I finished my chemo on 31st August, and am very happy to report that my hair is growing back everywhere, BUT even on my face !!!
It’s very fine, and luckily not dark, but I can definitely see it when I catch myself in the mirror in daylight. What’s going on ? Is this supposed to happen ? If it carries on, I’m going to have to start shaving !
Has anyone else experienced this and is it normal ? Or, as my 14 year old keeps saying, am I turning into a man ?
Julie, I expect you notice the hair more now, as you didn’t have any body hair for so long. Did you not have a bit of down on your face before? I too am very fair, with loads of very fine downy blonde hair on arms and face, which did at first seem to be a lot coarser. All the new hair does come back a bit darker and more brittle looking, but I am sure in time will settle.
If you are on Arimidex however, you can expect a beard like growth - sorry to be so horrible! It is a side effect of total oestrogen withdrawal - waxing is really the only answer. I am reminded of those old ladies you used to see with long stiff hairs poking out of their chins - lovely.
As a byline, and I know a lot of othe girls have said the same, the hair on my legs never completely disappeared - so I had to shave even whilst not having any hair anywhere else.
I think I did have a little bit of down on my face before, but my skin used to be so soft and smooth before chemo, and now all I can feel is this bloomin’ hair (lol!)
I’m not on Arimidex either, so I don’t know what’s going on - my mother in law has a grey wispy beard going on, and my kids keep telling me “I’m turning into Nanny” !
I think the replies you will probably get here in time will show it is a problem many of us have experienced. I am sure it is all related to hormones - the chemo messes with them, the hormone treatments mess with them. For some the problem seems to be short lived but for others like me it hasn’t got any better. My bc wasn’t hormone positive but I am also well past the menopause so that too means it could be hormone related (or lack of them LOL). I have resorted to face creams to remove the hair from time to time and that seems to work for me.
Before I got this horrible disease I had had laser hair removal done on my legs, underarms and bikini. It is absolutely amazing. I would highly recommend it but check first with your doctor. I hardly have any hair in those areas. It is expensive and you need around 6-8 treatments but if in a small area i.e. chin rather than full leg is not so bad and saves on waxing, creams, mess and psychologically it’s fantastic. They say the best skin type to have for laser hair removal is light skin and dark hair. I have yet to find out how my hair is going to grow back as just finished chemo.
Aaaaargh to the news that Arimidex encourages beard growth. For years I have had some dark hairs on my chain area which I always plucked. It was an upside of chemo that those disappeared completely for some months although they have come back. I have been takiing Arimidex for just over a week so will be closely examining what happens next. I have considered laser treatment for years and may now just have to take the plunge and go for it. I think I’ll get rads over first though
I did enquire about laser removal and was told that on hair that is very light it doesn’t work. Also if you have a problem with scars keloiding they would do it either. I would be interested to know if others have found this to be true.
blimey I know EXACTLY what you mean!!! I finished E-CMF chemo on 10th Oct. The hair on my head is growing back a treat but I also have a covering of fine, downy hair on certain parts of my face. Its prob invisible to the naked eye but because I know it is there I feel like a werewolf!!!
I’ve resorted to ‘trimming’ it with nail scissors and this seems to be working a treat. As Dawn says, I’m sure its just our hormones playing havoc with us. I know it doesn’t help but I believe it is a very common problem,
I have had laser hair removal on my upper lip area prior to bc and it does only work on dark hair. If the hair is blond and downy chances are it won’t work. If you’re told otherwise by a salon, get them to do a small area first, and see what the re-growth is like.
Is there any reason why you can’t have laser hair removal done after chemotherapy?
I’d been thinking about having this done before I was dx’d but it’s quite expensive so I’d thought it was something I’d maybe have done in the future. I remember this place was doing 2 areas for the price of 1 for a limited time - I think it was summertime when they were advertising it so I might keep an eye out at that time of year. The website is:
As an aside don’t consider laser treatment, find someone who does threading, totally natural done with a piece of cotton, thats all, no drugs, no wax, no laser !!! Enquire in your local beauty salons to see if you can find someone who is trained to do it. It’s a Indian form of hair removal and works especially well on facial hair, fine or coarse.
Good luck with your search I am sure you will find someone that does it - regrowth is also quite slow as the complete hair is removed including the root, so it does “smart” a bit…
I have the same problem finished rads about 3 weeks ago and I have an inch of hair on my head and now I am turning into wolverine! My face is covered in fine downy hair and when I catch myself in the sunlight it is going down my neck towards the top of my spine (live in Australia and we are coming into summer).
I spoke to a beautician who said she could wax it for me but I am terriffied that if I do that it will come back course and dark. At the moment they are very fine blonde hairs. I too have resorted to using a pair of nail scissors.! Its all so bloody unfair - as if we haven’t got enough to deal with!
Am due to start Tamoxifen next week so who knows what other horrors will unfold.
try and find someone who can thread the facial hair for you, don’t have it waxed it will grow back. Investigate locally and see if you can find someone who can do threading its a much better option