Facial hair after chemo

Hi,

Congrats on finishing.

Abou the hair thing; It's very common after chemo. The thought is its like the soft down-like hair that babies are born with?

Anyway, after I finished my chemo, I had it as well as did  alot of women here  on these boards. You can shave it, depillatory,etc. It won't grow back.

Don't know about the Arimidex though.

I had it too.  It was very soft and not thick.  I waxed it once, it did come back, but less of it and not any thicker.  I'm almost 2 years out from the end of chemo (TAC) and my "fur face" is gone.

Darlene

I had the blonde monkey face, too. It was disgusting, but thankfully, short lived. I didn't wax, it just disappeared on its own. It was not pleasant, but don't worry, it won't last.

Kim

I'm freaking out!!  I feel like the bearded lady at the circus.  I'm growing mutton chops.  My last chemo session was 2 months ago.  My hair is growing back, but now I have facial hair - on the sides of my face and under my jawline extending down - like a beard. It's very light, almost grey/blond/white. I am glad to be getting my hair back, but I don't like the facial hair.

I am so glad there are others that have experienced this. I felt like I was the only one. It's nice to know it goes away over time.  I won't wax or shave.  I know this can make hair come back thicker and make things worse.

I guess like all my treatments...this too shall pass.

Regards,

Debbie

I finished chemo July 17.  I have always had my upper lip waxed professionally, so that was not shocking.  The soft downy hair on my lower cheek area I am not used to.  I assumed it was from the chemopause.  I did some home wax strips last night and it hurt like a b*%@c!  I did leave a lot behind because I could not take it.  Now that I know it will disappear on its own, I will leave it alone. 

I also have little bumps on weird placed on my body that I think are related to little fine hairs coming back. 

Thanks all.

Lisa

I used to refer it as the blonde monkey look. Hated it. Was the worst. But, it wasn't too long before it was gone and like Linda said, it didn't come back. Wax is my suggestion.

Good luck

Kim

I was treated with 5-FU, cisplatin, taxotere and erbitux for esophageal CA.  One month after finishing chemo, scalp hair is now growing coarse and white with black patches (think dalmation) when it had been sandy colored, and I have sandy colored facial fuzz.  Hope this all straightens itself out before too long!

I had it too, after my ACT X 8. I did electrolisis..worked great , now nothing has grown back.

Kind of adds insult to injury, doesn't it?

I shaved my with my electric razor.  Had to do it twice.  It didn't grow back thicker or heavier.

Nair makes a sensitive skin formula that I used with great success. 

I too and getting this lovely facial hair, plus chin hairs.

Used a electric razor once on the sides of my face, and it is growing back. Ugh. Looks like I need to shave again. The chin hairs are fewer, I just pluck those.

13 wks PFC for me. 

I had the hairy face too!  I was so frustrated thinking I would be hairy face forever.  In frustration, I shaved it off and thought I would do something like "threading" or waxing later, but it didn't grow back.  I felt stumbly at first but then in a week or so it disappeared.

I finished my chemo on May, 2010.  Have noticed this baby hair on my face and googled to see if this was normal.  That is how I came upon this website.  My hair is growing back quickly and very thick with lots of gray but the facial hair is not flattering. I did not have it before chemo.  Please tell me it will go away or should I try laser hair removal?  I have read posts that it will go away on its own but how long will that take?   

My last chemo was 6/8/10 and I've been noticing all this extra facial hair.  I asked my oncologist today about it and he said no one had ever complained about it before.....fortunately I found this forum and had a couple of good laughs reading through the posts.  I love the monkey face references.  Anyway I feel better to know this is common and I plan to use my husbands shaver soon!  Unfortunately, even though I sailed through chemo and radiation and finished radiation 8/31/10, I'm in the hospital with pneumonia.  But they caught it early and I'm in good hands.

To all, including Grayt, good comments for someone like me who is searching in the middle of the night. Chemo finalized menopause for me -- I completed the last on Dec. 31, 2009, Happy New Year! -- and in the last couple months the "got milk" normal above-lip hair I had has gotten coarser and darker. The hair on my head came back baby soft, but thinner -- due to Arimidex? Does that estrogen inhibitor play a role in the facial hair? My oncologist, rather elderly, off handedly said shave like the Japanese, they have soft skin -- but I fear that would make the facial hair get even coarser. Any ideas on how to manage, since Arimidex/aromatase inhibitors are in my future for at least another 4 years? P.S. Grayt and others -- also dealing w/ lymphedema, grateful for good help and it is fine.