Hair loss is one of the most challenging stages of the cancer journey because hair is so closely tied to your identity. If losing your hair is a concern for you before cancer treatment, know you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and scarves, among other things, to maintain your self-esteem.
“90 Day Fiance” star Liz Woods’ ovarian cancer diagnosis emerged after doctors found that she had a mass in her ovaries. This follows her 2024 revelation of stomach cancer, a journey that included 14 rounds of chemotherapy.
Most patients also receive a taxane drug, usually paclitaxel (Taxol), in combination with the platinum agent. While this combination is widely used because of its proven effectiveness, dosing and scheduling are often personalized.
Dr. Yvette Williams‑Brown, a gynecologic oncologist at the LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes at UTHealth Austin, said, “Despite many claims that there are ways to prevent [hair loss] from happening, it is a side effect, unfortunately, that cannot be stopped.”
Woods says she’s exploring using a “cold cap” as her treatment journey continues. “Cold caps work by causing vasoconstriction, or narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the scalp,” explains Dr. Renata Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington.
This reduced blood flow limits the amount of chemotherapy that reaches hair follicles, helping protect them from damage. The cold also slows down follicle activity, making them less vulnerable to the effects of treatment.
Reality TV star Liz Woods, 34, who has previously undergone chemotherapy, is stirring debate among her followers after revealing she experienced little to no hair loss during treatment for ovarian cancer.
In an Instagram video, Woods ran her hand through her long blonde hair and said, “So, I didn’t lose my hair during chemo, but I had a man who lost it for me,” as her partner, Alec Killpack, tapped his closely cropped haircut.
Earlier this year, Woods shared that doctors found a mass on her ovaries during a routine check‑up. Ovarian cancer often begins in the fallopian tubes, where abnormal cells can migrate to the ovaries and form tumors. This marks Woods’ second cancer diagnosis in recent years.
“There are different kinds of ovarian cancer that affect women at different stages of life. The most common type of ovarian cancer, however, typically occurs around the time of the menopause,” Dr. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, told SurvivorNet.
Woods previously went public in December 2024 with a stomach cancer diagnosis, addressing speculation about her sudden weight loss. During the early phase of that cancer journey — which is still ongoing — she focused on staying strong for her then pre‑teen daughter.
For ovarian cancer, the standard chemotherapy regimen typically includes a platinum‑based drug such as carboplatin, cisplatin, or oxaliplatin.
“Platinum seems to be by far the most effective agent ever discovered to kill ovarian cancer cells,” Dr. Karlan said.
Most patients also receive a taxane drug, usually paclitaxel (Taxol), in combination with the platinum agent. While this combination is widely used because of its proven effectiveness, dosing and scheduling are often personalized.
Hair loss is a well‑known side effect of chemotherapy, which is why Woods’ experience sparked so many questions.
One Instagram user, Mary Porter, commented: “I’m wondering what your chemotherapy drug was? I had breast cancer, and my oncologist said that going through chemotherapy with ovarian and breast cancer, you do lose your hair. Did you have infusions of chemotherapy? I know several people with ovarian cancer they also lost their hair. Just curious as a Survivor myself.”
Another follower, Mia, asked whether Woods had used a cooling cap during treatment.
Photo: Instagram/e_92_marie
Woods responded, “My treatment was different; it was stage one and soon to be shared. I didn’t have that cap, but it may be coming soon.”
Her reply suggests her treatment plan may have differed enough to reduce the likelihood of hair loss, though she did not elaborate.
However, according to Dr. Yvette Williams‑Brown, a gynecologic oncologist at the LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes at UTHealth Austin, “Despite many claims that there are ways to prevent [hair loss] from happening, it is a side effect, unfortunately, that cannot be stopped.”
She notes that hair typically grows back after treatment, though some women may notice changes in color or texture.
Coping with Hair Loss in Cancer Care: Practical Advice & Emotional Support
Hair loss can be one of the more emotionally challenging parts of a cancer journey. For many patients, it’s not just about appearance—it’s about identity, control, and coping with change. SurvivorNet offers guidance and resources to help you navigate this side effect with confidence and care.
