Chemotherapy is a necessary treatment for many cancers, but it often comes with a range of difficult side effects that can affect a patient’s quality of life. Among the most noticeable is hair loss, known medically as alopecia, which occurs because the drugs target rapidly dividing cells throughout the body. While the loss of scalp hair is widely discussed, patients often have questions about other body hair, particularly the hair that frames the face.
The Specific Impact on Facial Hair
Yes, chemotherapy can cause the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, though this side effect is less certain than the loss of scalp hair. Certain drug regimens, such as those that include taxanes like docetaxel and paclitaxel, are strongly associated with the thinning or complete loss of facial hair. Some people experience only a noticeable thinning of their eyebrows, while others lose them entirely. The loss of eyelashes can be particularly distressing because they serve a protective function, helping to shield the eyes from dust and debris.
Understanding Chemotherapy’s Effect on Hair Follicles
The mechanism behind chemotherapy-induced hair loss is rooted in the drugs’ inability to distinguish between cancerous cells and healthy cells that also divide quickly. Hair follicles contain some of the fastest-growing cells in the body, placing them directly in the path of the systemic chemotherapy agents. This toxic effect disrupts the hair’s natural growth cycle. This rapid, diffuse hair shedding is classified as anagen effluvium, which is the abrupt loss of hair that is in its active growth phase. The chemotherapy drugs impair the mitotic activity of the hair matrix cells, leading to a weakened hair shaft that fractures and breaks off, typically within days or weeks of drug administration.
Managing Hair Loss in the Eyebrow Area
When eyebrows begin to thin or disappear, there are several practical methods for aesthetically managing the change during active treatment. Cosmetic solutions like eyebrow pencils, powders, and stencils are often the first line of defense to help recreate a natural-looking shape and definition. For complete loss, temporary eyebrow tattoos or false eyebrows made of real or synthetic hair provide a more complete solution. Patients should always perform a patch test with any adhesive or cosmetic product to ensure their skin, which may be more sensitive during treatment, does not react negatively. Semipermanent makeup, such as microblading, must be completed before chemotherapy begins, as the risk of infection makes it unsuitable during active treatment.
Timeline for Regrowth
For the vast majority of people, the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes due to chemotherapy is a temporary condition. Regrowth typically begins once the chemotherapy treatment has concluded and the hair follicles are no longer exposed to the cytotoxic drugs. While scalp hair often starts to return within a few weeks to a few months, facial hair may take longer to show significant signs of growth. Patients often see their eyelashes and eyebrows beginning to regrow within six months of finishing their treatment, though it can sometimes take up to 18 months for a complete return to normal density. The new hair may initially come back with a different texture, color, or thickness than before, but for most, the hair follicles remain intact, allowing for a full or near-full recovery.