At first I thought that my beard was coming in darker (especially moustache area where I never really lost hair), but then realized that it really wasn't -- it just appeared darker in contrast to the skin surrounding it, which did not have any hair growth.

With all the wrinkles and bumps on my neck for the dissection, I would sure run from a razor. My Daughter bought me an electris one as the Dr wants. I bet I would have bled to death by now . My daughter is an OK gal that luvs her Daddy. I guess the few thousand it cost to put her thru school was worth it. LOL

Jim,
If it looks similar to my surgery site a razor with a blade would be like using a chainsaw to make toothpicks. I have a patient who was in a similar position and he did some research and sought out an esthetician who utilized an Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) machine to remove hair. He went for 5 sessions and in his own words, "..smooth as glass with no regrowth for the last 6 months." I am currently looking into the method and risk/benefits of this system. I also intend to contact an oncologist friend to see if IPL could harm or cause more problems in an area that has been treated for OC. I'll keep you all posted on any info I get.
Brian, have you heard anything about IPL hair removal post-cancer treatment and if so any words of wisdom or caution?
My patient is happy and he was given the OK by his Doctors.
This by no means mean that it is safe for everyone. Check with your doctors.
I may even check it out so that I don't have to play with sharp objects around my neck in the morning with one eye open. God knows that I have hacked a few good steaks off over the years and shed a few pints and I'm supposed to be good with my hands! LOL
Cheers,
Mike

I have nothing to add to this. I use an electric razor only under my chin. Everywhere else I was nuked to the level that all follicles were completely destroyed, so I have a perfect goatee left showing exactly where the radiation ended around my mental foramen on each side. So shaving for me is a 30 second deal with an electric. Here in CA the obsession with esthetic surgery and all the collateral things is beyond belief. There are laser hair removal parlors on every corner it seems and more cosmetic surgeons than Starbuck's... which are on every corner. We have parlors that specialize in Brazilian waxing for those inclined (big in small bikini CA beach areas) We are a obsessed society of aging people that wish to look like 20 year olds. I recently ran into a 70 year old woman that I know from a eatery locally who used to have more chins than a Chinese phone book - who now is stretched so tight that there isn't a wrinkle on her face. It's wrong on so many levels, her hands still look like those of a woman her age....

I watch this with some associated pains of my own about my particular esthetic compromises, but facial hair isn't one of them. I'm more concerned with the increasing lack of it on top of my head.... Go electric!!! That's what I was told when I left the hospital and never went back to a blade.

Brian,
You never cease to amaze me with your humorous unfiltered comments on topics like this. (my ribs are still sore) You are certainly a grounding force when it comes to the sometimes insane extents some people will go for the sake of their vanity. Thanks for bringing me back to reality.
If only those investing in their surgical fountain of youth realized how lucky they are maybe, more money could be put into the coffers of the real areas of greatest need.
Yes, I did offer up a suggestion that propogates this industry and after reading your post realize that facial hair is really low on the totem pole of worry for those who are undergoing or are/have been treated for OC.
The fact that I am able to shave in a semi conscious state and draw a lil blood now and then is certainly better than the alternative I was faced with years ago.
Brazil...I just may have to try and visit on my next vacation.
Cheers to your goatee Brian.
All the best.
Mike

On the other side...as I said I lost all the whiskers under my chin line so I only have to shave above my chin line. I use the same razor (Trac III) and same shaving cream I have always used and I even shave below my chin every once in a while just to feel normal. I see no difference in my radiated skin with emphasis on the word see. I still cut myself occasionally while shaving and I bleed just as I did before.

Thanks for the replies and encouragement from everyone!

I will keep my fingers crossed that the hair on the back of my head will grow - back but facial hair I can live without! (Not that I'm admitting to having much.)

I had a bad experience today and am wondering if the same thing has happened to anyone else. When going through the hydration phase of my chemotherapy today I had to go to the toilet. Drip trolley in hand I went to the nearby bathroom and on my way realised that I was swallowing what I thought was alot of salty saliva. When I got to the bathroom I looked at my mouth and realised that it was full of blood! I don't know how much I swallowed but it was flowing freely into the basin and wouldn't stop. I then got nursing help and they called my MO straight away.

The nurses applied some compresses to my tongue, which they identified as being the source of the bleed. It stopped within 10 minutes but it scared the hell out of me. The closest thing I can equate it to is like a severe nose bleed from the mouth. This has never happened after previous surgeries and the MO believes that radiation following my biopsy is the cause. A bit of the forming scar tissue on the side of my tongue evidently pulled away. The nurses said that I had a 1cm raw ulcer in the roof of my mouth and extensive mucositis, with open smaller ulcers pretty much everywhere else. (plus radiation damage and the raw biopsy area on my tongue) Some of these were also bleeding after having gauze put in.

After this 'episode' and an all clear from the MO my chemotherapy and radiation went ahead. I have had no other problems in the 9 hours since this happened but am worried that it might happen again. The Dr and nurses have told me to call an ambulance if it happens at home.

Is it likely to happen again? Has anyone had a similar problem - and if so I'd love to know what happened and especially if it recurred. I have 13 rads and 2 chemos to go.

Thanks everyone.

Sue

I didn't have any surgery and I never had blood in my mouth and lets hope yours was a one time thing but please do not hesitate to call 911 if it ever happens again. Without my wife my sorry stubborn butt would not be posting here today so I have learned the true meaning of that phrase...it's best to be safe rather than sorry.

I had almost exactly the same thing happen to me - went to the men's room early in radiation treatment, just after the treatment itself, went to spit in the sink, and a good quantity of blood emerged. I was scared to death and ran back to the RO. They checked me over and said it was initial irritation of the soft tissues, caused by the drying out effect of the radiation. Never happened again, but scared crap out of me that day!

Thanks Jeff and David,

It is reassuring to me just looking at your 'signatures'. Thanks for the quick input - I really hope this is a one off too - they guesstimated my blood loss at about 1/2 cup. Doesn't sound too much but certainly looked like alot!

Sue