Clea Shearer's Cancer Journey
- Netflix star Clea Shearer experienced hair loss while battling cancer, and now that her hair is growing back, she’s facing questions from people about her new look.
- Shearer was initially diagnosed in March 2022, and her treatment included a double mastectomy (removal of both breasts), chemotherapy and radiation.
- Losing hair or thinning hair while undergoing chemotherapy is a common side effect. And while hair loss is not a medically significant or dangerous side effect of chemotherapy, for many women it can be a blow to their self-esteem.
- “It can have implications about how they feel about themselves,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.
- If patients are concerned about hair loss from treatment, they can talk to their doctor about scalp-cooling caps, wigs or head coverings, or other methods that may help.
Shearer, the 41-year-old star of “Get Organized With the Home Edit” on Netflix, was initially diagnosed with cancer in March 2022 and dubbed cancer-free nine months later. She took to social media this week to address the comments and questions she’s faced following her cancer battle.
“I ran into people who I've known for over 15 years – and when I said hello – they had to ask who I was because they didn't recognize me,” she continued.
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“I don't mind my hair being a conversation topic, but it's interesting that the conversation just started happening now. I suppose when I was going through chemo and had NO hair, I was recognizable in a different way,” Shearer explained.
“And no one asked questions because it was obvious I didn't have a choice. But now people ARE asking questions. Asking whether I like it, if I'll change it, if I'll dye it….”
Shearer revealed her “answer” to all the questions is that she does love her hairstyle and she’s not planning on changing it.
“I might let it grow into a bob, or add some silver highlights, but overall, I'm okay with the way I look,” she concluded. “Yes, it's still a reflection of having cancer… but that makes me proud, and I'll wear it like a badge of honor.”
Shearer lives in Tennessee with her husband, John, and their two children, Stella and Sutton. She co-founded “The Home Edit” with her best friend and business partner Joanna Teplin.
Their business became such a success that Netflix opted to make a television show of it. Netflix released the second season of “Get Organized with the Home Edit” on April 1, 2022, shortly before Clea received her cancer diagnosis.
Clea Shearer’s Cancer Journey
In April 2022, Clea Shearer announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and that she would be undergoing a double mastectomy (removal of both breasts).
“I found a lump myself (in) the last week of February,” Shearer posted to Instagram on April 7.
“I had been trying to make an appt with my OB(GYN) for several months, and even when I told them I found a lump, they couldn't accommodate me. I had to request a mammogram from my general doctor, which led to an ultrasound, and then an emergency triple biopsy.”
Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects
Shearer, who shared regular updates about her health on Instagram, was originally told her cancer was stage 1, but during the nine-hour surgery on Friday, April 8, doctors found cancer in one of her lymph nodes, which elevated the cancer to stage 2.
Shearer was diagnosed with an “aggressive and fast-moving,” breast cancer, but she thankfully “caught it early."
She had two tumors, one measuring 2 centimeters in size and the other 3 centimeters. Clea had both chemotherapy or radiation
She underwent her first round of chemotherapy on May 19, 2022, and shortly after, she shaved her head.
“Very short hair, and really don't care,” she wrote in an Instagram post about a week after cutting all her hair off. “This first round of chemo has been a lot, both physically and mentally. It wiped me out for a few days, but it makes the good days feel that much better.”
In November 2022, she revealed she was cancer free. Her celebratory post read, “But here I sit, on Nov 22nd, 9 months after my diagnosis – and I'm cancer free. There have been so many silver linings that I want to highlight too.
“My mother moved in with us on April 6th right before my surgery, and only went back to California a few times (to visit my dad 😂). It's crazy to say this, but we had the most special time? I never imagined at 40 years old I would live with my mom again, and I loved every minute.”
“I've also never had this amount of time with John and the kids. It's a time in my life I will treasure, even though it was extremely difficult for all of us,” she added. “As my treatment journey comes to a close (although, it will never be over!), I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. The outpouring of love will stay with me always.”
Hair Loss Amid Cancer
Losing hair or thinning hair while undergoing chemotherapy is a common side effect. And while hair loss is not a medically significant or dangerous side effect of chemotherapy, for many women it can be a blow to their self-esteem.
“It can have implications about how they feel about themselves,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.
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As for Salt Lake City resident Stephanie Hess, she already knew what to expect after getting diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. She had seen her mother and some friends go through it and was devastated over the thought of losing her hair.
“Because my mom had passed away from cancer, I knew what it felt like…The thought of losing your hair, that's the ultimate indicator of being a cancer patient,” she told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. “I didn't want to be bald.”
