Helping You Cope With Hair Loss During Treatment and Resources to Minimize Its Impact
- Isabella Strahan and her twin sister are now 21. They celebrated their milestone birthday this week, just two years after Isabella had overcome a rare and aggressive brain cancer called medulloblastoma. Recent photos shared on social media show Isabella looking happy and healthy, with fully regrown curls, despite having endured hair loss during cancer treatment.
- Medulloblastoma is a rare primary central nervous system tumor. This type of brain tumor is cancerous and proliferates, making it more likely to spread to other parts of the body. Immediate treatment was needed, including surgery to remove most of the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy to get whatever was left behind.
- Brain tumors account for 85-90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). General symptoms of a brain tumor may include headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, balance problems, personality or behavior changes, seizures, drowsiness, or even coma.
- 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.
Isabella—who beat an aggressive form of brain cancer after undergoing surgery, radiation therapy, and grueling chemotherapy—was spotted in photos from her and her sister’s birthday festivities this week on social media, revealing the model’s beautiful curls, fully grown back and healthy.
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Isabella and Sophia were clearly surrounded by friends on their night out, warmly embracing all the love from those around them.
The twins’ dad, NFL legend Michel Strahan also took to social media to commemorate Isabela and Sophia’s milestone birthday.
He wrote alongside some photos he shared on Instagram, “Someone tell me how these two are 21?!?! Where has time gone!”
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“Happy birthday @isabellastrahan and @sophialstrahan! Love you both more than an Instagram post can ever say! LOL,” Strahan continued.
His ex-wife Jean Muggli, whom he shares Isabella and Sophia with, also took to Instagram to share some birthday love for their daughters.
Sharing a photo of when Isabella and Sophia were just newborns, she wrote, “21 years ago these cuties made me a mom.”
A follow-up post gave another peek into the twins’ early years, featuring photos of them as babies next to a giant stuffed bear, dressed as ladybugs for Halloween, and messily enjoying cake as toddlers.
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Isabella’s Battle With Medulloblastoma
Isabella Strahan documented her journey with Medulloblastoma in a series of video blogs, and she finally was declared “cancer-free” after having a clear scan in July 2024.
Earlier in 2023, she revealed she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor after experiencing harsh headaches and nausea and had trouble walking.
More specifically, she had a medulloblastoma, which is a rare primary central nervous system tumor, the National Cancer Institute explains. This type of brain tumor is cancerous and grows quickly, making it more likely to spread to other parts of the body.
Common symptoms for this type of tumor may include:
- Difficulty walking or balancing
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty with vision
- Seizures
She first underwent emergency surgery to remove most of the mass in her brain. Additional treatment includes radiation therapy, followed by chemotherapy, in hopes of getting any remaining cancer cells left behind.
WATCH: Hair loss during chemo.
Strahan spoke about her harrowing chemotherapy journey, describing the intense and exhausting side effects she had to endure.
Chemotherapy is an effective tool for oncologists to help treat cancer by stopping cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs. Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, the process also impacts healthy cells, leading to side effects.
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Patients almost universally experience fatigue, often alongside gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea. Doctors have many effective medications to combat chemo-induced nausea. “But mitigating that fatigue often depends on the patient,” says Dr. Renata Urban, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington in Seattle, previously told SurvivorNet.
Since reaching remission, Strahan said in one of her YouTube videos, “Ring the bell three times. It’s a toll to clearly say my treatment is done, this course is run, and I’m on my way.”
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Coping With Your New Body & Hair Loss After Cancer Treatment
Cancer survivors often struggle with the changes others can see, whether temporary of permanent, like scarring, hair loss and weight gain. However, survivors also struggle with changes that may not be as obvious, such as infertility, and these can create body image issues and make survivors feel vulnerable.
One way to prepare yourself for possible body changes during cancer treatment is to understand that changes are possible but also, frequently temporary. This can also help build up your self-confidence. Your support group, filled with loved ones, can help you during this stage of your journey as well.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin shared some tips cancer survivors can explore to help manage the emotional toll body changes can have during treatment.
Dr. Strongin encourages survivors to take ownership of the part (or parts) of their body impacted mainly by cancer treatment. She says although they may represent “fear and pain,” they also represent “strength and courage.”
