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Eyelash and Eyebrow Regrowth

rockym
rockym Member Posts: 378

Is there anyone out there that can share their experience with me?  I did TCx4 and my eyelashes and eyebrows were with me the entire time.  I thought I lucked out and then around 4 weeks PFC my brows got very, very thin and then the eyelashes started to go.  I have 3/4 of my lashes on my left eye, but almost none on my right.  I don't have lashes on the bottom of either eye. My brows are starting to come back very slowly (only grey instead of the original dark brown), but I see nothing  happening with the lashes :-(.

Anyone??  How long until lashes come back?  Anyone else have this happen AFTER chemo was finished?

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Comments

  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 1,468
    edited January 2012

    I used latisse and my lashes came back super quick and very thick. My brows only thinned but once they started growing they came in fast...maybe two weeks.

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,257
    edited January 2012

    rockym - my brows thinned but never completely left.  I am 7 months PFC and still having to put colored brow gel on them for them to be seen.  Lost lashes in the later part of tx, all on the bottom and all on top as well, except for about 4 or 5 on each eye.  Not a great look - kind of spider-ish!  Bottom lashes came back slowly, maybe fully a month ago.  Top lashes are struggling and growing much slower.  Often lashes and brows fall out and come back a couple of times.  This has not happened to me YET!

  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 509
    edited January 2012

    I had TCx4, also, and I kept my eyebrows and eyelashes until I was two months PFC.  My eyebrows grew back quickly, but it took a while for the lashes to return. I lost a good chunk of eyebrows again at about four months PFC, but the loss was not as complete as the first loss.  They grew back quickly the second time, too.  For some reason, losing my eyebrows was more upsetting to me than losing the hair on my mind.  By the time I lost my eyebrows, I thought I was already done with hair loss.

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited January 2012

    I used Brian Joseph Lash and  Brow Gel... I lost most of my brows in the middle of chemo, and after chemo they came back... never lost my lashes. And I am now 8 months post chemo and never lost brows again.. And still have my lashes, athough ,my lower lashes don't seem as long... its hard to get mascara on those.

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited January 2012

    mdg, I've heard of latisse, but I've also heard that if you have blue eyes, you can have permanent color changes to your eyes.  Did you have any problems with it?  Thanks for sharing.

    SpecialK, I'm with you in the 4-5 game on my left side.  Wow, 7 months before they came back... this disease and treatment is the worst!  I hope you don't have the grown in, fall out situation I've heard of.  I'm trying not to read about those cases since it scares me too much.  I can't imagine waiting day by day and once your back to the norm, things start again.

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited January 2012

    Elizabeth1889, I suppose I'm not alone here :-(.  I keep trying to find out how long before lashes return, but I end up seeing a bit of what you are saying.  I'm glad to hear the loss the second time wasn't as bad.  My eyebrows and lashes are WAY more upsetting then my hair.  At least I can put on a wig or a scarf if I choose.  It seems with the lashes, there isn't much you can do to feel better.  I even looked at false lashes, but don't want to be gluing stuff to my lids and then having those come off every 2 days.

    bdavis, I'm glad to hear everything is back for you.  I'm sooooooo impatient.  8 months seems like forever.
  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 495
    edited January 2012

    I'm sure it is different person to person. I am 2 years PFC and my lashes are still not back to normal. Not very thick and short. Perhaps this is the new normal.

  • Morgan513
    Morgan513 Member Posts: 303
    edited January 2012

    I had TCx4 and my eye brows and lashes fell out after the last treatment.  I don't quite remember them growing back but I know it was quite fast.  I had a few little eye lashes left and I kept on using my mascara.  LOL.  I think the eye lashes just seemed to appear but then maybe using the mascara made them more noticeable?

    Good luck!  I hope they grow in quickly!

    Lorrie 

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited January 2012

    Thanks for the input ladies.

    Morgan513, you sound like me with my mascara.  I'm still wearing it on the upper lashes.  Bottom lashes are now gone.  It's a good thing my wig is parted on the side and my hair sort of covers my right eye for now :-).  I'd love to hear someone say theirs grew back in a few weeks and have stayed.

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 487
    edited January 2012

    That is precisely what happened to me.  At 1.5 years pfc, I'm pretty sure mine are still on a funky cycle. And they are a shadow of their former glory, sadly.

  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 433
    edited January 2012

    Latisse only caused color changes during the clinical trials for glaucoma, when Latisse was being applied directly to the eye.  There aren't any cases of Latisse causing eye color change when used for eyelash growth.  However, it can cause pigmentation of your eyelid, esp if you are prone to freckling.

  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 433
    edited January 2012

    And my eyelashes are still pretty pathetic, 10 months PFC.  I think I am going to order RevitaLash.  

  • LtotheK
    LtotheK Member Posts: 487
    edited January 2012

    The only thing I'd add to this:  parabens really seem to be coming under fire, and are thought to be estrogen mimickers.  For those of us ER+, it's something to consider.  Castor oil is supposed to work well for hair growth, I am going to give it a shot before I head over to chemical laden cosmetics!

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited January 2012

    Most of the products I've read about say they can take 6 weeks, but then other say their lashes grew back in 6-8 weeks.  Damn how I wish there were more similarities between people.  It's not like we don't feel bad enough without our original hair and past life.  I just wish it was already April.  For some reason I feel that is when I'll be feeling more like myself again.  Maybe more hair, perhaps some lashes... who knows.

