Hi Ladies. I have been taking tamoxifen for 4 years. The last 6 months I have some downy hair appear on the bottom half of my face. I suppose you could say it’s beard shaped! I have also had my ovaries and tubes removed, is this what’s caused it? Has anyone else had this and how did you deal with it. I don’t know whether to remove it or leave it. If I remove it, will it grow back thicker and or darker? I have picked up the Flawless hair remover twice now and I don’t know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated. Lots of love… xxx
Hello Poppy3,
Ahh… . ? the dreaded facial hair. I had the dark odd chin/under my neck,
one that got the regular plucking treatment since my late 20s. Then the menopause hit - and bleeding heck where did all those longer white and some dark chin and neck hairs come from? Even worse some of them can feel very hard and prickly!
I am assuming it is the decrease in circulating oestrogen and the possible increase in androgens or specifically testosterone, that is the culprit. The same reason I think that can lead to the side effect of head hair loss via excess of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). So, tamoxifen etc could indeed be the likely cause.
I am taking Anastrazole. I know it works differently than Tamoxifen but the end purpose is similar in depletion of access to oestrogen. I don’t think I have noticed an increase in facial hair since starting it over a year ago. Facial hair seems to be at my menopause levels or I could still be recovering from the impact of chemo on body hair.
I do not shave or use any hair removers as I think it will make it worse. I do shave my "moustache " and have been doing that since pre-menapause. On saying that, my “moustache” hairs don’t seems worse for all the years of shaving.
Most of my chin and underneck hairs are fair, even though I am dark haired, so aren’t that greatly visible. I have built it into my routine to do a check and a feel, and I just pluck any dark/prickly/longish ones out. Sorted. Electrolysis or laser treatment may sort them out for good but I would rather use money on other things.
As stupid as it sounds, I sort of missed doing this during chemo!! It was just part of normal routine to have them and sort them out. When they weren’t there it was a reminder that things weren’t right!!
Androgen excess may also be helped by eating a balanced diet. Apparently too many (refined) carbohydrates can increase insulin and one of the ways the body can respond to high insulin is to increase androgen production.
Hope you find a solution that suits you.
? Chick X