How to Cope with Hair Loss During Cancer Journey
- “The Voice” singer Virginia Lillye, 54, is battling stage 3 ovarian cancer. After completing multiple rounds of grueling chemotherapy, which caused hair loss, among other side effects, she’s enjoying the chance to style her hair again after its regrowth.
- Chemo can cause hair loss. It usually begins about three to four weeks after chemotherapy and continues throughout treatment. Most people can expect regrowth four to six weeks after treatment.
- 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.
- Cryotherapy involves scalp-cooling devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for certain cancers, including breast cancer. It’s used before, during, and after chemotherapy. It works by constricting blood flow, thus limiting circulating chemotherapy from reaching hair follicles.
“The Voice” singer Virginia Lillye, 54, who’s been battling stage 3 ovarian cancer for nearly a year, takes a moment to celebrate a milestone during her cancer journey – hair regrowth and using a hairdryer.
Hair loss is among the hardest parts of a cancer journey for patients because it is closely tied to their identity. Lillye is no different, as her cancer journey has already taken her on a long, winding path.
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“It looks so good on you!” Instagram user Amelia du Randt commented.
Lillye responded, “I’m getting used to it being short! It’s a lot easier to deal with.”
Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy, but it is also one of the most difficult to endure. A silver lining lies in hair preservation options like using a cold cap during treatment. Several people, including CNN’s Sara Sidner and “Young and the Restless” star Christian LeBlanc, use this method to keep their hair.
Helping Patients Understand Treatment Options for Ovarian Cancer
Coping With Hair Loss from Cancer Treatment
Hair loss can be an emotional stage of anyone’s cancer journey. SurvivorNet has tips and resources for anyone facing this side effect and struggling to manage it.
“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.
Chemotherapy can cause hair loss. It usually begins about three to four weeks after chemotherapy and continues throughout treatment.
WATCH: Hair loss during chemo.
It happens because this treatment targets quickly dividing cells throughout the body. That includes cancer cells but also hair cells.
Radiation is another treatment that can lead to hair loss if the hair is in the path of the tumor being treated. For example, radiation for a brain tumor may cause hair loss on the head.
“If you do lose hair, it will regrow several weeks or months after treatment,” radiation oncologist at GensisCare Dr. James Taylor tells SurvivorNet.
“Fortunately, for most patients, hair loss is not a concern when having radiation therapy.”
Most patients can expect regrowth four to six weeks after treatment. However, it is possible when your hair grows back, you may notice some changes in its color and texture.
Dr. Boardman suggests connecting with others experiencing cancer treatment like yours and asking them for first-hand advice.
“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.
If losing your hair is a concern before cancer treatment, know that you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and more.
Understanding Scalp Cooling Devices
Scalp-cooling devices have been approved by the FDA recently, first for breast cancer and then several other cancers.
That means wearing cold caps or special cooling caps before, during, and after each chemotherapy treatment.
The caps, which are tightly fitting and strap-on helmet-style, are filled with gel coolant chilled to -15 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Essentially, the caps “cause vasoconstriction, or a narrowing of the blood vessels bringing blood to the scalp,” Dr. Renata Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington, explains.
By constricting the blood flow to the scalp, the caps limit the 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, slowing down cell division and making the follicles less affected by the chemotherapy medicine.
WATCH: What is a scalp-cooling device?
Dr. Julie Nangia, a medical oncologist at Baylor College of Medicine and a lead author on one of the major studies of the device, says 50% of women were able to keep their hair after four rounds of chemotherapy, and added: “Without the devices, 100% of patients lost their hair.”
There have been some safety questions when it comes to scalp-cooling, but Dr. Nangia says that when given to people with solid tumors (like breast, ovarian, colon, and lung cancer), the devices are safe.
Virginia’s Ongoing Cancer Journey
Lillye is a singer who has performed alongside legendary performers as part of KISS, Guns ‘N’ Roses, and more. Last summer, eagle-eyed fans noticed she wasn’t sharing photos and videos of her shows as frequently as she once did. Her dormancy stemmed from a stage 3 ovarian cancer diagnosis.
“You may have noticed the absence of posts related to gigs and shows,” Lillye said on Instagram.
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. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, told SurvivorNet.
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: Treating ovarian cancer.
“I have a long road of recovery ahead with round one of chemo ticked off already and am heading for round two,” Lillye said in July 2023.
Her treatment included multiple rounds of chemotherapy and a full hysterectomy.
A hysterectomy is a procedure that removes part or all of the uterus (or womb), often along with the cervix, according to the National Cancer Institute. Women who receive a diagnosis of uterine, ovarian, and cervical cancer may have their cancer treated with a hysterectomy.
Amid treatment, Lillye experienced hair loss. She remained in high spirits, fueled by her husband’s willingness to shave his head alongside her.
“The hair has fallen out, and my husband, being the amazing human that he is, has supportively shaved his locks off, too,” Lillye said.
After a tough surgery and additional rounds of chemotherapy, Lillye said she felt herself getting stronger mentally.
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The standard of care for ovarian cancer patients is chemotherapy, which helps many patients reach remission.
Ovarian cancer 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 Gland Surgery medical journal. 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.
WATCH: How your ovarian cancer responds to certain types of chemotherapies guides your future treatments.
At the start of 2024, Lillye received her last round of chemotherapy, or so she thought. A couple of months later, in March 2024, recurring CT cans detected something concerning.
“My recent CT scan has shown evidence of fluid on my left lung with thickening on the lining. What would normally be considered as not an issue, the fact that my CA125 blood level count has jumped from 13 to 74, has my team worried,” Lillye explained.
In the end, her care team told her she needed to restart chemotherapy.
“Back in the saddle for my target therapy,” Lillye said.
“It’s crazy to think that two weeks ago, this whole chemo journey began again!” she added.
“Other than being a little fatigued, having a dull headache for a day or two, and a little diarrhea, I’ve managed to get on with life and have not been hit by any major chemo issues,” she said.
At this point in Lillye’s journey, she’s back on her feet and enjoying life as best she can. In addition to styling her hair as she once did, she’s also spending lots of time with people who’ve stood by her the past year.
“I’ve managed to visit friends, spend quality time with family, go out for lunches, and see the 30th anniversary of ‘The Crow’ at the movies… not too bad for a two-week period with going through chemo,” Lillye added.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you’re going through cancer treatment 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?
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