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Hair loss during treatment occurs due to the drugs targeting quickly dividing cells throughout the body. Both cancer cells and hair cells fall into this category. Women may also lose their eyebrows and eyelashes, too. All of this hair loss can have a big effect on your self-esteem.
For most cancer patients, the hair will start growing back shortly after treatment, and in the meantime, some cancer patients choose to embrace their new look.
While hair loss can be very difficult to deal with, many women eventually consider it an empowering part of their cancer fight. Thinking of hair loss as a temporary setback rather than a permanent problem can help some women, and men, make peace with it.
How To Cope
It's completely normal to feel upset about losing your haireven when you know that your hair will usually grow back after treatment stops. In the meantime, there are steps you can take to make the experience less distressing.
Try a Cooling Cap to Minimize Hair Thinning
One potential option is something called cryotherapy”just a fancy way for saying cold therapy,” says Dr. Urban.
What that means is wearing what are called cold caps or special cooling caps before, during, and after each chemotherapy treatment. The caps, which are tight fitting and strap-on helmet-style, are filled with a gel coolant that's chilled to between -15 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Essentially the caps “cause vasoconstriction, or a narrowing of the blood vessels bringing blood to the scalp,” Dr. Urban explains. By constricting the blood flow to the scalp, the caps limit the amount of circulating chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles, protecting them from some of the chemo's damaging effects. The cold also decreases the activity of the hair follicles, which slows down cell division and makes the follicles less affected by the chemotherapy medicine.
"This has been shown to reduce hair loss by 50 percent," Dr. Urban says. "I do try to let patients know it's not a 100 percent prevention strategy, and it's not been studied in all hair types, but it is at least an available strategy for patients to try."
Keep in mind, though, that it does take commitment to tolerate the cold. Some women find the caps give them a headache. And they can make you really chilled, so if you want to tough it out, dress warmly and bring blankets.
Choose a Wig or Other Head Covering
Some women choose to cut their hair very short or even shave their head before their hair starts falling out, and then buy a wig or other type of head covering.
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If you're thinking about buying a wig, consider buying it before your treatment starts, or soon after. Cancer.org suggests asking if the wig can be adjusted as you might need a smaller size as you lose hair. To match your hair color, they recommend cutting a swatch from the top front of your head, where your hair is lightestor try a completely new hairstyle or color.
Wigs and other scalp coverings may be partially or fully covered by your health insurance. If so, make sure the prescription says "cranial prosthesis." (Don't use the word wig.) Someone on your cancer care team can likely recommend wig shops in your area.
Hair Loss Is Temporary
Losing your hair can feel overwhelming in the moment. Experts tell SurvivorNet that being aware of the timing can help you better cope. Hair loss typically begins about three to four weeks after you begin chemotherapy for ovarian cancer and will continue throughout treatment. Most women can expect regrowth around four to six weeks after they complete treatment, though you may see some changes to color and texture.
But it's important to remember that your hair will grow back after chemotherapy ends.
Dr. Samantha Boardman’s Advice
“For cancer patients losing one's hair can be unbelievably stressful. To start with, the dread of losing one's hair can lead to some sleepless nights and feelings of anxiety," Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, told SurvivorNet.
To cope, Dr. Boardman suggested reaching out to other survivors who have been through a similar situation if you feel comfortable doing so.
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"Talk to people who have been through it, get their advice, voice your concerns to your caregiver and see what they can do," Dr. Boardman added. She stressed that anxiety over hair loss doesn't just affect women, as men going through cancer often struggle with it as well.
For those who can't stand the idea of being seen without their hair, there are plenty of options available, such as wigs, head wraps, and hats. Some survivors have even created products specifically for people with cancer so they can feel comfortable in their own skin.
Dr. Boardman also noted that some people may not feel comfortable talking about hair loss, and that's OK, too.
"To encourage them to bring that up, to encourage them to talk about it, I think can be very helpful," she said. "But also, for patients, it might be something that they don't talk about. [And they should] feel good and strong about saying, 'This is something that I don't feel like discussing right now, and I'll let you know when I do.'”
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you're in the midst of a cancer battle and experiencing hair loss, here are some questions you may consider asking your doctor:
- Are there any treatments to help manage or minimize my hair loss?
- What are scalp-cooling devices and how do they work?
- Do you recommend scalp-cooling devices?
- What other options are available to help me cope with hair loss?
- Can you recommend a wig maker?
- I'm struggling mentally with my hair loss, can you recommend a therapist to talk to?
- How can I find a local support group with people going through similar things?
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.