Anastrozole and hair loss

JSG47

I finished chemo in July 2018 and radiation in October 2018. I started anastrozole 6 weeks ago. My eyelashes fell out during chemo and have grown back since chemo was completed but they remained thinner and stubby--but they were back. They are falling out again! Also, the hair stopped growing under my arms, on my legs and my lady parts. Just like when I was receiving chemo. It had all started growing back, just thinner than it was before chemo. The hair on my head is obviously short but it has grown back thick. I have not noticed any hair loss on my head--yet.

My question is, what can I do to prevent my head hair from thinning or falling out? And what about my eyelashes! Has anyone else experienced this and if so, what did you do?

muska

Jen, AIs stop your body from producing estrogen which in turn leads to no hair on certain body parts that you mentioned. Fortunately, the head is not impacted (in the vast majority of cases at least.)

I have been on anastrozole for 5+ years and my hair looks great. I take good care of it using good quality shampoos and conditioners and washing it much less frequently than before BC diagnosis.

Ingerp

Jen--also keep in mind your lashes/brows will go through several cycles of disappearing following chemo, although should be less noticeable each time. My understanding is that normally, the eye hairs fall out here and there just like head hair, but the chemo resets everything so they're all on the same cycle. For me it seems to be about every four months. This has nothing to do with the AI. (I keep knocking on wood but I've been on Anastrozole for four months now and haven't noticed any impact on my head hair at all, and I'm still washing/conditioning every day.)

JSG47

Thank you both for your replies!