Has anyone experienced excess facial hair growth after chemo and/or surgery? I finished FEC and docetaxel chemo about 10 weeks ago, and had right MX with implant reconstruction 3 weeks ago (an operation I still can’t quite believe I’ve hadto be honest, as an aside), and have noticed a real increase of facial hair in the last couple of weeks. The hair on my head has really started to come in now, but I didn’t expect anything on my face to happen! I’d be grateful to hear if anyone else has found this? Thanks alot x
Yes I had lots of soft downy hair at the sides of my face after I finished the FEC T Chemo. Also it seemed to be around my neck as well and if I rubbed it hard enough it would come off in little patches. However my hairdresser told me to try and leave it alone and maybe it would not be as noticeable. I think maybe I have got used to seeing the extra hair growth , so try not to worry it is perfectly normal , jst another side affect to contend with !!!
Yes! I noticed this after FEC-t but wonder if I just hadn’t noticed how hairy I was before. Also I’ve always had long hair which may have made it less noticeable before?!
I noticed the same thing and spoke to oncologist and she just brushed it away as if I was imagining it, but I do feel I would like to do something about it but not sure what really
I have! Lots of fluffy hair though, not really visible… I too cannot believe my left breast is gone, but ld flap reconstruction helps get over the loss!
So relieved to know that I am not alone! I have been 2 1/2 months since my last dose of Taxol (Paclitaxel) and where I am so relieved that the hair on my head is growing back I am also quite shocked to find I have very blond downy hair (quite alot) on my face, neck, and shoulders. I am quite downy on my fingers and arms too but I put that down to my hair growing back and just standing on end more because it is shorter.
However, I don’t know what to put the facial, neck and shoulder hair down to. I look like a hairy little monkey at the moment! I used to be as bald as a tyre on my Grandfather’s bike! I am 47 and full swing into menopause now, brought on by the chemo and wasn’t sure whether this hair growth is due to yet another side effect from the chemo and will go away (hopefully) or because I am going through menopause and unfortunately in that case it will probably stay. I am not going to touch it for fear of it getting thicker and darker. I will keep all posted on this thread with any updates.
Hi… Yes I have noticed alot of facial hair after my fec-t and radiotheraphy… After seeing my oncologist he advised me to see my G.P about it and they would refer me for some treatment. So I’ve booked in to see my G.P to see what treatments are available on the NHS…
Ditto Amero…I have half an eyebrow…maybe we could make a whole one! I noticed fine downy hair after my rads but I shaved it off and it hasn’t grown back.
Yes I had loads of facial hair growth in first few months after chemo. I think part of it is that we are so much more aware of our bodies now and after 6 hairless months it is very noticeable as it grows back.
I had my chin waxed and the regrow that looks normal. I have got a few rogue longish dark hairs on chin and upper lip which I pluck out with tweezers. Such an attractive look when we are so conscious of the changes bc has made to our bodies.
Morning Ladies. I finished my last session of FEC-T on the 17th February. Going back to work tomorrow but look like a peach!!! Loads of facial hair that I don’t think I had before.
Has anyone any recommendations on how to deal with this thought about threading but the lady who does it thinks it may make it worse.
Yes - I noticed lots of downy hair all over my cheeks and the back of my neck a few weeks after finishing FEC-T (caught it in the mirror one sunny morning). I went on this forum and people mentioned that it was a side effect of the chemo and probably not permanent, so I stopped worrying and took it off with my epilator. It has not grown back.
I am 54, and the chemo triggered menopause. Eight months on from the last chemo (and on Tamoxifen) my eyebrows are reasonably full, but the hairs are curly, so they stick out and you cannot see them when viewed from the front! So I am still filling them in with pencil to give my face some definition. Although my head hair is fairly well-established now, weirdly, my body hair (legs, armpits etc) is much less luxuriant than before - there have to be some upsides to the horrible treatment!
I noticed fine downy hair after my rads but I shaved it off and it hasn’t grown back.