Hair Hair Hair - Another question
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You've got it right, Mary...
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Thanks for asking Mary - I was wondering too!!
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Or, if we need to be proper, PFC stands for post final chemo. I am 14 days PFC. Watching my eyebrows like a hawk and imagining the tiniest bit of stubble sprouting on my otherwise bald head.
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LOL - proper use of PFC.........
My hair is still extremely short - in that I don't need a hair dryer, brush or comb to style it. Although I use a comb in the morning to laugh at myself. Today it's humid outside and my tiny short hair is sticking out -trying to curl, but doesn't have enough to curl. Again - I'm laughing at myself.
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MaryNY, I think the F in PFC can be a swear word if you want it to be, if not then it can be final. It's a swear word I really don't use, or say out loud, and least not very often, but somehow seems appropriate for the chemo ordeal.
I'm 5 months PFC, my hair started coming back, peach fuzz, toward the end of my chemo TC X 4, but it started falling out again and looked weird, so I shaved it again the first of Sept. I have maybe an inch of hair, it's hard to tell it's so curly. I have had all of my life board straight blonde hair and it came back in curly, dark and gray. The gray isn't really surprising, but the dark, almost black part is. My eyelashes and eye brows fell out after I finiished chemo, and I'm really not sure exactly when they came back but didn't seem to take too long. I have always had blonde brows and lashes, and they came back that way, so didn't notice at first, I told my doctor it's just not fair that my hair comes in dark and my lashes don't. I would put a picture in here, but not sure how to do that, might have to break down and read directions lol. I made an appt to get my hair colored, but decided to wait a bit and see what it does. Everyone tells it me looks good, but I feel like I'm looking at a stranger when I look in the mirror. Has anyone heard of your hair turning back to it's normal color after a while? Dr Oz had something on last week about why hair grays, and talked about the, well I'm not sure if it was a gland or what, but something in your scalp that that gives hair it's pigmet and how stress can damage it. Probably wishfull thinking on my part lol. I think I'm going to look for that Lancome eyebrow color too, I've never been very good at putting that stuff on, looks funny to me, but it's worth a shot
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Just adding my two cents on the eyebrow discussion. I had four rounds of TC and after each round my brows thinned more and more. 3 weeks after the last treatment they were down to a single line of hair and I HATED it. It changed my whole face and I looked sick. Luckily my wig has bangs so they did a good job of covering up. Nothing grew in for 4 weeks then...five o'clock shadow, then stubble and 2 weeks later I had to have them waxed and shaped. Now they look like I never lost them.
The eyelashes went too in the same pattern although when they fell the new short ones were right behind so I never looked like I didn't have lashes. Before mine fell they got VERY long, it seems because they were being pushed out. The eyelash situation did not bother me at all. Some woman on this forum have said that they fall out again at 4/5 months but I have read many posts were woman did not experience loss a second time...so we shall see.
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I am having #12 Taxol next week after completing 4 rounds of AC so have been having chemo since Aug, 19th. Almost done thank god and have lost all eyelashes and eyebrows after 4th Taxol and hair started growing after 6th Taxol. Hair is white soft with some grey around the sides and white stands straight up on top. Top is still sparse with skin showing so my question is will this get longer or fall out when done Taxol and when should I color it. I'm waiting now to see what happens when I'm totally done with Taxol next week. Any advice or suggestions. I get sooo much valuable information from reading these boards. Thanks Joan
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Hey mrsb45! Thank goodness your almost done...it's a long road... I had 4 AC and 4 Tx and my hair sounded just like yours. Mine kept right on growing...I could see my scalp too until it started getting color and thickening up. I'm 4 months past chemo and it's about 1 1/2 inches long and curly. (was poker straight before chemo). I take zinc...because my doc told me it was the hair's natural fertilizer. I hope this helps.
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MrsB45, I went to a salon of a BC survior that just does wigs and items for BC and she told me to wait 9 months before coloring because it will be baby hair.
