Just wanted to find out if anyone else has had or is having this side effect with chemo.
I am on FEC and have had 3 treatments (still 3 more to go). I’ve recently noticed my face is getting more wrinkly! Help! Especially around my mouth and chin. This has definitely started since my 2nd chemo. I have always been an avid fan of moisturiser and use it daily always-I am 45. I also drink plenty of fluid and eat all the right foods (vegan). So is the chemo drying me out?
Also, amazingly, my hair is still sticking in there-falling out very gradually but can still get away with going out without anything on my head as long as it’s not too windy. I say amazingly cos my hair is very fine to start with and is short now.
Mouth problems have been horribly dry mouth and horrible taste for 1st week then stars to get a little better each day. Can’t stand certain things like alcohol and coffee and sweet things like biscuits.
Queasiness has been not as bad for me this 3rd treatment and also wasn’t having to sleep as much for 1st week either which was good. Been able to get on with things more.
My eyes have started watering again today which is what happened with 2nd treatment too.
Hello Fhifhi,
I have just had 4th fec of 4 and have found all my skin has dried out- I have always moisturised all over every day, but this is mega-dryness, peeling cuticles, wrinkly hands. At 51 I wasn’t looking too bad. I use Elizabeth Arden ‘Good Nights Sleep’ at night, it’s very moisturiing and a great facial perk-up. I also use EA’s sensitive skin daytime facial moisturiser and coco-butter for body down to the sole of my feet hope this helps. Good Luck 
Hi
I have completed 3rd FEC & my skin is mega dry. I use Clarins blue orchid face oil at night as well as their serum & face cream in the morning. The oil is fantastic has really stopped dry skin.
I use bio oil on my scar, arms & body, which sinks in straight away and Kheils Argan oil moisturiser on my legs. Am constantly using Vaseline hand cream & aqueous cream on my feet.
Have never needed to use such rich creams, but it does seem to working. With all the oil you would think it would be greasy but actually my skin is so dry it sinks in perfectly.
I also have a reasonable covering of stubble (I shaved it), which grows between treatments.
Hope that helps
S
Hi,
Wierdly I used to have really dry skin and now mine feels very smooth and not too bad dryness wise. Possibly smooth due to some hairloss of fine hairs. I have noticed more lines round my mouth, bit like if id smoked, but i never have!MyI hair is very short stubble with def bald spots. I think it grows very slowly between treatments but is very slow.
I’ve found my ‘normal’ taste is taking longer to return each time, had 3 FEC, next due on Thurs and my mouth still not feeling right, dry, slightly slimy taste and a whacking great ulcer. Thought I’d escaped them this time but this popped up last Wednesday and feels like its taking over my head!
Still can’t face alcohol but can cope with acoffee and I find sweet things difficult just for a few days straight after FEC. Sickness has stayed pretty constant for each treatment, about a week or so. And the watering eyes, mine are streaming as I type! This is on and off and sometimes they feel like they’ve been rolled in grit.
Its such good fun all this isn’t it! Sounds like we all end up with similar SE’s just different degrees of some.
Gaynor xx
I have had the dry skin as well. I’m 32 and had very few lines around my mouth and now I have loads of fine lines. I am using lots of moisturiser and hoping they will smooth out a little. I have had 3 FEC and 1 Taxotere, and found the skin around my mouth got really dry and flaked off after FEC, but wasn’t so bad after Tax. I also got loads of spots after my first FEC, but since then not a single one. I think chemo is so drying there is no chance for spots and oily skin. In terms of hair growth, I never lost all my eyebrows or eyelashes although they did thin, and my eyebrows seem to be growing back already.
I am now finding that my taste seems to remain affected rather than getting back to normal, and things just taste bland. But the really horrible taste in my mouth wears off after a week or so. Had loads of sickness on FEC but not on Tax, but my bones really ache on Tax. This has improved, but they still feel tired nearly three weeks after my first treatment. Fun times.
Well it really goes to show we are not alone-I can hardly believe how similar we all are in our side effects! I’m really hoping my face goes back to it’s usual appearance after this. it doesn’t feel dry but it must be lacking in something to have thse wrinkles start up so vehemently. On my face I use Neal’s Yard Frankincense moisturiser and sometimes Betty Hula’s wonder oil. On my body I use Sanctuary Mela body butter or Lush Each Peach massage bar.
I go for my next chemo treatment this friday so not looking forward to it. My veins have not been good throughout everything and I’ve got dark lines up my arm and it’s sore to stretch my arm out. They think I might need a line in the future but I hope not-hope my veins can last out.
I’m going to bake a vegan chocolate cake and eat it all this week! 
Hiya,
This is interesting. I have only had one fec and get my second tomorrow.i also have a smokers lip… Thought I was imagining it. I still have my hair… It is annoyingly shedding. I don’t know how that will I go. I expect to lose it, I was told it was a certainty… At the minute it’s thinner but still quite thick.
I had a runny eye, some small mouth ulcers, went off all fluid… Must try harder this time. Nothing too bad first time. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Elli xx
I too have gone wrinkly around my mouth and chin area, I thought I was imagining it too!
