I;ve been on letrozole for over 3 years and have lost half my hair at the front and top. Hairline has shot back and I have bald patches above my ears. Has anyone else lost so much hair, or has anyone recovered from Letrozole induced hair loss? I don’t mind having super smooth legs - that hair went very quickly -and I accept the wrinkles but I dislike this very much.
I’m on tamoxifen rather than letrazole but have also experienced hair loss similar to yours. I have the receding hair line and the hair loss is from the top and sides. I used to have really thick hair but now I can see my scalp on top. I know in the grand scheme of things it shouldn’t really matter but I, like you, do find it distressing. I have tried growing my hair back to its previous length but am now going for the chop as I’ve realised I will just have to work with what I’ve got. Ive tried Nurkrin hair supplement but at £50 a pack it’s not something I can sustain doing in the long term. I hope some others are able to offer some advice. Take care,
Mateface67
I was on letrozole for 9 months after finishing chemo. I really struggled to get my hair to grow and I had no body hair, eyebrows and sparse lashes ( despite eyebrows and lashes surviving chemo). I changed to tamoxifen due to some debilitating side effects and now have lots of hair! It may be worth speaking to your onc to see if you can change to alternative hormone therapy. I know tamoxifen and letrozole work in different ways but ultimately the reduce hormone levels. Hope you get it sorted soon.
Hiya
It’s awful isn’t it seeing all the hair come out on the brush and plug !!
I’ve been on it for eight months …my hairdresser says Nioxin can be good …a lot of her clients buy it and it helps.I’m getting some later this week.
I avoid washing hair too much …keep it shorter and try not to brush it much. Avoid wearing black as it looks like I have a dead cat on my shoulders sometimes !!!
It’s horrible side effect but leyrozole us a very strong pill and hope that it does its job for all the misery it causes.
Could u not ask for an alternative hormone treatment as there are different ones.
Glad that you are looking into this problem as it can be very distressing especially for ladies that have lost their hair through chemo before and are looking forward to hair again !!
I seem to loose a lot so only wash hair once a week and avoid heat and too much brushing etc.
It does say that “hair thinning” is a side effect but I think this hormone pill is worse than tamox and arimidex for it.
Xxc
Hi waveylocks.
Have you tried different brands of letrozole ? I think it varies. I took cipra for four months and the hair loss was more but hot flushes less. I have been on accord fir a month now and hot flushes worse but I think hair loss is less ( ?)
Also there might be other hormone treatments you could ask the oncologist about.
Hi
This is all really scary! I am in a good place at the minute, as I am 6 weeks post-surgery and ready to start Radiotherapy. It is lovely to see the hair grow on my head, brows and lashes, but I have now started on Letrozole and I am reading all your posts. This is really awful as we have all been through so much in terms of losing hair to chemotherapy and feeling ill through treatment. Now I have the possibility of getting all my hair back to losing it again?! My heart goes out to you all and let’s hope that there is some more research into the link between Letrozole and hair loss. I had boxed up my 2 wigs (which I got on the NHS) thinking I wouldn’t need them again. Can I ask when you noticed your hair loss beginning while on this drug? And I wonder if it happens to everyone?
Meg x
Hiya meg
Don’t panic too much as remember if we complain on here we are a minority to thousands that take letrozole with no hair loss.
It’s was three or four months before mine started to shed …just keep an eye on progress.
It’s a very important little pill to take and hopefully you will settle with it and no problems .
Hugs xxx
What a perfect world if all the treatments were McDonalds and chocolate !!
Best of luck …don’t panic too much and relax as you have done the hardest bit …chemo ouch.
Rads is easier . You will soon feel normal
Again.xxxx???
Throwing this out there… I am on Letrozole, Have Stage 4 Metastic breast cancer and also am on Ibrance. Right now i am off chemo so my body primarily my tongue can heal from the effects of the ibrance.
My question is…My hair has thinned out a lot and is still coming out. I wouls imagine that by next year it will be extremely thin, sraggerly or even almost gone and I am extremely upset about this as I never asked for this horrible disease in the first place.
Okay, enough venting… my question is does anyone know if using a semi permanent hair dye will harm my hair at this point? I have used this in the past and had no problems but the last time I colored it, when I washed it i would say much more than a few strands came out. Help please? My grays are beginning to show and I need to do something. I’m not that old yet and do not want to look like and “old lady”.
Michele
You may well find that the hairloss slows down Michelle, even though mine has thinned a lot(I have a receding hairline like my husband ) it does continue to grow back and it goes through phases where it seems to make a good recovery.Im sure less harsh semi permanent dyes will be fine ,I have dyedmy very grey hair regularly with semi permanent dye and it actually does seem to condition it rather than damage it and cause further hair loss.Fingers crossed for you,get rid of those greys!!!
Some ladies have been referred to dermatology for advice /support with the hair loss and have been prescribed things that may help(equivalent of regaine for women ) .Worth pursuing as it is very depressing particularly when you have so much else to deal with .
Hiya like Jill … I think the hair thinning is in fits and starts …I have been on it eight months now and I panicked that I would go bald !! The hair does grow back …a lot thinner. I don’t colour mine now, wash it weekly and only use a wide tooth comb .
It also depends on the brand of letrozole you get too …I find accord brand better for hair loss than Cipra I had for four months.
I also see that you are on ibrance …is that a clinical trial? I didn’t think it was available in the UK otherwise and googling it …a bit of a wonder drug so all the best.
Hugs
Hiya mush
Welcome. We have lots of ladies worldwide here and its nice to have you with us.
In the UK …ibrance is still only given as part of clinical trials but hopefully …it will be available soon for everyone.
Please stay with us …we are a friendly lot and have a private forum where we have games, book clubs , gardening club etc etc.
When you have more time …you will b able to look through the threads and find a lot of support and kindness.
We have threads for bone Mets ; liver Mets etc etc and a huge amount of information from real people that are also in the same boat !!
Anyway …make sure the boss doesn’t catch you using the internet in works time !!!
Xx
Yep don’t get in trouble with the boss !!!
Lots of support and advice here Mush.You are very welcome .
Hiya ladies
I always feel very vain and selfish moaning about hair thinning but we are women and having lost a breast or part of one - deserve a bit of dignity and our hair back !! I miss my highlights but had to give them up due to letrozole and hair thinning.
Letrozole is a powerful little pill and I must b grateful that its controlling my extensive bone Mets for eight months so far.
Hugs 
Hiya wavylocks
That is so useful …I hope other ladies with hair probs will see that very useful site for their hair colouring especially after chemo etc.
It’s a pity it can’t 've stored for future reference as it will slip down the threads never to b seen again. !!
I have spent 8 months growing my highlights and colour out and so at 63 can b a old grey bag lady now !!