Breast cancer
posted by hugs
06 January 2011

facial hair after chemo

Last reply: 11 March 2011 00:15

I finished chemo at the end of oct. I have a lovely buzz cut going on my head...im quite happy how fast my hair is growing back. I have eyebrows, and my eyelashes are coming in nicely.
The problem I have is that i have a lot of facial hair growing aswell.
Not just on my upper lip, but along the side of my face.
Im a bit freaked out to be honest.

Im starting tamoxafin tomorrow, and im nervous enough about that. I dont want to look like wolf girl Image removed.

Im afraid to wax it or use cream incase it makes it worse.

4 comments

Comments

commented by LindyLu
07 January 2011

07 January 2011 15:51

Hi Hugs

Congrats on finishing.

Facial hair is not uncommom after chemo. I had a little bit especially along the side of my face but it disappeared tho I cannot remember when. All I know is that it did not last all that long - maybe 2 months or so as my hair started to come back in. I am pretty sure the recommendation is not to shave it or wax it as it should disappear. If it is dark you could perhaps use a bleach cream - there is a brand called something like jolean (it comes in a blue box) to make it fair and therefore less noticable.

Good luck with the tamox. I was on it for 2 months and was grand on it. My period even came back. I started a clinical trial (SOFT Trial) so was pulled off the tamox and am on something different now

LindyLu

commented by janeymac
06 February 2011

06 February 2011 20:31

HI Hugs,
I finished chemo end of nov & like you my hair is coming back well, unfortunately all I can see ahead is more years of waxing, shaving, plucking ... Image removed. those few hair free months were quite something.
I also have facial hair coming thick & fast, I'm sure I heard my husband mutter something about howling at the moon Image removed.
I thought it was from the tamoxifen but i'm hoping that when the fluff on my head goes that the sideburn & beard will as well or else its the circus for me Image removed.

commented by Avril
02 March 2011

02 March 2011 19:02

Hi Hugs,
I have the facial hair thing going on as well! Hoping it will ease over time! Have been tweezing like a mad thing! The hair on my head seems to be grey. Just as well I am not manhunting!
Avril.

Diag. Sept.2010 Aged 45
Invasive lobular cancer.ER+
Chemo -ACT
Lumpectomy,2 nodes Positive
Tumour 4.6cm.
Tamoxifen Jan.2011
Advised to have mastectomy Feb.2011

commented by transplant21
11 March 2011

11 March 2011 00:15

Im a young man that had chemo and i had a transplant but im on steroids now and i have some amount of facial hair growth! I used to shave once every two or three weeks and thatd just be stuble. Now i shave once a week and its a fully fledged beard!

I wud say its the steroids for me anyway.

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