Eyebrows...

NicoleRod

I was wondering if there is anyway to save your eyebrows from falling out during chemo? I know you can save your hair with cold caps (I personally am not going to to them) but I would like to try and save my eyebrows. Was anyone able to do this and if so how?

TIA

Nicole

Ingerp

Nicole--probably not what you want to hear but I haven't read about any ways to avoid lash/brow loss. That said, my brows never completely went away. They often come out after you're finished with chemo, and at least your lashes will probably already have new growth by the time they come out. There are lots of youtube videos about how makeup can help when you're a little lash/brow-challenged.

el7277

This is what I have left. My last chemo((TCH) was 4/4 and I had six rounds every 3rd week with just herceptin the other 2 weeks in between. I understand they can continue to fall out after but I was super careful un any cleansing, very gentle and limited around the area. There us not a lot left but they are not completely gone. Good luck.

NicoleRod

So I guess putting ice packs there wouldn't work?

Ingerp

In theory it might, but I've never heard of anyone doing that (or even how you'd do it?).

santabarbarian

You could try those frozen eyeshades that are soft.... I think it might work. I did a fake homegrown cold cap which was like a bathing cap and covered my brow somewhat. Mine thinned but stuck around and grew back quickly.

CBK

That’s a great idea Santabarbarian. Wish I had thought of that during my chemo.

The fairer you are the more likely you will lose them all is what I was told from MO. Not sure there is any validity to that. But I lost them all .... when they started growing in... they grew back in like super fast! That was a relief.

Let us know what you try NicoleRod!!

NicoleRod

I have no idea what Frozen Eyelash Shades are...when I googled that it just showed some woman from Siberia with her eyelashes covered in snow????

I don't really care about the eyelashes..just eyebrows.... I am just wondering why ice packs wouldn't work if it works on hair on your head?

CBK

Kimkoo Gel Eye Mask Cold Pads&Cool Compress for Puffy Eyes and Dry Eye,Cooling Eye Ice Masks Gel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1MPVGC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BDlTCbEF1F19S

Such a great idea. Freeze a couple you will be this hit of the infusion room! I wish I thought of that would love to have greeted my MO with one of those on!!!

SpecialK

NicoleRod - the cold caps for use on the head don’t use regular ice, they use dry ice to get the scalp cold enough. It is likely that regular ice on the brows may not be cold enough to prevent loss, but many of us don’t lose all brow hair - I lost maybe half and could easily fill in with a pencil and tinted brow gel.

Cowgirl13

I had really good luck penciling my brows...my sister even said she couldn't believe how normal they looked. I did use a brush powder which really made a big difference.

Cowgirl13

I had really good luck penciling my brows...my sister even said she couldn't believe how normal they looked. I did use a brush powder which really made a big difference. It also helps to use a lighter color which helps make it look more natural. Good luck!

NicoleRod

CBK that thing is great...now I just have to figure out how to make it really really cold...like with dry ice.....

Wildplaces

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00999557

it will be interesting to see what the above study shows

bimatoprost is a drug commonly used in glaucoma patients, and side effects included increased length eyelashes - that how the ahaaaa moment happened

it is used by the cosmetic world at a different price point under the label Latisse

!! as any drug it can have side effects - ask your doctor if this is an option for you

DaisyGirl473

I finished chemo in October. I never lost all my eyebrows; they got thin but I filled them in with eyebrow pencil. The ladies at the Clinique counter were angels. I never had to worry about thin brows before chemo - they were always so thick - so i really didn't know anything about eyebrow makeup before they showed me. Couldn't believe how natural they looked! And within a month after chemo ended they were back to normal. You'll look back and be amazed at all the changes your body goes thru. Stay strong. You've got this

SpecialK

I don't think it is a good idea to experiment with something that is not meant as a vehicle for dry ice, if the dry ice has contact with your skin it can burn you, it has to be handled with gloves - it is not for use near the eyes. Cold caps are specially designed to hold dry ice. If you do require chemo you may be surprised how much brow hair remains, I just wouldn't take a chance of bruning your skin or eyes with dry ice.

