Brow and lash loss inevitable with Taxol?

Anonymous

Dear all,

 I'm wondering if  eyelash and eyebrow loss is inevitable with Taxol. I've lost most of the hair on my head (well, it's shaved, and the stubblies are still coming out on my pillow) from my 3 out of 4 tx of AC, but I still have my eyelashes and brows.  Is that loss inevitable?  Did anyone on these discussion boards not lose them?  

I start Taxol the end of this month. 12 weeklies, DD.

Strangely the hair on my legs is growing...it's soft and I'm not shaving because after all, it's HAIR growth--weird I know but when you're bald any hair growth is encouraging...and hubby thinks patches of my hair are growing on AC.  

I'm already so bummed out by my bald head but looking like a lashless browless freak, since I still have to work, is really bringing me down.  I have false eyelashes and waterproof eyebrow stencils in case--I'll need them because I go to yoga and I sweat like crazy in there, but maybe there's a chance I won't have to use them?

Thanks!

Claire

sewingnut

I did Taxotere. My eyebrows and lashes left the building after active tx was over. I'm a little over 6 mo PFC and they are thinning again. Guess it is all about the growth cycle. Thank goodness for eyeliner and brow pencil  =:0)

twoputter

I lost almost all of my eyelashes and eyebrows and other hair too.  Just kept a little.  But I finished chemo at the end of July, and they started growing back about 6-8 weeks ago. 

NancyD

I was surpised that the brows and lashes stayed on through most of my 6 TAC doses. But they did eventually drop off. The brows returned fairly quickly, but the lashes are still struggling, 3-1/2 years later. They're present but definitely not as long or full as they were before tx. I think some of that is due to the AI I'm taking now.

epgnyc

Claire,

About half way through my Taxol (I had 4 tx DD) I lost all my eyelashes and eyebrows.  It was a pretty strange look, although I used eyebrow pencil to draw some in.  I also found that my eyes were extremely sensitive, tearing and red from the lack of lashes.  I guess long eyelashes are good for something besides looking pretty!  But now I'm 4 months past the end of treatment and my eyebrows are fully back and my eyelashes about 75% there.  But don't despair.  Side effects are so all over the place depending on the person, that maybe you won't lose them or at least not entirely.  Best of luck.

Blayze7

I am on adriamycin and cytoxan and the only hair I have is my eyelashes and eyebrows. I guess they will fall out but who knows we get different side effects happening.

Anonymous

Thanks all. Judging from the amount of replies, I'm guessing that there wasn't anyone who kept their lashes and eyebrows with Taxol.  Darn it.

Claire

cbm

I had Taxol and lost most everything.  My solution was a wig with bangs, if that helps.  I'm in Florida, so wigs are pretty heinous in general, but bangs make the eyebrow thing less visible.  I wear glasses, and I got a two tone pair with dark tops and clear bottoms that mimicked brows.  that also helped minimize my new look.

My brows came back promptly but lashes did not ever return to fullness or length; it's been three years going on four.

Warmly,

Cathy 

Claire_in_Seattle

Claire.....

Yes, you will most likely lose them.  I lost all my lashes, and most of my brows.  I learned that a heavier LIQUID eyeliner worked wonders.  And I needed a softer brow pencil to "fill in" things.

The bonus is that I am now much better with eye makeup than I was going in.  I looked just fine, except the week before everything started growing in again when I lost my remaining brows.  It was only one week though.

So you get an idea, Easter was the day before my last Taxol.  I did my wig, full makeup, and a lovely outfit which included my hat.  I thought I looked fabulous.

Someone at one of the good makeup counters can help with a good look for this annoying period of no lashes and little brow.  - The Other Claire

melster

I am on week 11 of my 12 cycles and still have mine! But I haven't done the "hard" stuff yet..the FEC, which is next, and that is when I expect them to go. My hair didn't fall out totally either with Taxol..I shaved it in anticipation and it is about 80% gone but there is still some lingering. I have heard if you do Taxol the second half, sometimes hair starts growing back during it.

Reality

I kept my eyelashes and eyebrows through AC, but lost them 1/4 of the way through Taxol. Eyebrows are back, but the thick long lashes I used to have, have not returned - some lashes have, thank goodness. I also lost some of my fingernails after Taxol - they turned dark gray and peeled off. That was attractive! 

apple

i am much better with eye makeup now too.. 2 years later, they are still thin.  I found that tearing eyes make mascara hopeless.  I like a smudged penciled eyeliner myself and found a great Wet n Wild eyebrow makeup kit online for only 3.99 that beats the market.  It's excellent.

Outfield

Lost my eyelashes but not my eyebrows.  Kept at least some of 'em all the way through chemo, which included Taxol. .

sakura73

Lost all eyebrows and all but a couple of individual lashes. Found it more depressing than the hair loss, actually.

 But they returned exactly as they had been, unlike my hair which came back different.

LisaVandervort

I've been losing my hair, lashes and brows, since I got sick with a rare hematologic cancer called, advanced systemic mastocytosis, and so I decided to try Dermalmd Eyelash Growth Serum. Mastocytosis is notorious for over-the-top, allergic-type reactions, and I've had no issues. My lashes are thick and long, and my brows are filling in so nicely, too.
I'm very impressed, as I've tried other products that burn my skin.

Messenger77

I lost ALL hair. I felt like an 11 year old again (funny, not so funny). But everything grew back rather quickly.

MinusTwo

Oh my - what a treat to see Apple. We lost her such a long time ago.

Lisa & Messenger - this thread has not been active since 2011. That said - I used Latisse on my brows & lashes. I was more concerned about my brows since I do not wear any makeup. I ended up loosing maybe 1/2 of my lashes but kept most of my brows. Hooray

There are other brow & lash discussion if you use the search functions on the left.