How long for hair (lashes/brows) to grow after nab Paclitaxel (Abraxane)?

[IsaStarr]

Hi all,

apologies if this question has been asked in the past.

It's now 4 weeks from my 6th and last chemo (carboplatin and nab paclitaxel). I used the cold cap but it didn't exactly work on the crown of my head. I now have "some" hair on the scalp, honestly almost enough for me not to be embarrassed to go out like this. But my eyebrows and eyelashes are extremely slow. I saw some baby lashes 2 weeks ago but now they seem to be gone.

I am in my early 30s and have both of my ovaries removed. I had a lot of hair and the hair was very thick. I worry a lot whether my hair will grow the same way as before since I am now in menopause. I also have a hard time finding results with nab paclitaxel (which seems to be very different from paclitaxel).

I know everyone and every body is different but it would be very nice if you could share your timelines. I am starting work in 4 weeks and I would hate to go back to the office with no brows and lashes.

[Halo2O14]

Me again!! I only had normal Paclitaxol and like you had so much hair. It was long dark and thick and I lost everything. I would say my eyebrows took around 2 months to come back and by then I had baby eyelashes but they took a bit longer.

I used a fringe wig (a fringe on a headband) from Etsy and then used nice turbans as I hated going out in public with no eyebrows and then used eyeliner to help with my eyes.

My hair grew back exactly the same, it's straight and in really good condition. I've been really lucky.

Hope this helps? I found everything started growing quite quickly after stopping Chemo. xx

[IsaStarr in reply to Halo2O14]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It really gives me some reassurance. Did the eyebrows grow back also the same way? I had almost a unibrow and it's really shocking to see my face like this. did you use any supplements or products? and apologies for being indiscrete, may I ask if your chemos were weekly or every 3 wks?

[Halo2O14 in reply to IsaStarr]

I know exactly how you feel, I loved my hair but struggled more with losing my brows and lashes. I never realised how different I'd look without them!

I didn't use any supplements and only used cocoa butter as body and face cream as my skin was dry. My brows grew back normally (I now get them waxed as they grow quick)! As soon as they started growing I'd use an eyebrow pallette to fill in the lines a bit.

I had 3 weekly Carbo /Taxol for 6 cycles.

[Halo2O14]

Also if you are in the UK there is a wonderful charity called Look Good Feel Better and they run workshops for people affected by Cancer. They do a hair, make up, nails etc. I did the makeup one and got a wonderful bag of goodies. May be worth looking into. x

[IsaStarr in reply to Halo2O14]

thanks for the tip, I really need to learn how to draw my brows if they don't come back any time soon. I did hear about them but when I was on chemo, they were holding workshops every 3 weeks exactly on my day of chemo.

[Halo2O14 in reply to IsaStarr]

You can still do a workshop now even though you've finished Chemo, online or in person depending on where you are 😊

[Mintybiscuit]

Hi IsaStarr, I had my last chemo in September and my eyebrows and lashes are back to how they were before. It took a few months I think. I lost all my hair and didn’t wear the cold cap - my treatment was long and I found it too painful. I have quite fine hair but long lashes and found it much worse losing my brows and lashes than my hair. My hair has grown back curly which makes it feel a bit thicker. I’ve got a pixie cut but am used to having straight hair so don’t know quite how to manage it!

[IsaStarr in reply to Mintybiscuit]

Thank you for sharing this. I also find losing my brows and lashes much more difficult. so I hope they will grow back soon

[Balliol15 in reply to Mintybiscuit]

Hi my eyelashes have grown back quite thick, I use uk lash, used throughout chemo and Vaseline at night, eyebrows to it’s fine to use the charity hair care said good breakfast and they recommend uk lash serum and supplement. Wish my hair would hurry up

[Schnauzer19]

Hi IsaStarr, I had paclitaxel/Carbo and the cold cap worked well for me, I did lose about 40% of my hair but nothing anyone else would notice. It doesn’t seem to be growing back any differently, even if you lose your hair with the cold cap apparently it protects your follicles to some extent so hopefully hair grows back quicker with less damage. My eyelashes seemed to reappear overnight! I had none and then one day looked in the mirror and they were all there, just short. I would say they are completely back to normal and I would say that took just under 3 months so I wore very natural false eyelashes up until then. I had my eyebrows micro bladed before treatment but didn’t lose much eyebrow hair, just had a couple of patches but they’re all back now too, nothing you can’t sort out with a good brow pencil 😊. I know how you feel but it won’t take long, all the best to you x

[IsaStarr in reply to Schnauzer19]

I have heard some other stories of lashes and eyebrows growing overnight, so guess what I do first thing every morning? jump out of bed to look in a mirror. I even had a dream that they grew back overnight...thank you for sharing may I ask which brand of false eyelashes you used?

[Schnauzer19 in reply to IsaStarr]

I used Eyelure naturals 3/4 length code 003, they’re so natural and you don’t need to trim them 😊

[Trickysite]

I have lost my hair twice - breast cancer 20 years ago and then ovarian. This time my fringe (which I really need!) has not grown back and I have a widows peaks hairline too. But I am 78, so maybe that doesn't help! So, 3 months after 2 years of olaparib, preceded by 6 months of carbotaxol and total hysterectomy etc., still no fringe and wearing red, blonde, grey, and brown wigs (not all on the same day). I have never had so many compliments on my "hair" from strangers. Am I the only elderly lady like this? Emma x

[Gonewith]

Hi,

I used rosemary oil for my hair and eyebrow after My 6th chemo.

Couple of times a week massage the oil to my head for 10 mins or so and used everyday for my eyebrows.

I have bought a serum from Olaplex called lashbond, which find easy to apply on my lashes to help them grow.

My eyebrows took 6 weeks to come back but was full within two weeks.

Same with me, losing eyebrow was worse than hair and lashes. xx

[IsaStarr in reply to Gonewith]

Thank you for all the tips