“Research has found that when looking in the mirror, we are more likely to focus on the parts of our body we are dissatisfied with, which causes us to have a negative self-view and lower self-esteem. Therefore, I would like you first to spend time gazing at the parts of your body you love, give them time, honor them, and then thank them,” Dr. Strongin said.
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Dr. Strongin then suggests looking at the part or parts of your body impacted by the cancer or cancer treatment. She recommends creating a regular practice of accepting your body image because it helps you accept your cancer journey emotionally and physically.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body. It may not happen immediately, but with time, you can begin honoring and thanking your new body,” Dr. Strongin added.
Protecting Your Inner Beauty and Self-Esteem
Dr. Strongin also previously explained to SurvivorNet, “Cancer changes who you are both physically and emotionally.” It’s important to understand that struggles with self-esteem can happen can take hold of anyone.
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology questioned how self-esteem should be considered in cancer patients. Researchers noted cancer patients’ framing of their diagnosis and how they cope with their diagnosis and subsequent treatment impacts their self-esteem throughout their cancer journeys.
“Adaptive adjustment strategies (positive reframing, use of emotional support, active coping, acceptance, and planning) in breast cancer patients were associated with high self-esteem. Social support also appears to be strongly related to self-esteem,” the study says.
If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group is filled with loved ones who are there to help you on your journey.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive stress wave the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says.
WATCH: What is a scalp-cooling device?
Understanding Brain Tumors
Brain tumors account for 85-90% of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). In 2023, the ASCO estimated that 24,810 adults (14,280 men and 10,530 women) in the United States would be diagnosed with primary cancerous tumors of the brain and spinal cord.
The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord and acts as the main “processing center” for the body’s nervous system. The normal function of the brain and spinal cord can become difficult if there’s a tumor putting pressure on or spreading into normal tissue close by.
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There are many different types of brain and spinal cord tumors and some of which are more likely to spread into nearby parts of the brain or spinal cord than others. Slow-growing tumors may be considered benign, however, even these types of tumors can lead to serious problems.
Meanwhile, symptoms of brain tumors, as a whole, are usually caused by increased pressure in the skull. This pressure can stem from tumor growth, swelling in the brain, or blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the American Cancer Society explains.
General symptoms may include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Balance problems
- Personality or behavior changes
- Seizures
- Drowsiness or even coma
Additionally, MD Anderson Cancer Center notes that changes in the ability to smell can also be a sign of brain tumors, and, more specifically, “strange smells” can be a symptom of seizures, which can result from brain tumors.
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It’s important to note that these symptoms are not exclusive to brain tumors. Still, you should always speak with your doctor if you’re experiencing any health problems.
Meanwhile, treatment options for brain cancer depend on a variety of factors, including the size and type of the tumor as well as the grade of the tumor.
Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are options doctors use to treat brain tumors. Cancer warriors are encouraged to talk to their doctor about their situation and the best treatment options.
Types of Brain Tumors: Cancerous and Non-Cancerous
According to the National Cancer Institute, brain tumors can vary greatly in behavior. Some common non-cancerous (benign) types include:
- Chordomas: Slow-growing, often found near the spine’s base or where it meets the skull
- Craniopharyngiomas: Develop near the pituitary gland; rare and slow-growing
- Gangliocytomas: Form in the temporal lobe and affect the central nervous system
- Glomus jugulare: Rare and slow-growing
- Meningiomas: Typically grow on the brain’s outer protective layer (dura mater)
- Pineocytomas: Arise from the pineal gland near the brain’s center
- Pituitary adenomas: Located in the pituitary gland; generally slow-growing
- Schwannomas: Originate in Schwann cells, which insulate nerve fibers
- Acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas): Impact on hearing and balance nerve
Common malignant (cancerous) brain tumors include:
- Gliomas: The most frequent and aggressive form of primary brain cancer
- Astrocytomas: Derived from star-shaped brain cells, with four growth grades
- Ependymomas: Graded based on aggressiveness
- Oligodendrogliomas: Can grow slowly (Grade 2) or aggressively (Grade 3)
- Medulloblastomas: Fast-growing and often found in children
- Glioblastomas: The most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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