For breast cancer patients, chemo hair loss can be a devastating thing to endure. And in some cases, patients have found that their hair loss can be permanent.

Though chemo hair loss should only last during treatment and for a short while after, some breast cancer patients who have used Taxotere during chemo have reportedly suffered more permanent hair loss.

Taxotere Breast Cancer Chemo

Taxotere (docetaxel) is a chemo drug used along with other breast cancer drugs. Sanofi-Aventis, the Taxotere manufacturer, says that chemo hair loss is a common side effect and should be expected. Regarding permanent chemo baldness, however, the manufacturer stated that it is a very rare complication of Taxotere.

However, this permanent side effect of breast cancer chemo may not be as rare as the company has stated. Researchers have found that as many as one out of sixteen patients who use Taxotere may suffer from permanent baldness. Despite this risk, patients are led to believe that breast cancer chemo hair loss from Taxotere is a much lower risk.

Some patients claim that they were aware of the possibility of chemo hair loss, but had not been warned at all about the possibility that the condition could be permanent.

A UK breast cancer patient, Shirley L., reports that she received Taxotere breast cancer treatment in October 2005. She found the loss of her hair distressing, but at the time had no doubt that her hair would grow back. However, after her treatment was complete in early 2006, her hair barely grew back. The hair that did grow resembled male-pattern baldness.

“I feel dreadful, not only about the way I look, but about myself,” Shirley said.

Shirley decided to take action, first posting pictures of her hair loss on the Sanofi-Aventis Facebook page. “I was denied the choice of making my own risk assessment and I am furious that women are still not being told,” she said.

Shirley’s oncologist, shocked that the chemo hair loss became permanent, contacted Sanofi-Aventis. The company reported that the problem was extremely rare, and that Shirley was only the third or fourth patient to have the problem.

But Shirley found other patients like her online, across the globe, who also reported being misinformed about the possibility of permanent hair loss.

“In just one ongoing clinical survey in North-West France, there are 81 women who have suffered persistent alopecia from Taxotere and anecdotal evidence from the US and Canada suggests there could be hundreds if not thousands affected.”

Though the largest risk for these women is clearly their cancer, the psychological impact of chemo hair loss can be devastating. For many, hair loss is a visual sign of sickness as well as a symbol of femininity.

Taxotere Lawsuits

Like Shirley, many women in the U.S. also report permanent hair loss from Taxotere breast cancer treatment. Some have chosen to file Taxotere lawsuits in response.

Taxotere lawsuits claim that Sanofi-Aventis was aware of the chemo hair loss side effects of the drug, but failed to inform patients of the risk of permanent hair loss.

If you or someone you know has experienced hair loss or are having trouble with hair regrowth after chemotherapy for breast cancer, you may be able to gain some kind of compensation by filing a Taxotere hair loss lawsuit.

A Taxotere breast cancer lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering felt by cancer patients, but it can help with the financial issues that go along with high medical bills.