Also, at this salon she has this product that she guarantees you will keep you eye brows and eyelashes. Has anyone every used any product like this and did it work? Thanks and Good luck to you all!!!
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mom2Bnegativex3 - this brow/eyelash product sounds interesting. Do you know know what it's called? I'd be interested in knowing.
Sherri
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Sherri, if you go to brianjosesph.com it will be right on the front page. It is called Lash and brow conditioning gel. It is all natural.
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Hi all
I finished chemo on 27th July and put colour in my hair just before Thanksgiving. I used a semi permanent colour without amonia. It didn't do any damage to my hair as far as I can see.
I didn't use any products on my brows and lashes. I found that once they fell out, the new ones were very close behind.
Hugs to all for a good weekend, Judy xoxox
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Helen - where are you? How did the dermatologist appt go today? (((((((HUGS)))))))
Take care, Judy xoxox
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Thanks Ladies for your advice... How much Zinc do you take Arnie2two ? Will hair grow faster after Done with Taxol next week ? Seems to be growing pretty fast now but still no lashes or eyebrows
I guess I just have to be patient. Sooo Happy I'm almost done with chemo.. This was a local recurrance from 2008 and then I had 3 lumpectomy's , radiation and Tamoxifen so feel like I;ve been dealing with this almost 2 yrs with only a 10 month break...Hope this time Chemo killed any cells left behind... Thanks again and hugs to all of you 0 -
I finished my chemo almost 6 months ago to the day and have lots of hair and also eyebrows are back, although not as thick as they were before. The problem I am having is with my eyelashes....they are very thick, but they are growing down....they look like camel eyes, my lashes are thick and black and grow down. I have been trying to use an eyelash curler which I never used it the past and it is tough because for one thing I need glasses in order to put on my eye makeup so am looking in this little circle of a magnifying mirror trying to catch my lashes in this little press deal and half the time get my eyelid. A few weeks ago I saw the opthamalogist who put the tubes in to correct my watering eye problem (a postchemo problem) and told him I thought I had dry eyes now because sometimes they just itch so I rub them a lot.....well, he looked and said my lashes were going the wrong direction and rubbing on my cornea.....it was like this on the inner corner of each eye so they plucked out some of the lashes and I am supposed to keep an eye on how they grow back as well as watch the other ones so my cornea doesn't get scratched. I don't know how long my lashes will grow, but am hoping they get long enough that they will either start going up on their own or I develop more skill with the curler. I know I should be happy to have eyelashes at all, but don't like the fact they are not growing in the right direction and they told me if the problem persists they will have to do electrolysis on them....sounds like pain to me.
I may be strange, but I like my short silver hair and am not going to color it and plan on keeping it short because I have gotten more compliments on it than with any hairstyle I ever wore;;;it sort of spikes up , but is supersoft. So all is not bad, but these eyelashes are a PIA, Anyone else with downward lashes?