4 EC and 2 Tax…
WS
My hair is thinning and I can pull out little clumps of it easily but my hubbie and daughter really want me to keep it-don’t shave it. I don’t know what to do for the best?! Obviously there is thin areas and I can cover up a little with other hair but what is best for regrowth? If I have thin patches and other parts ok (for now) then what happens to your hair?! Will it all fall out eventually on it’s own? what if I dind’t shave it off and just left it as is til it started to grow back?
Right now I’m keeping it but I can’t see it holding out for much longer. I wonder if, with the further treatments it will come out totally…
It’s one lovely journey eh?
In the meantime I’ve got my ugly wrinkly face to contend with and the weepy eyes.
My thoughts are with all of you going through this too :0)
xxx
I had 4 x AC and 4 x Paclitaxol when I had chemo from Nov 2010 to March 2011. My skin went very dry, and especially around my nose and mouth. I had deep grooves which made me look permanently old and miserable. I used Oilateum excema cream constantly, I literally kept it by my side day and night. After chemo had finished my skin came back within a couple of months perfectly how it was before.
Fhifhi, I read your post about your hair thinning, unless you are having cold cap I would definitely shave it off. It will then grow back more evenly. I found it painful when mine was coming out so it was out with the clippers. It started to grow back about a month after chemo and within about 6 weeks I had ditched the scarves. It was curly to begin within but now it is back to normal.
Hope this helps.
Sam
I haven’t started my FEC yet but have been recommended Udderly Smooth Extra Care cream by a hairdresser friend who has known lots of ladies who have used it during treatment. I think you can get it in Boots but also online - and it isn’t very expensive.
Hiya coach k… Is that cream for your lip, hair or bald head… Probably a daft question…
6 weeks and scarfs ditched… There is now hope in my world… Thank you samlee
It’s only the fec that removes your hair, the nurse told me. So if you are near the end of your fec fhifhi maybe you should hang out… Then go hairdressers… You might need it styled differently but you never know.
I’m hanging on with the blessing of dry shampoo… I get my next chemo tomorrow and will wash it fri… Once I feel better and see what happens.
Elli x
Can I just ask if any of you are knackered on FEC. I’ve jsut had my 4th and can hardly keep my eyes open. Felt back asleep at 9:30am today and woke up at 2:30pm ( 5 days post treatment). It is getting harder each cylcle. I’ve had the works when it comes to S/E’s - fatiugue that is unimaginable, all my hair gone ( apart from brows and lashes), ulcers, terrible vomiting and nausea, acid reflux, hospitalised for 5 nights with neutropenic sepsis, terrible dry skin and headaches- as well as looking after a 3yr old!!! I have been on such a downer since this last cycle and actually just noting down all these s/e’s ( forgetting about the diagnosis and two ops) makes me realise why I am so low. I know we all feel like this and I guess it is worth remembering not to be too hard on ourselves. x
Thanks for everyones advice and experiences here. It really helps to read them all
I washed my hair today and a lot more hair came out but still no real obvious bald patch… I just can’t believe how my hair is doing. I have such fine hair but it’s hanging on! I noticed just yesterday a lot more hair on my pillow as well.
Sam Lee…thanks for advice re hair… I expect just for regrowth it’d make sense to shave then it all grows back at once. I’ll mark the day when I do decide to shave it off!
I think my eyelashes are suffering a little too. Today I haven’t even bothered with make up which is totally not me. I never go out without it so I’ve been wearing sunglasses a lot recently to hide my eyes when out and about. They have been streaming quite a lot and I can’t even get an appt. at docs today cos they’re shut for training! First thing tomorrow i hope I can get appt. and see what can be done if anything.
Sorry to hear about your terrible experience with the chemo Flower20. I hope you feel better soon especially with having a 3 year old to look after as well-poor you :0(
thanks fhifhi. Just had my three hour marathon afternoon nap there and now away to pick up my boy from nursery. That said, only got 4 hours sleep last night- wee man had a terible cough, ended up in beside me, hubby kicked out into other bed and thenn wee man rises like a lark at 5:30am raring to go… oh to have an ounce of his energy. He keeps me going though. hope everyone else is doing ok x
Just to update my hair thang…hair is off! Shaved it last saturday…well daughter and hubbie did. The hair was getting everywhere- hubbie & I were waking up to hair stuck on our faces! So it’s not so bad…I am even considering going out baldy if the weather ever improves here in Scotland 
Been cutting off my each night as have a long mane!
Six days post first fec. Its been Terrible. Sick, sick sick, runny poo, bad taste, etc. lost nearly half stone. In hospital yesterday on anti sickness drip and saline. Feel bit better but still sick now and then.
Hubbie lovely though i shout at him sometimes for silly things like not flushing the loo. My four and half year old has been distressed but we have help now to take her away from this home of sickness.
My step mum died today of bowel cancer after two years of chemo and surgery
Sad day.
I hope these sessions get better.