1. < Breast Cancer

Eyelashes Never Grew Back After Chemo

Posted by sarahmh @sarahmh, Nov 19, 2023

Hello Everyone! Minor question ahead. I had four cycles of TC chemo (taxotere and cytoxan) from 12/21-2/22. I lost all my hair exactly when my oncologist predicted (two weeks after the first infusion). My eyebrows and eyelashes held on until the end, but then I lost most of those after my last infusion. My hair started growing in beautifully right away, curly when it used to be straight! The thing is, my eyelashes haven’t come back at all. I have a very little bit of sparse, stubby lashes; I can’t even put mascara on them, they’re that short. Has anyone else had this issue? Did your lashes eventually come back? I always forget to ask my onc about this, and it really isn’t a big deal for me. I just bring it up now because I went to an event this weekend and actually wore makeup (a rare occurrence) and couldn’t get mascara on these itty bitty eyelashes 👁️

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

tres77 | @tres77 | Jul 22 10:48pm

Hello all,
I have had good luck with Latisse. I have used the generic and name brand. Altho they both work for me I do find the actual Latisse works a little better. I would definitely try either one! Good luck!

REPLY
1 reply
sarahmh | @sarahmh | Jul 23 10:13am
In reply to @suede722 "Hello, my heart goes out to you. Been there done that. And depending on your type..." + (show)
@suede722

Hello, my heart goes out to you. Been there done that. And depending on your type of chemo is what is going to be the cause of you losing/not losing your hair. I lost ALL my hair. ANYWHERE there was hair, I lost it. from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I actually enjoyed not having hair on my head, sometimes I forgot to put my wig on when leaving my house and only remembered it after seeing the reaction(s) of someone I crossed paths with. I actually started doing little things to make people laugh around me. My problem was/is that my eyebrows and eyelashes never really did come back. I pencil/powder in my brows and put quadruple layers of mascara on my lashes. None of it really matters because I AM ALIVE!!! I pray God's best blessings over you!

Jump to this post

I know exactly what you mean when you say you lost ALL your hair! I have three long, dark hairs that grow out of my big toe; those were gone with chemo--and of course, those have come back, and my eyelashes didn't! My eyelashes actually seem to sloooooowly be getting longer. I'm still no Elizabeth Taylor 🙂

REPLY
1 reply
sarahmh | @sarahmh | Jul 23 10:18am
In reply to @tessspike "I'm on lifelong targeted therapy, so I need a wig and help with eyes! I've had..." + (show)
@tessspike

I'm on lifelong targeted therapy, so I need a wig and help with eyes! I've had good results using RevitaLash. It's ridiculously expensive, but somehow it is worth it for me to have eyelashes and eyebrows. Vanity! It must be used daily to do any real good.

Jump to this post

Nah, it's not vanity. Eyebrows especially are such a big part of nonverbal communication. And if it's worth it to you, that's all that matters!

REPLY
1 reply
tessspike | @tessspike | Jul 23 10:24am
In reply to @sarahmh "Nah, it's not vanity. Eyebrows especially are such a big part of nonverbal communication. And if..." + (show)
@sarahmh

Nah, it's not vanity. Eyebrows especially are such a big part of nonverbal communication. And if it's worth it to you, that's all that matters!

Jump to this post

I had not thought of the nonverbal communication aspect of eyebrows! So true, and thank you for the reassurance.

REPLY
suede722 | @suede722 | Jul 23 8:59pm
In reply to @sarahmh "I know exactly what you mean when you say you lost ALL your hair! I have..." + (show)
@sarahmh

I know exactly what you mean when you say you lost ALL your hair! I have three long, dark hairs that grow out of my big toe; those were gone with chemo--and of course, those have come back, and my eyelashes didn't! My eyelashes actually seem to sloooooowly be getting longer. I'm still no Elizabeth Taylor 🙂

Jump to this post

You're funny! I totally understand!

REPLY
eyeoftheestorm | @eyeoftheestorm | Aug 16 5:41pm

Hi , my name is Sandy , am new to the group !
I don't know nothing about chemo yet , been trying for 5 weeks , platelets are low along with a lot of everything else . I went thru 33 radiation treatments ! I have small cell cancer on left lung and in lymph nodes between lungs ! All my hair has gone beautiful white , including eye lashes and eye brows . Large portion of skin on back , legs ,ect the skin has turned brown !Nobody knows why !!?

REPLY
2 replies
stevecando54 | @stevecando54 | Aug 17 4:54am
In reply to @eyeoftheestorm "Hi , my name is Sandy , am new to the group ! I don't know..." + (show)
@eyeoftheestorm

Hi , my name is Sandy , am new to the group !
I don't know nothing about chemo yet , been trying for 5 weeks , platelets are low along with a lot of everything else . I went thru 33 radiation treatments ! I have small cell cancer on left lung and in lymph nodes between lungs ! All my hair has gone beautiful white , including eye lashes and eye brows . Large portion of skin on back , legs ,ect the skin has turned brown !Nobody knows why !!?

Jump to this post

Welcome to the group. Keep coming back, there are so many wonderful people on here who share their experiences and offer help to all of us on our journey. Best to you on your journey.

REPLY
Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 18 1:39pm
In reply to @eyeoftheestorm "Hi , my name is Sandy , am new to the group ! I don't know..." + (show)
@eyeoftheestorm

Hi , my name is Sandy , am new to the group !
I don't know nothing about chemo yet , been trying for 5 weeks , platelets are low along with a lot of everything else . I went thru 33 radiation treatments ! I have small cell cancer on left lung and in lymph nodes between lungs ! All my hair has gone beautiful white , including eye lashes and eye brows . Large portion of skin on back , legs ,ect the skin has turned brown !Nobody knows why !!?

Jump to this post

@eyeoftheestorm welcome to connect. I am sorry to hear about your small cell lung cancer diagnosis. You are welcome to join in the breast cancer conversations but you might find more support for your particular treatment regimens on the lung cancer pages.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/lung-cancer/
I know there are some pages dedicated to small cell lung cancer. This link will take you to the list of conversations in lung cancer and you can search from this group on this page as well.
💕

REPLY
cmdw2600 | @cmdw2600 | Aug 19 6:59am
In reply to @tres77 "Hello all, I have had good luck with Latisse. I have used the generic and name..." + (show)
@tres77

Hello all,
I have had good luck with Latisse. I have used the generic and name brand. Altho they both work for me I do find the actual Latisse works a little better. I would definitely try either one! Good luck!

Jump to this post

Me too!

REPLY
Denise | @denisestlouie | Sep 15 1:41pm

I've just started therapy. My hair is very thin now. I still have eye lashes and eyebrows.

I purchased magnet eyelashes. I chose small lashes and they look normal. I'm the kind of person who does wear make-up. I have since I was 14 so it's not a far stretch to add lashes.

We are all so different. I love my wigs and my neighbor felt like an imposter wearing them. I guess it's really a matter of how we were raised. My mom was a beautician. She bought us makeup, colored her hair and cut it in stylish ways from a very young age. My daughter on the other hand doesn't ever wear makeup. She's beautiful and doesn't need it, but to me it was kind of odd that she never wanted to wear it.

My question is does not having eyelashes interfere with your eyesight at all. I mean do you get things in your eyes more frequently? That's not a dumb question, I'm just curious.

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.