Eyelashes anyone......

[Sandra in GA]

When all my hair fell out (last Sept. 25th)following A/C and Taxol, of course I also lost my eyebrows and eyelashes. While I continued on with Herceptin and Tykerb and began radiation in March my hair began to come in. It is great to have some after all this time even though it is completely different; course not fine, wavy or curly not straight. However, it is growing very slowly. My onc says that when I complete the Herceptin and Tykerb in Nov, it will grow faster.

My eyebrows and eyelashes have come in somewhat. My eyebrows have now filled in in the center and I pencil in the rest. My eyelashes were very sparse and short until now. About six weeks ago when visiting my plastic surgeon, I noticed a little sign concerning Latisse. I asked about it and he wrote me a prescription. It has worked! They are now much longer, thicker, and darker.

I just wanted to let you all know about this. Of course, this is not a serious deal, but it does make me feel better.

By the way, the one month bottle seems to be enough for over two months.

I have been using Nioxin for my hair, but I am not sure that is helping. Has anyone discovered the answer to getting hair to grow faster?

Sandra

[Laurel]

Sandra,

I lost most of my brows and all of my lashes when I began taxol. My brows and lashes are back, not as thick as they once were, nor as long, but there. I lost my eyelashes a second time, or very nearly lost them all, a few months after chemo while only on Herceptin. I just switched from Tamoxifen to Femara and I see lashes dropping again!

Had to laugh about your new hair. I had course, thick, wavy hair prior to chemo. Now I have this straight, soft hair that I have no idea what to do with!!!!! Of course, hair of any sort is better than my wig!

The hair on my head came back in about 4 months. The lash thing is a drag, but not the end of the world, although I would like to see my old lashes again. I had some fine lashes! Ummm Hmmm, yes, I did have some luscious lashes!

[rinaina]

I read that you have to be very careful with the drug Latisse and applying it. It is a drug that is used to treat Glaucoma and you have to make sure not to get it in the eye. Application can be challenging. If it gets in your eye it can change the color to very dark. It is also quite expensive and not all insurances cover it. Once you stop using it the problem returns so it is something you have to always continue using if you want the results.
I would love to try it but I have enough problems with my dry eye syndrome due to Sjogren's Syndrome so I am very hesitant. Our eyes are very precious tools so I don't like to mess with them. My eyelashes and brows never fully came back. I have very few brow hairs and I really hate having to pencil them in...find it very time consuming. I will, however, never leave the house without doing so because otherwise it looks bad. My eyelashes are far and few between.

[sarah]

I'm still on Herceptin and Femara (5th year), my eye lashes aren't as long or thick and my eye brows are basically non existant. but my hair is even thicker and much softer.
I think everyone's a little different.
good luck. remember staying healthy is the most important thing.
Sarah

[Sandra in GA]

Laurel,
I think God has a sense of humor. You have my old hair and I must have yours! I always heard "be careful what you wish for, you might just get it." I always complained about that straight, fine, soft stuff and wished for some curl and body. It looks like I got my wish! Now when I get up and look like a have a brillo pad on the top of my head, I just have to laugh.

Rina,
I saw my opthamologist two weeks ago and since the plastic surgeon had prescribed the Latisse for me, I asked about the safety. He assured me that I was fine using it and encouraged me to continue. The brushes they supply make the application very easy and you are advised to apply it only to the upper lashes. Those lashes are so wonderful to keep the dust and tiny particles out of my eyes.

Sarah,
Thank you for the encouragement. The Nioxin is a shampoo system that my hair dresser recommended. I could never use cream rinse before because my hair was so fine, now I have to pour it on. But, I am so PROUD to have something on my head. Actually I love it! I just want it to grow faster! Oh, well, patience is a virtue! I could not tolerate a wig- too hot and too tight. I wore mostly caps and hats with some turbans and scarfs. I really enjoyed some of those.

Take cae All. And a special thanks for responding.

Sandra

[fullofbeans]

Hi all,

I have an appointment to get my eyebrow semi permantly tattoed (micropigment, hairstroke style and it looks very naturel).. this coming Wednesday.

and another one to get eyelashes enhancement (i.e. small dot tattoed between lashes to make them look fuller..

Yes like you I was fed up to put my eyebrow on (have hair but nothing like what it was). I am going on holiday with someone special soon and I did not want to keep on hiding to put my eyeliner and pencil my brow like I do now when I go do my watersport just with friends. At the moment I carry my pencil everywhere and would be mortified to be without..I even place a second one in a different bag when I go away in case i loose my stuff.

so hopefully the tattoing will be a good solution..

I'll keep you posted as to the result...I have seen some first hand and I was impressed..

much love to all of you

[Sherryg683]

I started using Latisse about 6 months ago. After chemo i hardly had any lashes left and they didn't grow back much. I now have the longest fullest lashes that I have ever had. They are actually as long as the fake eyelashes that I wore. I find the brushes that they supply bulky and you waste alot. I took a very fine eyeliner brush and use that instead and I get about 3 months per bottle. I use it on both my top and bottom lashes and also on brows, it does work on brows also...one drop does it all. I have no problems at all. The only effect I can see, besides the great lashes, is that it has darkened above my lashes slightly and it looks like I have eyeliner on, which to me is an added bonus. It is expensive about $130.00 a bottle but it lasts 3 months and to me it's worth it...sherry

[fullofbeans]

Yep Latisse and revitalash type of product are very interesting but with around 10% of people reporting side effects (red eye,red itch& hypepigmentation) within a 16 weeks trial I am not sure that it is a long term solution since you need to keep applying it for it to work.. that is the ick for me..

However perhaps I should use it for eyebrow since really I am only concerned for my eye.

But long lashes are sooooooo tempting.... perhaps I will wait another year til I make the plunge unless I keep being happy with tattoing which I hope I will be

http://www.cosmedocs.co.uk/blog/?tag=latisse

ladies as always no pain no gain...

[Sandra in GA]

Sherry,
I am glad to hear from you. You have what I would call "long term" experience. I will have to try the eyeliner brush. I agree with you. One bottle looks like it is going to last about three months, so that makes it worth the expense for me.

Fullofbeans,
Tattooing extra eyebrows? That sounds like a plan. Please let us know how that turns out.

Sandra