Hello,
I have just read ( after convincing myself that it won’t happen ) that I am probably going to lose my eyebrows and eyelashes. I have just got used to the no hair thing - shaved head yesterday - and this happened just as expected 2 weeks after first epi, but when do I expect the rest to go?? - Hope someone can answer as I find forewarned is forearmed- will buy some stick on ones ready !!!
Am on on tact2 arm 2 - so 4 epi then 8 cmf
Thanks in advance
Jo
Hiya Jo
I had 4 x Epi 8 x CMF and finished on 8th August. Like you, my hair waved goodbye 2 weeks after first Epi but I never lost my eyebrows or eyelashes! They did go a bit sparse but nothing that a bit of eyeliner and mascara couldn’t put right. There is a really cool kit by Benefits called BrowZings, it’s a little compact with powder, gel and a tiny brush. You just put the powder on your eyebrows and then brush the gel over - fabulous - your eyebrows look perfectly normal and it fills in any sparse bits. My hair started to come back about 3 weeks after finishing the Epi and is now about one and a half inches long (or short) with full coverage, albeit a lot darker (and greyer) than it was before. My eyelashes never disappeared but suddenly went really long and luscious - ace (there has to be some benefits). I did buy some false eyelashes, but never needed them. Hair does disappear from other parts of the body and if you like the ‘porn star’ look, you’ll be fine and you don’t have to shave your legs or underarms either - bliss.
Anything else you need to know, just shout.
Love Julie xxxxx
Hiya Jo
I’ve had 4 x AC and 3 Taxotere, 4th (and last!!!) tomorrow and I still have eyelashes (may be a wee bit thin, but hanging in there) and have worn mascara everyday, with a little eyeliner, they look ok. As for eyebrows, they only started to thin after 2nd Tax, and whats left look ok with a little brown eyebrow stuff. Not all bad. Good luck with the rest of your treatment - and like you, I shaved my head after my first chemo - its now starting to grow back, looks like the head of a dandelion according to OH. Good job I’ve kept my sense of humour!
Cheers
Anne x
Dear All
What a really lovely thread. We just accept and get on to a large degree. My Rx is FEC at 3 weeks apart for 6 cycles. Next one on Weds 26th Sept. After that will be half way there. I also accepted that hair loss would be total (OH even asked the BCN to confirm it would be total (LOL)) so when fall started I decide to do shavin. However enough about me… back to the thread: I have had semi permenent make up on my eyebrows. Its like hair tatoos and is so fantastic. Its also quite expensive but hey if we are not spending on hair care may be worth a look into. Also i believe that they do looking good workshops at hospital speak to your bcn about who to contact. Apparentley they have fab goodie bags on top of showing how to do eyebrows and liner etc.I have been using liquid liner for years but with the thought of thinnin brows and lashes have recently invested in a pot of clinique cream eye liner. Its lovely and very easy to use.
Hope you get somehelp from this.
Missi 
x
Hi Jo
I was on neo-tango 4 x pac & gem and then 4 x EC, my eyelashes and eyebrows all but disappeared after the 2nd EC, I nearly didn’t notice, I wasn’t putting mascara on throughout chemo didn’t want to weigh them down so they’d fall out and I wasn’t looking in the mirror that often, nobody else noticed, well not until I pointed it out to them! My eyelashes are growing back very quickly (just had my last chemo), certainly much faster than the rest of my hair, well apart from my damn legs, you’d think those little suckers could have stayed away a bit longer!
Good luck with your chemo.
Debbie
xx
Hi Jo,
I am also on arm 2 of the TACT 2 trial, my last CMF is due next month. I did not lose my eyebrows or lashes until I switched from Epi to CMF, which is odd considering its the Epi that causes hair loss! I ‘spoke’ to loads of other ladies on this site who had found exactly the same thing had happened to them.
Anyway, although they literally disappeared overnight they came back almost as quick. Now, my eyelashes are more lucious and longer than ever and my eyebrows are awesome!! For the brief time I was without eyelashes I just made sure I used a black eye liner on my top lid. Because of this no one actually noticed they were missing 'til I mentioned it!! I used some eyebrow make up from the body shop (which I’d always used anyway) to ‘fill’ my eyebrows in, but I hear ‘Browzings’ by Benefit is v.g.
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Hi all
I have posted this on behalf of new user Jo.
Regards
Louise
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi All,
This has really made me laugh - I have just got back from picking my twin boys (aged 6) up from school - I wore my wig for the first time - but made everyone laugh as they all said they would not have known i was wearing a wig if I had not told them !!! Have decided that if eyebrows etc do go I won’t say anything. As far as the rest - almost everyone has been very interested in what happens down below!!! - and quite amused when I tell them “YES” - if you know what I mean.
