There is a lot of changes that come with paclitaxel. I was fascinated rather than alarmed by my hair loss. Cells connected with hair growth are highly active. It is the highly active cells like the cancer cells that the paclitaxel targets. It chucks a molecular spanner in the microtubular mechanics of cell division. So, hair loss was a sign that things were working! As I watched my hair float off like thistle down in a breeze I wondered if I would lose my eyebrows. If you google famous bald men a galaxy of glowing domes greets your sight. They are all underscored by distinctive eyebrows! What makes eyebrows so tough! All of my important hair went south to the plug hole except my eyebrows! While paclitaxel laid me out with tingling fingertips and itchy skin rashes, the tiny follicle cells were undaunted. Once again proving that when the chips are down it’s the little things that count!
According to old legend eyebrows were once an issue of national security. This story occurs during one of the many ancient wars fought between Burma and Thailand. Burmese spies were infiltrating the Thai court disguised as monks. Wearing saffron robes and being bald they could easily blend in with all the other bald blokes wearing orange robes. Once they had the carried out their mission it was back across the border to safety. The Thai spies in Burma had to find out who these bald Bonds were. But how? There was nothing distinctive to identify which monk had recently been in Thailand.
They came up with an ingenious plan. The King of Thailand made a decree that Thai monks must shave off their eyebrows. This was done at once. Now the Thai spies in Burma could spot ‘monks’ arriving from Thailand at the Burmese court. Betrayed by their brows they could be marked as enemy agents. To this day monks in Thailand still shave their brows and those in Burma do not. Can you imagine the 007 characters played by Rodger More, Sean Connery or Daniel Craig laying down their famous arched temples for king and country? I think their patriotism would have been shaken and not stirred!