Wildplaces

as SpecialK mentioned the temperature matters, the only thing I iced was my mouth - kept sucking icy poles - have no idea why at my centre chemo patients are offered hot cups of tea/soup....in the hope that I will have little by the way of mouth ulcers

Cowgirl13

It was the Clinique eyebrow powder that I used that helped so much (my post above). I'm not selling Clinique but here's the link.

https://www.clinique.com/product/1595/5634/Makeup/Brows/Brow-Shaper?gclid=Cj0KCQjw19DlBRCSARIsAOnfRej46zfVfTR_d3_fJ-20Q5wbG_voRQ4ymlwO0ps21TTUZtiEECZd8MAaAq2LEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

NicoleRod

Yea I won't handle any dry ice I just thought maybe that thing could sit near it to get cold then put it on. I will probably wind up doing nothing. lol

Flower216

Hi! I lost every single eyebrow and about 90% of my lashes. That was harder for me than the hair loss, because I looked sick. I went to Sephora and we first tried to use a gel eyebrow pencil, but I couldn't handle it. Then I tried Benefit Foolproof Brow Powder. It was so easy to use and even my closest friends didn't realize it wasn't my eyebrows. I also use an eyeliner to highlight my eyes. Good luck to everyone!!

NicoleRod

Unfortunately I have a hard time even growing brows from all the years of waxing...plus the older I get the harder so that's why I wanted to try and save them. I agree with you about looking sick without them. I am horrible about trying to pencil them in I have tried stencils (just for trying to shape mine better) I couldn't make it work. I may have to go to the Benefit when the time comes. Thanks.

Beesy_The_Other_One

Nicole,

My experience was like many have reported--I did not lose any until about two weeks past chemo. My nurse practitioner suggested I try to be very careful with them, but if they're going to go, they're going to go. My eyebrows were much slower to drop out, and for some reason, on one side I always had a few. And I did retain ONE eyelash on both eyes, on the outer corners--one. My eyebrows popped right back! And the most amazing part: I had so much hair around there for the first time in years (from over-tweezing) that I actually had to buy some tweezers that worked. So you never know . . . you may get more afterward. On the eyelashes, I lost them the first week in January and this is the first week I can actually get mascara on them because they're long enough--so three months and some change. But I got so good with fake eyelashes that a little part of me misses them. As someone said above, losing my hair was no big deal compared to the dang eyelashes. It honestly doesn't make sense, but it was how I really felt!

Beesy

NicoleRod

Awesome Beesy!!!

Pinky24

I want my brows and lashes back!!! I finished chemo 2 weeks ago. Losing my brows and lashes has been harder than losing my hair.

kber

I miss my brows and lashes more than my hair too. I think I’m starting to get a few fuzzies where my brows used to be, which gives me a guide for when I want to pencil them in. But they are Snow White! I’m 47 and had light brown brows before. This new look is, um, interesting. But I’m not done with chemo yet, so I’ll try to exercise some patience

santabarbarian

They have eyebrow pens with three little tips so when you draw it it looks like tiny hairs. they are great, Buy a lighter color than your color.

NicoleRod

I have that its called Tatbrow...I still can't do it lol I am awful.

six_round_countdown

Hi NicoleRod! I’m currently attempting to save my brows too. I follow Angela Trimbur on Instagram, and she appeared to keep most of her brows during treatment. She used ice packs on her brows during chemo and used an all natural gel called Brian Joseph’s Brow & Lash Gel. I am only two weeks out from my first chemo session so I can’t say for certain it works, but so far so good.

Moderators

six_round_countdown, welcome to Breastcancer.org. We are glad that you reached out here and shared your own experiences, and we hope that you will find support and information to help you along the way too. Good luck with chemo, please keep us posted!

The Mods