“For cancer patients, losing one’s hair can be unbelievably stressful. The dread alone can lead to sleepless nights and heightened anxiety,” says Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author.
WATCH: What is a scalp-cooling device?
While chemotherapy is a common cause of hair loss, radiation can also lead to thinning or baldness—especially when the treatment area includes the scalp. For instance, radiation targeting a brain tumor may result in hair loss on the head.
The good news? Hair typically begins to regrow within four to six weeks after treatment ends. According to Dr. James Taylor, a radiation oncologist at GenesisCare, “Fortunately, for most patients, hair loss is not a concern when having radiation therapy.” Still, regrowth may come with changes in texture or color.
One promising option for minimizing hair loss during chemotherapy is cold capping, also known as scalp cooling therapy. These FDA-approved devices—initially for breast cancer and now used for other cancers—are worn before, during, and after chemo sessions. The helmet-style caps are filled with gel coolant chilled to between -15°F and -40°F.
“Cold caps work by causing vasoconstriction, or narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the scalp,” explains Dr. Renata Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington.
This reduced blood flow limits the amount of chemotherapy that reaches hair follicles, helping protect them from damage. The cold also slows down follicle activity, making them less vulnerable to the effects of treatment.
If hair loss is a concern, know that you have options—from wigs and wraps to hats and scarves—that can help you feel more like yourself during treatment.
Understanding an Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
Ovarian cancer has been called the “cancer that whispers” because women often don’t experience symptoms until their cancer has already reached its late stages. The symptoms that do appear at first are hard to identify as cancer.
“Ovarian cancer does not have any specific symptoms,” Dr. Karlan explained.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer may include the following, according to SurvivorNet experts.
A feeling of bloating or fullness
Pain in the pelvis or abdomen
Nausea
Vomiting
Changes in bowel habits
WATCH: Fighting “Platinum Resistant” Ovarian Cancer
On the horizon is a treatment option for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Platinum resistance is typically defined as progression within 6 months of receiving platinum-based chemotherapy. The Phase III ENGOT‑ov65/KEYNOTE‑B96 trial has shown great promise for this difficult-to-treat form of ovarian cancer, exploring adding immunotherapy, where the patient’s own immune cells are reengineered to fight cancer, to chemotherapy.
Dr. Premal Thaker, a gynecologic oncologist at Washington University, recalls, “We all know, checkpoint inhibitors have made a big splash in many cancers, and we have been trying so hard in ovarian cancer to try to use these immune checkpoint inhibitors…”
For patients whose tumors had a PD-L1 (a protein on the surface of some cancer cells) CPS combined positive score (measuring how much PD-L1 a tumor expresses) of 1 or higher, treatment with pembrolizumab helped them go longer without cancer progression. Their median progression-free survival was 8.3 months compared with 7.2 months for those who received a placebo, a difference that was statistically meaningful.
Dr. Robert Coleman, a gynecologic Oncologist at Texas Oncology in Houston, remarks, “We saw no new adverse events outside our expectations, nor did we see an acceleration of adverse events with the combination, including the triplet.”
Dr. Coleman explains, “In the platinum-resistant setting, I believe these will be favored regimens, so as a second-line therapy…Ultimately, cross-trial comparisons will drive some of the influence of those trials and the sequencing of therapy. This will likely be further augmented by biomarker expression, which we expect to be more robust as time goes on.”
With regard to how this treatment may fit in with other systemic options, such as antibody drug conjugates, Dr. Dana Chase, a professor of gynecologic oncology at UCLA Health, explains, “The sequencing of the treatment is really dependent on the patient’s tumor biomarker profile. We will need to take into consideration: 1) biomarker profile, 2) prior toxicities, 3) patient’s performance status, and/or goals of care/treatment. Depending on these three factors, we may either treat with an ADC first or choose options like the B96 option first.”
