My clients have different reasons for visiting my clinic to receive eyebrow and/or eyeliner tattooing. “I over-plucked them when I was younger”, “The older I got, I just seemed to lose (eyebrow) hair”, “I’ve never had very good brows”, “I just want more defined brows”, are some of the phrases I often hear, so I know that these are common issues.
Not so common, however are clients who come to me with no eyebrow hair and no eyelashes often due to chemotherapy.
Diagnosis
Whilst clients receiving cancer diagnosis have other urgent matters to attend to – we are finding that more and more, ladies and gentlemen are looking to Permanent makeup for help.
Hair loss is one of the many distressing side affects of chemotherapy which can be used to treat cancer and lupus. Both men and women report hair loss as one of the side effects which they fear most after being diagnosed with cancer.
The extent of hair loss can vary from person to person and is dependent upon the type/amount of chemotherapy. Patients can expect to regrow your hair three to six months after their treatment ends, though their hair may temporarily be a different shade or texture but in some rare cases it might not grow back at all.
Why do chemo/radiotherapy patients lose hair?
Chemotherapy drugs are powerful medications that attack rapidly growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, these drugs also attack other rapidly growing cells in your body — including those in your hair roots. The hair loss all over your body — not just on your scalp. Sometimes your eyelash, eyebrow, armpit, pubic and other body hair also falls out. Some chemotherapy drugs are more likely than others to cause hair loss, and different doses can cause anything from a mere thinning to complete baldness.
Preemptive
Upon diagnosis of cancer, many pressing matters are at the forefront of the mind: how to deal with their diagnosis and prognosis. How to explain their situation to loved ones, how to accommodate work and/or time off. There are a multitude of reasons for not fully considering the possibility and mental impact of losing body hair mid, or post, treatment.
Nobody knows how they will react to such news or whatever medical treatment we’re prescribed.
There is excellent provision for head hair loss and the care teams assigned do an amazing job. Great information and treatment options for the impending hair loss (cold cap, wigs, wig hairdressers) and offer practical advise and solutions which are invaluable. Other hair loss may also occur i.e. eyebrows, eyelashes and men’s facial hair and often the mental effect of eyebrow and eyelash loss is not given the focus it needs. There are solutions available with permanent makeup that I’ve seen make an extremely positive impact on the mental well being of someone suffering with hair loss.
I honestly could write about this topic for days however I believe that it’s best to allow three of my clients to explain their journeys to you. All of these ladies wished to offer the benefit of their experience in the hope that it would help others.
Testimonial from Anya Illing
“I’d been looking into permanent makeup for a while because I had always had half eyebrows from an early age but could never really justify the cost.
However, this all changed for 2 reasons, my GP nurse had had the procedure done and it looked really good. I was very impressed with the natural look of it and that she had recommended Davis Permanent Cosmetics as one I could trust. Also I had been diagnosed with secondary cancer and this treatment would mean I would lose all my hair.
This totally changed my decision so I started looking into the procedure and made contact with DPC. I had an initial consultation with Phil to discuss my requirements and went through my medication thoroughly so that there wouldn’t be any unexpected complications. I had to make sure that the procedure wouldn’t clash with my chemotherapy sessions. I double checked with my consultant too, to make sure that she was happy with me going ahead with PMU.
The day came for my hairstroke brow tattoo procedure. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Phil made me feel at ease and was very helpful regarding my mobility which had decreased considerably since I last visited. He put numbing cream on my brow area and then we agreed on the shape of my eyebrow design. We looked at the thickness and the length of my eyebrows and also a suitable pigment colour. He kept checking with me to make sure I was happy with the shape, this was probably the thing that took the longest time. The tattooing was ok……surprisingly it was only a bit uncomfortable on the brow bone area but that didn’t last long. I followed the post tattooing plan with the tattoo balm and I’m pleased to say I didn’t have any problems or complications. I’ve had many compliments about my eyebrows and every morning when I look at them in the mirror I’m pleased I decided to have them done. It gives me that confidence boost to go out there and face the world”.
Testimonial from Lisa Sweeney
“I was diagnosed with primary Breast Cancer in November 2007 and had Chemo & radiotherapy in 2008. I lost all my hair and I wore a wig. My wig was great but I really missed my eyebrows & lashes.
Fast forward to May 2011, I got the devastating news that my cancer was back. It had spread to my bones and was now incurable. After keeping it under control for a few years with various medication, in January 2017 I was told I needed to have chemo once again. I was anxious about all the side effects and upset that once again I would lose all my hair. I decided to try the cold cap this time to reduce my hair loss but I knew I would still loose my brows and lashes. Then I saw an advert for permanent makeup and hair stroke brows at Davis Permanent Cosmetics. I was due to have chemo in a week and a friend encouraged me to call them. I got straight through to Penny who was amazing and so lovely. She realised I needed to be seen quickly and arranged for Phil to do my brows that afternoon, after a consultation. When I arrived I met Phil & Penny who were both so welcoming and put me straight at ease. The procedure was painless and I was really pleased with my finished brows, Phil is very talented!
Throughout chemo It made me feel better and gave me more confidence having brows and I didn’t have that ‘cancer patient’ look. I’ve recently been back to have my eyebrows touched up and I’ve also had permanent eyeliner. Phil and Penny were once again really welcoming and looked after me.
I would recommend Davis Permanent Cosmetics to anyone wanting permanent makeup”.
Testimonial from Fran Harvey
“I would like people to know how I became, well not a client but, friends with Phil and Penny Davis because that is how this lovely couple are. I had breast cancer which meant I had to have a lot of treatment. With this I lost my hair, my eyelashes and my eyebrows!
Unfortunately my eyelashes and eyebrow hair never grew back. I’m so grateful, believe me that I’m still here to tell the tale but, of it all the only thing that bothered me was not having any eyebrows. One of my friends found Phil and Penny details for me, so I rang and spoke to Phil. I felt like I’d known him for years, so I knew after the kind and helpful words that I would chose to have my brows and eyelash enhancer by Davis Permanent Cosmetics!
I chose a date to have them done and off I went, nervous to be honest but, I got there and within five minutes I was so at ease. The surroundings are beautiful, I was so glad I’d chosen their clinic because they had treated several ladies who had received chemotherapy treatment for cancer so they understood how I felt.
Phil offered me lots of options and advice on what colour and shape my brows should look like by drawing them on until I chose the shape and colour which I felt comfortable with. Phil began tattooing but not only did I have Phil – I then met his lovely wife (Penny) who had travelled a long way just to meet me after hearing my story.
It’s the best thing I ever did it, made me feel me good again and I’ve never looked back. Their care in everything that they do is all about the client and how we feel inside and out. But most of all they give you confidence and that is now what I have. Phil and Penny are dedicated to what they do but also loving and amazing friends. Their experience in what they do is 100% in every way, I would say to anyone who has unfortunately experienced, or still has cancer, and needs any kind of uplift then go to Phil and Penny.
I travel about thirty-five miles to the DPC clinic but, if they moved another million miles I would follow them that’s how good I feel about them thank you Phil and Penny for everything and I will be seeing you again soon!”
If you want to discuss any aspect of hairloss, please get in touch with us.