Excessive Facial Hair After Chemo

pzelonka
pzelonka Member Posts: 6
in Breast Cancer #1
Hi: This is my first posting. I completed my chemo treatments on June 1. I am so thankful that my hair is growing back. I have more facial hair on my face (and the back of the neck). Has this been a problem for anyone else? If so, have you had any hair removal treatments? Thanks.

Comments

  • BetsyJane
    BetsyJane Member Posts: 127
    #2
    Facial Hair
    My chemo ended on June 7. I too have gotten facial hair on my face and back of my neck. I asked my oncologist about this. He said sometimes this happens after chemo. He told me it will go away. I still have it and am praying it goes away soon as I am very self-conscious about it.
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #3
    BetsyJane said:

    Facial Hair
    My chemo ended on June 7. I too have gotten facial hair on my face and back of my neck. I asked my oncologist about this. He said sometimes this happens after chemo. He told me it will go away. I still have it and am praying it goes away soon as I am very self-conscious about it.

    I did have it
    and it went away gradually after a couple of months. I too was so worried that I'd become the bearded lady but it was just temporary. Whatever you do--just let it be. Do not try to shave/use hair remover.

    Hugs, Renee
  • mariam_11_09
    mariam_11_09 Member Posts: 691 Member
    #4
    I had very long soft white
    I had very long soft white hair on the sides of my face like a beard and also on my forehead. I have to admit I did not like the man hair. I was told it was due to the steroids and that it would go away after a few months. For me, I couldn't stand seeing it on my face although, I admit, it was very soft and hardly noticeable. I took an epilady and removed all the hair a couple of times. I am a little over a year out from chemo and I don't have it at all now. Phew!! As if loosing our breasts are not enough!
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #5
    Me too.
    During chemo my face (arms & legs) were so smooth. When my hair started growing--it grew EVERYWHERE!! I had long very fine white hair **** my face which I shaved with a very small shaver only 2 times and it hasn't grown back. (Wish the lip and chin hair would dissappear also, but it I'll take them if I have to as long as I have hair on my head!)
    Hugs,
    JoAnn
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #6
    I did have it and it is gone
    I did have it and it is gone now. Last chemo was 3-2-11. Not sure when it went away though. I was just noticing last week that it was gone....

    Cindy
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #7
    joannstar said:

    Me too.
    During chemo my face (arms & legs) were so smooth. When my hair started growing--it grew EVERYWHERE!! I had long very fine white hair **** my face which I shaved with a very small shaver only 2 times and it hasn't grown back. (Wish the lip and chin hair would dissappear also, but it I'll take them if I have to as long as I have hair on my head!)
    Hugs,
    JoAnn

    Steroids...
    Are to blame. According to my oncologist...I, too, didn't like the bearded lady look....my oncology nurse said..." shave it off, if it bothers you!" which I promptly did when I got home...no problem with "stubble" which I think some fear...once I shaved it, it was gone for good....this type of fine, downy hair doesn't leave stubble....and will EVENTUALLY go away, but I wasn't willing to wait...

    From: the former bearded lady.... lol
    Hugs, Nancy
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    #8
    mamolady said:

    I did have it and it is gone
    I did have it and it is gone now. Last chemo was 3-2-11. Not sure when it went away though. I was just noticing last week that it was gone....

    Cindy

    I looked in the mirror one
    I looked in the mirror one day and couldnt believe what I saw, hair on both sides of my face. I immediately grabbed my "finishing touch electric shaver" and shaved it right off. It grew back one more time and I repeated the shave. Since then my facial hair has disappeared thank goodness, for the exception of those miserable whiskers and a little mustache. YUK
  • LynnKT
    LynnKT Member Posts: 47
    #9
    natly15 said:

    I looked in the mirror one
    I looked in the mirror one day and couldnt believe what I saw, hair on both sides of my face. I immediately grabbed my "finishing touch electric shaver" and shaved it right off. It grew back one more time and I repeated the shave. Since then my facial hair has disappeared thank goodness, for the exception of those miserable whiskers and a little mustache. YUK

    I shaved mine off, too. I
    I shaved mine off, too. I finally used my husband's electric razor because I got tired of being fuzz-face. I've had no problems since!
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #10
    LynnKT said:

    I shaved mine off, too. I
    I shaved mine off, too. I finally used my husband's electric razor because I got tired of being fuzz-face. I've had no problems since!

    Mine didn't last long.
    I used Surgicream to get rid of mine and it worked well. I now actually have less facial hair that I did before treatments. Of course! I have less hair everywhere now!

    I think you can rest assured that it will go away, tho, and that shaving or using something like Surgicream or Nair is perfectly fine. Ah, the surprises we get from chemo . . .

    Suzanne
  • Tkitty
    Tkitty Member Posts: 56
    #11
    Facial hair
    I had facial hair grow back on the side of my face also. I wasn't too worried about it until my husband and boys mentioned it. So, I shaved it off. I was not too thrilled about cutting any hair off as I had just got it back. But it does look better.
  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member
    #12
    Tkitty said:

    Facial hair
    I had facial hair grow back on the side of my face also. I wasn't too worried about it until my husband and boys mentioned it. So, I shaved it off. I was not too thrilled about cutting any hair off as I had just got it back. But it does look better.

    @TKitty
    My boys mentioned mine to so off it went,my last chemo was in January 2011 and i'm still shaving it,i hope it goes soon. MOLLYZ
  • pzelonka
    pzelonka Member Posts: 6
    #13
    mollyz said:

    @TKitty
    My boys mentioned mine to so off it went,my last chemo was in January 2011 and i'm still shaving it,i hope it goes soon. MOLLYZ

    Excessive Facial Hair
    Thanks for the replies. I don't get on the computer too often.

    Okay, I'm going to be patient and see what happens. I hope the excessive hair goes away on its own. I don't want to start shaving or waxing because I think that could be an ongoing thing.

    I know the hair on my arms use to just be there. Now it stands up but it is not to bad and can alwlays be covered up by a long sleeve shirt. Peggy
  • helenbyrne
    helenbyrne Member Posts: 1
    #14
    Facial Hair
    I looked like a nanny goat with chin and cheek hair all white - i immaced the hair off and it did not grow again
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #15
    I too
    had the facial hair. I purchased a cream online to remove it. Unfortunately it grew back. I finished chemo Dec 2010; applied cream Sept 2011 and have it back! Ugh! Do you think I should shave it????
    Char
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    #16
    I have a moustache and now
    I have a moustache and now black and gray hairs that pop up on my chin area naturally from just getting older and decreasing hormones. I asked my family dr. about it and she said there is nothing "medically" I can do about it. So I pluck them with tweezers if they are long enough and use an electric razor for the rest when it gets heavy.

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