  • tninalabama
    tninalabama Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2012

    My eyelashes and eyebrows have not returned to their full glory yet. I originally completed cehemo April 08 and didn't start the next until January 10. I have gotten good at brow pencils and eye liner. Just a good line of liner helps. I have tried false lashes, but never quite got them right. They get into my line of vision,ugh!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited January 2012

    I think the one I used was all natural... Brian Joseph. Costs $50. I used it DURING chemo and did not lose my lashes... did lose my brows though.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 11,653
    edited January 2012

    Mined thinned 5 weeks PFC then came back, then fell out again. My lashes and brows are now still thinner. It's 1 year PFC. I've been told this can go on for another 1-1.5 years. It could also be the Anastrozole. Either way it's not too bad. I fill in the brows and no one can tell

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited January 2012

    lago, I saw your progression of hair regrowth on another thread.  I just want to say that you have such a beautiful face and I love how the shorter hair looks on you.  Your most current picture has you looking years younger then before chemo.  I was going to post something on that thread to tell you and look how you posted here :-).

    Betsy, thanks for the info.  Perhaps this thread will help others who are going through this during or after chemo.

    So the good news for today...  I used a lash conditioner this morning and then put on my mascara.  I wasn't so sure why I was using the conditioner since as of yesterday there were no lashes.  Well, lo and behold... when I looked in my triple mag mirror, there was a row of tiny little lashes with my mascara on them.  Nobody else would see these little lashes, but what matters to me is that I SEE THEM.  I am so hoping that each night the growth continues and stays put!

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited February 2012

    I just wanted to follow-up with my initial question about eyebrows and eyelashes.  It's been 2 1/2 weeks since I had my eyebrows and lashes depart.  I am happy to say that my eyebrows are back!  They are a little lighter then before BC and also softer for now.  I am very happy that I am no longer using 2 pencils to get them to look normal while feeling very not normal.

    The eyelashes have also grown back.  The lower lashes look best because they didn't need much length to be their usual self.  The top lashes are filling in.  I don't have any gaps anymore.  Now I'm just waiting for them to continue in their length.  Judging from the lower lash growth, my guess is by the end of this month they will be back too.

    So, If anyone else is out there wondering what happens when you lose your lashes and brows AFTER chemo is finished... this is what happened with me.  I never knew that something so little would both upset me and bring me so much relief!

  • gfbaker
    gfbaker Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2012

    One thing to add: I had my eyelashes & brows fall out after chemo too. They came back, but for about 8 months they were all on the same growth schedule, and so every 4-5 weeks they would fall out again. After about 8 months they moved back to a scattered shed pattern and are happily normal. So if you see them fall out again don't panic.

  • akg
    akg Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2012

    I was so happy to see this forum!  I lost my eyebrows and lashes post chemo, as I see many of you did.  They actually started thinning once I started femara/letrozole.  My hair was slow coming back in and has stalled at a stage too bald for public display.  I finished chemo treatments April '10.  I am very discouraged.  Has anyone else had these problems this far out?

  • cider8
    cider8 Member Posts: 472
    edited February 2012

    5 months PFC and eyebrows are falling out again!  They've been shedding this past week.  I see plenty of new growth.  I'd say less than half of my brows are gone, thankfully in a pattern that just makes them look more thin.  My lashes seem OK...today.  Finding the little hairs takes me back to chemo days!

  • rockym
    rockym Member Posts: 378
    edited February 2012

    Bump

  • CHH
    CHH Member Posts: 24
    edited February 2012

    Thank you RockyM!  Always good to hear others experiences. I am 4 weeks PFC and thinning. i feel as others do -- C'mon!!!! Can't we be done with hair loss????

  • CHH
    CHH Member Posts: 24
    edited February 2012

    Thanks to SpecialK as well in helping me locate this thread!!! Appreciated...

  • ttay
    ttay Member Posts: 83
    edited March 2012

    I finished chemo 5 months ago, and I am noticing that my eyebrows and eyelashes are shedding. 

    Has anyone else had their nails to stop growing during this time, too? 

    Thanks.

  • LakeArrowheadgirl
    LakeArrowheadgirl Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2012

    Finished chemo, 1/19/12. (TC x 6). I used latisse, before, during and after chemo, and unfortunately I too began losing eyelashes after 4th TC, and it continued for 6 weeks after last chemo treatment. I lost all but a few eyelashes. I have continued with the latisse, but my eyelashes are growing in really curly and going in all crazy directions. The tips are especially curly and lighter than the bases. (They were slightly curly before). I don't know if it is just the effect of growing in after chemo or the latisse, or a combo of both. 

  • juneaubugg
    juneaubugg Member Posts: 517
    edited October 2012

    Bump

  • dizzyakira
    dizzyakira Member Posts: 41
    edited February 2013

    Hi,  I finished chemo 6/24/2011 and my  eyelashes are still falling out,  grow,  fall out,  etc... my eyebrows too but not as  noticeable as my eyelashes.  I think with each cycle it falls out less??? Right now I have about 40%  eyelashes,  I noticed that it starts to thin when it's almost its former length.  It doesn't all fall completely out now,  but there are gaps.  The hair on my head is also not as thick as pre chemo,  I think I have about 60% off my former hair.   The longest pieces are to my shoulder and there's several patches that are 2 inches long.   Luckily no large bald spots. 

  • Dyvgrl
    Dyvgrl Member Posts: 9
    edited October 2013


    this hair thing stinks! I'm about 5 weeks post chemo and have NO eyelashes and my brows are very thin with big gaps. I used Brian Joseph but as soon as I finished, everything fell out. My nails turned brown on the ends too. Sooo weird. Hoping that my eyelashes and hair grow back in soon. I did 4 dd AC and 2 Taxol and quit. Hoping the hair won't be such a big issue because I didn't do the last 10 treatments...