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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Eye lashes and eyebrows grew back, now falling out again.
Answered by
Cleveland - OH
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Eye lashes and eyebrows grew back, now falling out again.
by Csardas, Oct 09, 2007 09:56AM
Lost eyebrows and eyelashes on Taxotere(last one 11/May/2007)
Started Tamoxifen June 2007 (8/8 for both Oestrogen and Progesterone and I'm pre-menopausal)
Started Herceptin 30th August 2007
Eye hair grew back, as normal,but in the last 2 weeks the eyebrows have thinned a lot and in the last week I have lost almost all the lower lashes and the uppers are thinning.
Do you have any idea what is going on and which drug is responsible?
I understand that this may seem a trivial issue, but I feel like a freak without the brows and lashes and have to go back to work.
Started Tamoxifen June 2007 (8/8 for both Oestrogen and Progesterone and I'm pre-menopausal)
Started Herceptin 30th August 2007
Eye hair grew back, as normal,but in the last 2 weeks the eyebrows have thinned a lot and in the last week I have lost almost all the lower lashes and the uppers are thinning.
Do you have any idea what is going on and which drug is responsible?
I understand that this may seem a trivial issue, but I feel like a freak without the brows and lashes and have to go back to work.
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Oct 09, 2007 10:59AM
, Oct 09, 2007 10:59AM
Dear Csardas: Hair loss is not a documented side effect of either tamoxifen or herceptin, although some women have reported some thinning on tamoxifen. This may be due to a loss of estrogen, which can cause hair loss in some women after menopause. You may benefit from a discussion with your doctor or dermatologist to see if there is another cause and or treatment recommendation for this problem. You may also want to explore false eyelashes and an eyebrow pencil to help you feel more “normal.” There are often aestheticians who can help you achieve a natural look (these may partner with a plastic surgeon).
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But at this point I am ok using the pensil. I will be happy if my hair grows normal like yours. It has been six weeks, I have some hair on my scalp but I can barely see it. has been painfully slow.
This coukd account for the secondary hair loss and I did have Radiotherapy in the neck area.
I'm only just 47, so I don't know when one starts to loose hair with age.
Please don't worry about your head hair. I was at exactly the same stage as you at 6 weeks and desperately impatient.Someone explained that the hair roots are very deep within the scalp and that while it is growing, it has a long way to go before it breaks through to the surface.I was told to massage the scalp every day with oils. (I tried it, but found it too messy) Instead I carried on washing the scalp and massaging with a good lather of shampoo. Basically, you want to encouage blood flow and make sure the follicles aren't blocked with dead skin, or scuff ( The stuff babies get!)
Good luck. Maybe one day soon we'll be compaining about bad hair days!