Women who took the chemotherapy drug Taxotere to fight breast cancer say they were never warned of a particular side effect — permanent hair loss.

Balding women from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and France are calling themselves the Taxotears. They include one “Taxoterrorist”, the nickname for Shirley L. of Brittany, France, who posted pictures of her balding head on the Facebook page of the pharmaceutical company.

“It’s like having ‘I am a cancer sufferer’ tattooed on your forehead … I look like an 80-year-old, ugly old man. We want every woman who’s been offered Taxotere to know it is a possibility, so it is her choice whether to take the risk or not,” Shirley said.

“I had a normal head of hair and I am now completely bald,” another Taxotear, Cynthia M. of Montreal, who has been diagnosed with alopecia universalis, a loss of all body hair.

This lasting side effect of the chemotherapy drug Taxotere, in combination with other drugs, came to light when cancer patients began living longer. According to the Taxotears, many women who overcame breast cancer are now finding that survival comes at a cost.

According to Taxotere’s prescribing guide, there is no mention of permanent hair loss (alopecia).  In fact, the guide states that “Loss of hair occurs in most patients taking Taxotere, including the hair on your head, underarm hair, pubic hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Hair loss will begin after the first few treatments and varies from patient to patient. Once you have completed all your treatments, hair generally grows back.”

Sanofi-Aventis contends that Taxotere long-term or permanent hair loss affects approximately three percent of patients who are treated with the chemotherapy drug. But according to a study by Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, this percentage is actually more than double, particularly if breast cancer patients also receive a combination of chemotherapy drugs: Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide.

Another study conducted by the Clatterbridge Cancer Center in the United Kingdom and published in 2014 found much higher rates of long-term alopecia in women who were given Taxotere for early breast cancer treatment: 15.8 percent. In addition to scalp hair loss, many women never had eyebrow or eyelash regrowth.

Many breast cancer patients say they were not informed of these statistics and risk factors prior to receiving chemotherapy.

FDA Taxotere Warning

In December, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered safety label changes for Taxotere relating to reports of permanent chemotherapy hair loss. Sanofi-Aventis updated such warnings on Taxotere sold in Canada and Europe in 2005 and 2012, respectively, but did not do so in the U.S.

If you or a loved one received Taxotere during chemotherapy and it resulted in permanent hair loss or another long-term side effect, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other associated costs. An experienced attorney will evaluate your case and ensure that you understand your rights and options before moving forward.