Dr. Chase adds that, “The sequencing of the treatment is really dependent on the patient’s tumor biomarker profile. We will need to take into consideration: biomarker profile, prior toxicities, patient’s performance status, and goals of treatment.” Depending on those three factors, doctors can best decide which treatment to pursue first.”
The Standard of Care for Ovarian Cancer
The standard of care for ovarian cancer patients is chemotherapy, which helps many patients reach remission.
WATCH: How your ovarian cancer responds to certain types of chemotherapies guides your future treatments.
With recurrence a strong possibility for this disease, especially in the later stages of ovarian cancer, certain drug treatments to deal with it are giving many women hope.
Maintenance therapy is continued treatment after the patient finishes their initial treatment. After an ovarian cancer patient completes a round of treatments — such as surgery and chemotherapy — her doctor may recommend some form of maintenance therapy to try and delay possible recurrence. Maintenance therapy can involve taking an oral pill called a PARP inhibitor every day after chemotherapy and can keep cancer in remission longer.
Genetic testing helps doctors determine the best maintenance therapy.
The type of treatment recommended for recurrence can depend on several factors:
The period within which the cancer recurred
The kind of chemotherapy the woman underwent in the past
Side effects that came as a result of past treatments
The length of time between the last treatment the woman underwent and the recurrence
The specific mutations and molecular features of your cancer
What’s the Standard of Care for Ovarian Cancer Recurrence?
Ovarian cancer returning after initial treatment is common; in fact, recurrence happens in “almost 25 percent of cases with early-stage diseases and in more than 80 percent with more advanced stages,” according to research published in the Gland Surgery medical journal.
For many women, platinum-based chemotherapy—often the first line of defense—remains effective across multiple cycles. But over time, cancer cells may adapt, and resistance can emerge after just one round or several.
Platinum Sensitivity vs. Resistance: What It Means for Treatment
Platinum Sensitive: If a patient remains cancer-free for more than six months after platinum therapy, they’re considered platinum sensitive. This signals that the cancer is still responding, and doctors may continue using platinum-based drugs.
Platinum Resistant: If recurrence occurs within six months, the cancer is classified as platinum resistant. In these cases, oncologists typically shift to alternative therapies tailored to overcome resistance.
Adjusting Chemotherapy Strategies
Taxol (Paclitaxel): Commonly paired with platinum in initial treatment. For platinum-resistant patients, doctors may increase its frequency—administering it weekly instead of every three weeks.
Other Options: Drugs like Gemzar (gemcitabine), Topotecan, and Doxil (liposomal doxorubicin) are often introduced, sometimes alongside Avastin (bevacizumab).
How Avastin Works
Avastin is a VEGF inhibitor that blocks angiogenesis—the process by which tumors grow new blood vessels. By cutting off this supply, Avastin helps starve the tumor and slow its progression. It’s frequently combined with chemotherapy in recurrent cases.
Targeting DNA Repair: Platinum & PARP Inhibitors
Platinum drugs and PARP inhibitors share a powerful mechanism: they disrupt a cancer cell’s ability to repair damaged DNA. This is especially effective in patients with BRCA mutations, whose cells already have impaired DNA repair pathways.
PARP Inhibitors: Initially tested in BRCA-positive patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, these drugs are now used more broadly. Emerging evidence shows they can extend survival even in patients without BRCA mutations. Genetic Testing: Oncologists strongly recommend BRCA testing for all ovarian cancer patients. Knowing your genetic profile helps guide treatment and opens doors to targeted therapies.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and need guidance to further educate yourself on the disease and treatment, consider these questions for your doctor.
What type of ovarian cancer do I have?
What stage is my cancer in?
Do you recommend I get genetic testing for any gene mutations, such as the BRCA gene mutation?
What initial treatment options do you recommend?
What are the possible side effects of the recommended treatment, and how can they be coped with?
Will insurance help cover my recommended treatment?
Kavontae Smalls is a writer and reporter for SurvivorNet. Read More
Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer
Chemotherapy is almost universally given to ovarian cancer patients as part of their initial treatment, either before or following surgery. Additional rounds of chemotherapy are often performed on women whose ovarian cancer has recurred.