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Marybe - how long did your watery eye problem persist before you went to the opthamologist? What kind of chemo were you on? I'd be very interested to learn about your experience. I am almost 3 weeks PFC and my eyes have been watering non-stop for about 10 days. This also happened after tx 4 and 5 but went away. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but in the meantime, it's often difficult to see, driving at night is impossible, and, it's generally a real inconvenience to be constantly mopping the tears off my face. My onc says if this persists for 2 more weeks, see the eye doctor. I can't imagine having tubes put in my tear ducts!0
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Lottie, I was doing Abraxane when the tearing problem started and don't ask my why, but I did not complain about it enough I guess. I mentioned it to my onco and the PA, but all either of them said was it's just a SE. It was not until I had decided to quit the chemo (had done 22 treatments) due to the neuropathy and I was in the treatment room getting my zometa and was chatting with a lady in a chair next to me and said something about my eyes that I found out something could be done. This lady said she had the problem also, but only learned from someone else that time is of the essence and that you should have it checked out by an opthamalogist within a month and if they get you early enough the ducts can be reopened. That's what happens, the ducts close off. I didn't realize this, just thought they were watering like crazy. I mean it was BAD....I was always saying things to people like I am not really crying, it's just my eyes watering and if I didn't want to go into the whole cancer story I would attribute it to severe allergies. It was like looking through a windshield with wipers that just would not go fast enough and I know what you mean about driving at night....it was dangerous because I honestly had a difficult time seeing. I went to my opthamalogist and he tried to open the ducts and they did open, but closed right back up within a day so he sent me to a specialist and he knew exactly what the problem was, although he said he knew it went with taxol and taxotere, but had not seen anyone who had done abraxane. Anyway, to make a long story short I had out patient surgery and they put these little tubes called canulae in the ducts. We have them on the top and bottom and that was something I did not know. It does not really help the problem UNTIL they take them out which in my case was 4 months.....what the tubes do is re-establish the opening and although it sounds terrible, it really was not all that uncomfortable. You used drops the first month that are anti-inflamatory until the eyes gets used to the tubes being there.....the watering even got worse for awhile because what happens is the tissue grows up tight against these little tubes and there is still nowhere for the tears to go. However once the tubes came out, it was like a miracle....no more tearing. I accidently pulled the lower ones out rubbing my eyes,(it was shocking how long those little things were) but it was only a week or two early so the procedure still worked. I have heard of some women who didn't have this done and eventually their tear ducts opened back up, but when this woman I was talking to said go right away, I did because I did not want to risk having a permanant tearing issue. I would at least get it checked out by an eye doctor to see what he has to say. Now the only issue I have with my eyes is the lashes. Good luck to you. I remeber what a PIA that was. The skin on my cheeks and around my eyes was chapped from being wet all the time.
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Thanks Marybe. That information is useful (but scary). I had taxotere and cytoxan and was VERY allergic to the taxotere. Usually the watering went away within a few days of my next treatment. I finished chemo on 1/6, so if it doesn't clear up soon, it'll be 3 weeks on Wednesday, I'll see the eye doctor. It's not like it starts gradually and tapers off ... the water works come on for about 10 days and then one day it stops. I'm hoping that's the case this time, but, I'm getting concerned. You're right about the skin around your eyes too ... it's "creping" like crepe paper, I look 10 years older at this point. I read online that it is caused by your tear ducts closing up which causes the water to pool in your eyes, until, it drips down your face ... A friend told me the other day that she felt like she was looking at me through a "bucket of goo" ... she should've been on my side of the conversation. I'm glad yours cleared up but I'm sorry you had to go through a procedure to make that happen.
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Hi everyone. I'm back at work which is somewhat of a distractor for me so that is good. I'm still incredibly sad about so many losses so I've not been on line for a few days.
But, I did see the dermatologist yesterday. She has given me 2 prescriptions. One is for minoxidil for my head. She said it may help fill in the crown of my head where the hair is so thin that my scalp shows through. She also gave me a prescription for a Latisse like product to try to fill in my eyelashes It is not really Latisse but will be mixed by the pharmacists for me and it's much less expensive than Latisse which is not even available in Canada yet.
I've had a little bit of growth in the past few weeks but very little and certainly not on the crown. So I'll fill the prescriptions and I'll let you know what happens. Keep your fingers crossed that these products help.
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hrf - I hope the prescriptions from your dermatologist work for you! Just curious, is there a name for the lash product that was prescribed? I had asked my onc about a prescription for Latisse but he said not now. Since it's not available in Canada, perhaps I can ask him for the one you were prescribed. Let me know.
Sherri
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Hi Marybe - I don't have downward lashes, but I have lashes growing on my eyelids, just above my regular lashes, which are still coming out in small amounts periodically. It is all a little weird....
