Making Peace With Hair Loss Stephanie Hess Shares Her Ovarian Cancer Story

Hair loss can be one of the most difficult side effects of chemotherapy both physically, and emotionally. It happens because this treatment targets quickly-dividing cells throughout the body. That includes cancer cells, but also hair cells. And the loss doesn't only affect hair on the scalp. Women may lose their eyebrows and eyelashes, too. Going bald can have a big impact on your self-esteem.

Once treatment ends, the hair will typically grow back. And while it's gone, a wig or scarf can help to camouflage the loss. Many insurance companies will cover the cost of a wig, and often women can find one that resembles their original hairstyle.

Yet some cancer patients choose to embrace their new look. And sometimes, their loved ones adopt the same look in solidarity.

Cancer Allies

Hess quickly realized that she wasn't alone in her chemotherapy journey. "My cute seven-year-old son shaved his head about two weeks after I shaved my head," she says. "I had a nephew that was living in Las Vegas at the time, and he had shaved his head for me."

Her two nieces, one of whom was in her 20s and the other in her 30s, also shaved their heads. "I hadn’t asked them to. I had no idea," she recalls. "I got a text with their shaved heads and I just cried and cried because it was so freeing."

Stepping Out With a New Look

The first time Hess felt good enough to go out to dinner with her family, she was nervous about how her new look might be received. Then she spotted her niece, with her own newly shaved head. "She didn’t wear a hat or a scarf or anything. She just was completely bald," Hess said. "Walking into that restaurant with my niece who was bald… helped me not be so afraid."

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 make peace with it.

Now that Hess has come to terms with her own hair loss, she recommends that other women who are going through the same experience surround themselves with people who will care for and help them through the experience. "Find a support group," she suggests. Talking to a group of people who understand what you’re going through and can offer suggestions can help make the process much easier to bear.

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