Keep smiling girls !!!
Love
Jo
Hi Jo
My eyebrows are just about gone, they were really bushy but I don’t miss them much, the fringe on my wig covers a multitude of sins ! ha ha. My lashes weren’t much to speak of before I had treatment, and are still much the same. I am hoping my brows come back in a better shape than they were before - as for the nether regions (a few stragglers hanging on in there) tee hee. It’s a good job we can laugh about it. I never thought I would miss pubic and armpit hair !!
Diane
x
Hi Jo
My situation is rather different. I haven’t had chemo but my eyebrows started disappearing about 4 years ago, long before I had cancer. Must be an age thing. In my case no hope of them growing back. So, where can I get Browzings?? Sounds just what I need - but in my case, on a permanent basis!!
On a related theme, does the under arm hair fall out?!
I left mine post op through fear of lymphoedema and in the hope it would fall out - it has not! Can anyone remember the advice for hair removal there to avoid lymphoedema?
Sorry to gate crash a thread…!
Hi Sinclair,
personally I use an electric razor these days, no chance of ‘knicking’ myself then if you know what I mean. I had tried hair removal cream but couldn’t really get on with it. As far as I know an electric shaver is fine. Its not the closest shave in the world, certainly nowhere near as good as my epilator, but I can live with it.
My underarm hair just didn’t grow for ages when I was on the Epi. Now I’ve nearly finished CMF I seem to have to shave every other day!!
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Hi All
No hair anywhere to speak of for me. I am lucky enough to be going to a LookGoodfeelBetter workshop on Tuesday (followed by onc on Wednesday and tax on Thursday!). So if I learn anything useful, which I am sure I will, I’ll pass it on. I really do miss my eyelashes!
Love to all
Dilys
xxx
Dear all
Is any one on Rx FEC x6? PLease let me know when and if you lost eye lashes. I lost my hair about day 11 after first sess. I shaved and got on with it. I have had my eye brows semi perminent etched in howver feel that I am losing my lashes now. They seem to be falling even without touching them all my long ones have gone, I am, at week 3 second treatment. Had hoped they wouldnt go. But then agian said that about my boobs.
PLease
Missi -x-
Hi Valanne
Have just ordered Benefits Browzings recommended by Julie (thanks Julie).
This is the link I ordered them from. hqhair.com/code/products.asp?PageID=1033&SectionID=1467&featuredProduct=8657&pID=2
They also have them on ebay at a better price but without the tools!!!
Kim x
Oh no!!! have just chiselled off the slap and found a few eyelashes floating in the sink!!
I am just about to have my 3rd AC (this Friday) and also thought I may be hanging on to my eyebrows and lashes - my eyes have been a bit watery for the last day or two, so I realised what was happening.
I do think this is going to effect me more than losing my hair - has anyone got any tips for using false eyelashes? I am definately going to get some Benefits Browzings.
Love to you all,
Tracy xxx
Hi Tracy,
I got some false eyelashes from ‘headcovers’ but never bothered with them in the end! When I was without eyelashes for a couple of weeks I lined my top lid with black eyeliner. This looked so good that no one actually noticed that I didn’t have any eyelashes!!
Kelly
-x-
BrowZings is great, and gives a really good impression of eyebrows. I’ve noticed Boots do a similar thing, (can’t remember what it’s called, sorry), but at only around £6.99 for the wax and powder palette it looks like good value. (BrowZings costs around £22).
I use Clinique eyeliner/pencil to draw a line and give the impression of lashes. I go underneath the upper lashes and above the lower ones with the pencil, i.e. on the little strip of skin between your lashes and your eye. Making sure you get as close as possible to the eyelashes you have left.
Also I use eyeshadows…earthy colours in my case, to give my eyes some definition. And plenty of cream blusher for a bit of cheek colour as chemo has made me look a little pale.
Well…it all helps to make us feel better about ourselves eh girls?
xx
Thanks for your help, I work in a department store so will go and see the girls in the perfumery department and let them see what they can do with me as well! I think one of our other stores has a Benefit counter so will get some Browzings transferred over.
I woke with my eyes stuck together this morning, so am now using eyedrops as well as stuff for my mouth ulcers - oh the joy of chemo!!!
Love and hugs,
Tracy xxxx
Hi All
The LookGoodFeelBetter workshop was brilliant. I can now draw in my eyebrows! Not so sure about mascara but have tips for eye makeup I would never ever have thought of. Can’t recommend them highly enough. And the “goodie bag” is just amazing! I have never been one for cosmetics but this is just great. Justme has it right!
Love
Dilys
xxx