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Can You Keep Your Brows and Eyelashes during Chemotherapy?

can you keep your brows and eyelashes during chemotherapy


can you keep your brows and lashes after chemotherapyCan you keep your brows and eyelashes during chemotherapy? I felt that if anyone could figure this out it would be me since I'm a dermatologist being treated for aggressive breast cancer. I have been experimenting on myself and it's working! Yes, I've been on dose-dense chemotherapy to treat hereditary breast cancer for a full four months - and miraculously I still have my eyebrows and eyelashes. This is such a comfort and blessing during this difficult time in my life.

I was afraid of losing my brows and eyelashes during chemotherapy.

The very strong chemotherapy regimen that I am on (called dose dense ACT) normally results in widespread hair loss, often including the brows and lashes.

Hair loss from the type of chemotherapy that I am on is usually dramatic by the third week of treatment and complete within the second month.

So far, my lashes and brows have been mostly spared. I may be one of the rare lucky people whose brows and lashes don't fall out during chemo. However, it's more likely that that I can thank Latisse for this blessing.

Dr. Cynthia Bailey being treated for breast cancerHair loss is one of the many heartbreaking aspects of cancer treatment for we cancer patients. It announces to everyone that you have cancer, whether you want to talk about it or not. You can fake hair on your scalp, and wigs can even be fun. It’s not so easy to fake eyebrows and lashes - and they’re smack dab in the center of your face where everyone looks. - Dr. Cynthia Bailey, Breast Cancer Patient and Dermatologist

Preservation of my brows and eyelashes during chemotherapy is a comfort to me during cancer treatment and for that I’m grateful. I've used Latisse for years and am a big fan. When I received the diagnosis of cancer, I decided to keep using Latisse as an experiment since I am now a living laboratory for skin, hair and nail issues facing cancer patients. I've continued to use Latisse almost every night during my four months of chemo. I apply it on both my upper lash line and brows. The hair there has thinned, but overall, I have enough hair to look "normal." Only I can tell that I once had longer and denser lash and brow hair.

can you save your eyelashes and eyebrows on chemotherapy

 My eyebrows and eyelashes after three months of chemotherapy thanks to Latisse

I use two additional tricks on my brows to help my light blond eyebrow hair stand out:

  1. I have them tinted every 6 weeks.
  2. I also use the dark brown mineral makeup powder in my Bronze Mineral Eye Shadow Trio applied with the angled eyeliner brush from my Makeup Brush Set to thicken the appearance of my brows. The results look natural and never smear. See these products below. 

can you save your brows and eyelashes during chemotherapy

Here is a photo of my eye makeup applied professionally by my aesthetician MaLinda

I love my mineral makeup because it is non-irritating, hypoallergenic, pretty, and I think it is perfect for we chemo gals. I love my brush set too. Both of these products have also been a comfort to me during chemo.

Dermatologist's Mineral Makeup for Chemotherapy

natural mineral eye makeup for chemotherapy patientsI love my Baked Bronze Mineral Eye Makeup Trio. It is baked on terra cotta tiles in Italy and has the most lovely texture. When used dry, it is soft and covers well. When you dip the tip of your brush in clean water and apply the powder wet, it works like eyeliner and other moist eye makeups but without the preservatives.

best mineral powder for chemotherapy patientsTo help me keep a vital and glowing complexion - against all odds - during chemo, I use my Baked Mineral Makeup Foundation Powder (also baked on terra cotta tiles in Italy) and my Loose Mineral Blush. I conceal my chemo under-eye circles with a shade that is slightly more yellow than my skin tone (Antique Beige because yellow covers purple). I apply my skin tone shade over it (Simply Beige) and then top the shadow of the crease with a slightly lighter shade (Dover). Yes, that's 3 colors, but I'm on chemo so I get 3.

cruelty free makeup brush travel setHere is the lovely and cruelty-free makeup brush set that I use. It rolls up nicely in the cotton roll, making it easy to travel with for the weekend trips my husband and I are taking right now. Click here to see all of my mineral makeup. I love my mineral makeup collection - it's beautiful, hypoallergenic and created with just the pure beauty of the earth - no chemicals or dyes. 

I'm almost done with chemo and hopefully my little eyebrow and lash follicles will hang in there. At least I've enjoyed an extra three months more than the norm with the ability to use eye makeup, look pretty much like myself, and feel pretty while I'm on chemotherapy.

Skin care during chemotherapy is really important

Chemotherapy Skin Care Kit developed by dermatologist and cancer survivor Dr. Bailey

Like our hair follicles, our skin also takes a real hit from chemotherapy treatment. I used myself (again) to develop my Chemotherapy Skin Care Kit. I've helped chemo patients for years as they navigated cancer treatment. During my own treatment, I decided to create a turn-key kit to help others; I realized how overwhelming a cancer diagnosis is and not everyone can go to the dermatologist for advice so I created a Chemo Skin Care Kit from the products I'm using. It also makes a great gift for someone you care about that is starting the cancer treatment process.

I donate all the profit from the Chemotherapy Skin Care Kit to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer advocacy. 

Are you, or is someone you know interested in what I, as a dermatologist, have learned about keeping our skin healthy and comfortable during chemotherapy?

I invite you to read my post titled Dermatologist's Advice for the Best Skin Care during Chemotherapy. 

Photo attribution: Thanks and gratitude to © Harry Choi/TongRo Images/Corbis