Helen - I am really pleased that you made it to the dermatologist and that you may have found a product that can help you. Keep us posted, sending you ((((((HUGS)))))) as always! We are all rooting for you! You know, I was never the most optomistic person, especially going through BC, but sometimes I get so overwhelmed thinking about everything I have lost, especially when I look down at my "chest" every day, that I try and find the good things in my life now to try and balance out that terrible feeling of loss. I would never dream of being able to put myself in your shoes, but sometimes when you are feeling very sad, try and think of one good thing that you have in your life today. Nothing can ever make up for what any of us have been through. I am coming to realize that we have to deal with what there is and to try and make the best of it. Always here for you!!!
Hope everyone has a good day, Judy xoxox
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OK Ladies-- I am 3 months post TAC chemo. I seem to be growing more hair on my face than I ever had before! Some ladies have commented that this hair will go away? When does it?? Some have commented that they have shaved their face! I have shaved around my mouth area and it is growing back more thicker!! Any suggestions?
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precioustime - are you on hormone therapy, tamoxifen or arimidex? that can cause more facial hair. also, i'd always heard that shaving our faces will make hair come back thicker.
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Okay, I have both the camel eyelashes and the facial peach fuzz.
The eyelashes are poking downward, but I'm not really sure if they are new growth, or if the new tiny eyelashes that are growing in are making the old, longer eyelashes (I never lost all of them) poke down at a weird angle. It's driving me nuts, too. I was trying to wait it out to find out if it was going to stay this way. I guess I'll wait a bit longer before starting to worry . . .
On the facial hair aspect, I have a thin, downy-like translucent/white fuzz growing on my face pretty much all over---my cheeks, my forehead, etc. I'm not on any hormone therapy yet, so it can't be that. Also, it wasn't there a few days ago. It seems like it just popped up out of nowhere. I never noticed it before.
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I had some facial hair a few months after chemo. I did shave it and it did not come back thicker. It just came back as a very short fuzz which I am now trying to ignore. I am not on any hormone therapy. I think it takes a long while for everything to regulate again. I had my eyebrows waxed for Thanksgiving and only now are they showing any sign of needing to be done again.
Hugs to all for a good evening, Judy xoxox
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Just make sure those downward lashes aren't poking into your eye because the opthalmologist who plucked some of mine out said they can scratch the cornea and do damage. I have been trying to use an eyelash curler to get them to go up, but they aren't all that long and it's difficult to get a good grasp on them.
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Just recieved my code:ai brow replenishment probuct in the mail. I am so excited to try it! I will let everyone waiting for regrowth know how it works over the coming week
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Lottie-
I'm not on hormone therapy yet! Does that mean I will have more facial hair when I start?!?!?!?
Maybe going into ChemoPause with lack of Estrogen has caused all this hair on my face?
I also had the downward lashes and asked the Eye Doctor last week to make sure they were not scratching the eye. Thanks for your inputs.
Loretta
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12 weeks PFC and head hair still VERY short - but I can see it. Hair in "nether" regions returning, but not under arms. A little facial fuzz.
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Hi!
I'm just barely a week PFC (FEC X 6) and I noticed peach fuzz growing all over my head just after my 4th TX. No hair growing elsewhere - nether regions included (although I never lost it all down there).
My eyelashes fell out just before Christmas (between TX #4 & #5) and are really are not growing back yet. I use a dark kohl eyeliner around my eyes and no one seems to notice that I dont' have eyelashes until I point it out.
My eyebrows started falling out around the same time as the eyelashes and are pretty much gone now too. Although I do see some dots so I think they are trying to grow back.
For the eyebrows I use a Lancome eyebrow pencil that others have described with the brush end.
BUT I don't use a dark colour - I opted for a softer colour called Natural Blonde. The sales girl helped me pick it out. It seems a bit more "natural" and less drawn on than the dark brown colour I got at the LGFB workshop.
Has anyone been taking photos of their hair re-growth? I've seen a montage done by someone else and I'm going to try doing that.
Happy Hair Growing Everyone!
Marie
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