow, well trimmed anyway, just to even up the length. My last treatment was the day before Thanksgiving so it's come a long way. It's also really thick (but it always was) and uncontrolably wavey. Wishing you the best! It will grow back! (Oh yeah, never did lose leg hair but only had to shave once a week. Underarms went with the head.)

    Hair loss is a given...
    I appreciate all of the responses. The common theme is the hair on our head Is going to come out at various times during treatment. Seems eyebrows, lashes and other hair may come out After the treatments. I have my 3rd chemo next week and I've lost lots of hair on my head... not all yet, but I'm sure it will all be gone shortly. No more real soreness in the head. My hair is cut REAL short, so the daily loss it not that tramatic. I have a few different wigs to work with the mood when going out. I have not experienced any hair loss on the eyebrows, lashes, legs, arms or elsewhere YET... Perhaps, I'll also lose that hair at the end of treatment. So many unknowns... Time will tell. The GREAT news... All responders indicate their hair HAS grown back. YEAHHHH!!!! This is a temporary issue, compared to the larger issue of restoring LIFE!!!

    Thanks for all of your responses...
    Mitzi ;0)
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #31
    Mitzi333 said:

    Hair loss is a given...
    I appreciate all of the responses. The common theme is the hair on our head Is going to come out at various times during treatment. Seems eyebrows, lashes and other hair may come out After the treatments. I have my 3rd chemo next week and I've lost lots of hair on my head... not all yet, but I'm sure it will all be gone shortly. No more real soreness in the head. My hair is cut REAL short, so the daily loss it not that tramatic. I have a few different wigs to work with the mood when going out. I have not experienced any hair loss on the eyebrows, lashes, legs, arms or elsewhere YET... Perhaps, I'll also lose that hair at the end of treatment. So many unknowns... Time will tell. The GREAT news... All responders indicate their hair HAS grown back. YEAHHHH!!!! This is a temporary issue, compared to the larger issue of restoring LIFE!!!

    Thanks for all of your responses...
    Mitzi ;0)

    I did not lose eyelashes
    I did not lose eyelashes and brows until taxol. they came back rather quickly but then fell out again after treatment. then the lashes one more time. Now it seems like the lashes get confused and they are varying lengths, then seem even. its rather weird. I dont htink they know whetehr they are coming or going. It doesnt bother me as they grow rather quickly.
  • renee616
    renee616 Member Posts: 181
    #32
    I lost all the hair on my
    I lost all the hair on my head after my first A/C treatment. After about 10 days it was all gone! I had long hair all my life!I took a day to cry & complain, then got a wig.Just like every other new thing that comes along on this journey!. After 2 rounds, I lost the underarm hair and....Well lets just say I told my Gyno Dr that I did not pay for a Brazilian wax just for him! :) I have finished 4 rounds of A/C & had one round of taxotere. eyebrows have thinned & still have alot of my lashes which were thick to begin with.
  • SAvent
    SAvent Member Posts: 62
    #33
    Mitzi333 said:

    Thanks Ladies...
    Thanks Ladies for the Great info. I signed up for the Look Good, Feel Good class this am. I'm looking forward to it. So far, I've experienced very little hair loss. I got my hair cut real short last week. I'm sure after my second chemo treatment on Thurs the hair will begin falling out... ;0( I have my wigs ready for the hair loss, but was not prepared on how to proceed without lashes or eyebrows. Didn't even think about the hair in the nose, on the arms, legs, etc. Geez... This is REALLY a journey we're traveling. I'm buckeling up for the ride.

    Big Hugs~
    Mitzi ;0)

    i LOVE your proactive attitude!!

    Although everyone doesnt lose everything it is a pretty common side effect of the chemo and I love the fact that you are facing it "head on" so to speak.

    I lost my hair after maybe 10 treatments. My scalp started to feel itchy but when I would scratch or rub it I would come away with a handful of hair. By the next morning I looked like a baby chick with fuzz & patches. I called a friend to shave off what was left and had a good cry. Fortunately for me I wasnt extremely attached to my hair but seeing myself bald sent off a screaming red flag that said "you ARE sick! there is no avoiding it!" so yeah I cried, accepted it and moved on. Starting with the hair on my head I lost all except my eye lashes. Like others have stated not having to shave was actually pretty cool but the dry tight itchy feeling on my scalp was a pain in the butt. I quickly whipped up some homemade concoction that worked great on that.

    Unlike others I didnt go to wigs & scarves etc. I was still working a regular job at the local Honda dealership where I live. I left work on Saturday with shoulder length hair and showed up Monday morning completely bald. I put my cream on my little head and just went as such or if it was cold I had hats. I felt like there was no reason to hide it and my comfortability outwheighed what other people thought. But to my surprise the acceptance & support I got was tremendous!  Ill have to upload a pic for you all when I get a chance.

    Anyway... God Bless & Good Luck on your journey. I pray it wont be very long or hard on you and the big C goes away with no return

     

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