Patchy Beard

[StevieB]

Has anyone experience a patchy beard after chemo? Mine grew back normal after chemo but then about two months later the part on the side of my face got real patchy. The part on my neck grows fine. I used to have a regular beard so I was wondering if anyone else had problems with this an what could be the cause.

Thanks.

History: R/O 8/05, EPx4 10/05, RPLND 11/05

[Vinny]

StevieB, mine is a bit patchy when I let it grow out. I think it may have to do with Bleo; in my case hair doesn't grow where my "tiger stripes" are located. Not sure if this effect diminishes over time or not. I have a goatee rather than full beard, so it generally isn't an issue.

[TSX]

Vinny,

When did the stripes from the bleo start to appear, with respect to the dates of your chemo treatments?

-TSX

[Vinny]

Good question, although I don't know for sure. Looking at pictures I have, I think the stripes showed up either during or just after round 4 of BEP. These days they're not as visible as they once were, but they do repond to sunlight by darkening.

[Eric]

The top of my beard (near the mouth) is patchy now.
I don't understand because after chemo everything was ok.
My mustache also is patchy now. Will it return to normal??

[Alucard]

Since I started chemo mine stopped growing out, nothing at all, this is normal right?

I wouldn't mine if it never came out ever again though.

Al

[mikeygti]

AL,

My beard and other hair also stopped growing during chemo. Very normal.

Enjoy your temporary break from shaving.

Best Wishes

[Neb]

So when can I expect to have hair after the chemo. Will my eyebrows fall out after 4 rounds of PEI?

[dadmo]

Eyebrows are weird. For most people they don't come out until the new growth pushes them out. My son looked very odd, when he finally got peach fuzz on his head his eyebrows were gone. Go figure, it's always something.

[supportive wife]

My husband never lost his eye brows, but his hair never really *fell* out. It became brittle and broke off, leaving some 1/4 inch lengths. To make things look better, we just gave him a buzz cut.

As for his beared, everything came back in as thick as before except for under his mouth. When he grows his beard out, he noticably has a trianglular patch that doesn't fill in well and is different in colour. Now he's only 6 months post chemo so I am not 100% sure if it will stay this way.

Hope this helps.