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Late December 2008 and early 2009, fuzz was slowly returning on my bald head. I also noticed that I had started to develop long, fair, downy hair on my face. I complained to my hubby that I was starting to look like a werewolf. I felt very embarressed and wasn't sure what to do. I tried a few things to try and remove it. Now, one thing I do not advise and that is to place those sticky wax strips on your face. My face was red and very sore for about a week. I tried lightly shaving. Not good! Developed a stubble. In the end, when I was showering I would give my face a gentle rub with bi-carb soda and apply moisturiser. This helped me by removing some of the excess hair and left my face feeling soft. I still to this day have very fine down. But I can live with this.
I spoke to a nurse in January this year after my last....Intragam about facial hair post chemo and she mentioned that it was to keep the body warm. But I still didn't have the full answer I was looking for. I was also reminded yesterday when I was having my haircut and my hairdresser said I have this fine down still at the nape of my neck and ask if she could give it a light clip.
I decided to check the web site out, I found I had not been alone in this situation, so I decided to research this problem. I have found the answer on wiki.answers.com
Because we have been through chemo, due to our various cancers, many of us would have lost our hair and experienced loss of weight through throwing up and not being able to eat properly. I was always feeling very cold and had to rug up from my head to my toes.
The wiki.answer states: "Why do anorexics get Lanugo".
"Lanugo is a thin, "peach-fuzz" like hair that grows on the skin. It is often light colored, and commonly found on the back, chest, arms, and face. People who are severely underweight or do not have proper amounts of body fat are at risk of growing this form of hair. It is, essentially, the body's primal instincts as a last resort to stay warm.
Body fat provides a layer of insulation to the body. Internal organs and core body temperature must maintain a fairly constant temperature. If it drops too low, a person is in danger of hypothermia.
When the body cannot keep itself warm enough, it will grow this extra layer of hair. This is similar to how animals have thicker coats of fur in the winter to help keep them warm. While people have evolved beyond growing long coats of fur in the cold weather, it is still a natural instinct to survival to help try in any way possible to keep the body warm and alive."
Now I know why, I thought I was turning into a werewolf.
Rosie:)
