How 3 Women Handled Hair Loss From Chemo

Adina Schecter, 45

Greater Boston Area

Profession Instructional coach for middle and high school teachers

Diagnosis Breast cancer, diagnosed at 33; has a BRCA1 mutation, a genetic change that greatly increases a woman’s risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer

Method for Dealing With Hair Loss Wearing headscarves

Another young woman at my treatment center said that she did not want to wear a wig because she wanted the world to know that women her age were getting cancer. This influenced my decision. Also, my friends and family started buying me these beautiful scarves right away, and I just got into wearing them; it reminded me of all the love I was getting from my community. My brother Ariel made one for me. I wore a scarf my deceased grandmother used to wear. These scarves reminded me that I was so loved and taken care of. It was symbolic for me, being wrapped in love by my friends and family.

I was diagnosed when I had a 5-month-old baby and a 2-year-old. I knew the baby was not going to notice a change in my hair, but the 2-year-old did, and I worried that being bald might scare her. My husband and I talked to her about how being bald is beautiful. We read this great children’s book that I would highly recommend to other mothers called Nowhere Hair by Sue Glader.

One day I took off my scarf because I was hot, and my daughter said, “Mommy, you look pretty.” I knew she was trying to make me feel better, and it was one of the sweetest moments. Also, my daughter started wearing the scarves, too, so it ended up being a playful, fun experience for both of us.

Pros Since people could tell I had cancer, every time I went out into the world people would treat me with extra love and kindness. I just embraced this. I felt like I was being my true self by not hiding my cancer but rather showing the world that I could be beautiful and strong in the face of illness.

Cons My head did sometimes get too hot. Some of the scarves were a little harder to tie than others. Some days I felt too tired to tie them, and they seemed more like a nuisance.

Biggest Lesson There is something terrifying about looking in the mirror and seeing a different person from the one you saw two weeks ago, but there is also something liberating. Besides not having to worry about hair removal or shampoo (which was quite a luxury for an Ashkenazi Jew), I just appreciated what I did have so much more. Losing my hair and finding a way to handle that big change was symbolic of my cancer experience overall. When [I was] diagnosed with cancer, there was so much I lost control over (like my life!), but I felt in control of how I lived during cancer.

Advice for Other Women Experiencing Hair Loss Get a fun pixie cut early on and just shave it off before it starts falling out in clumps. I was glad I did that because I think it might have been more upsetting to watch large clumps fall out.

Follow Adina Schecter on Instagram at @alschecter.

Heather Hall, 49

Sterling Heights, Michigan

Profession Vice president, corporate communications for a physician organization

Diagnoses Osteosarcoma, diagnosed at 21; melanoma, diagnosed at 27; and breast cancer, diagnosed at 43

Method for Dealing With Hair Loss Cold caps

I was bald for almost 15 months during bone cancer [osteosarcoma] treatment when I was 21. I learned to embrace it because I didn’t have a choice, but it also made me sad and frustrated. It was stunning to be diagnosed with a third, separate cancer [when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 43]. My whole world was upended more than I expected it to be with breast cancer. I wanted to take back my life as I cleared this cancer. I didn’t have a choice on hair loss during bone cancer, but I did during breast cancer. I chose to embrace that choice.

I used manual caps so I can only speak to that process. (The other option is a scalp-cooling system that has the cap attached to a small refrigeration machine that circulates coolants. These machines are purchased by an infusion center.) Gel-filled caps at my clinic are stored in a freezer at -39 degrees F. When it’s time to wear the cap, you massage the gel as much as you can so the cap fits to your head. The cold should distribute evenly on the scalp. The cap should be strapped as tight as is bearable to ensure that the cold reaches all areas of the scalp.

It’s important to note that cold cap therapy is not appropriate for all cancers. Different chemo drugs can also affect the success rate. The cold cap companies can assist with details.

Pros I could go to work, out with friends, shopping — basically live a seemingly normal life without having to share or explain about cancer treatment. I’ve always been very open about my cancer journey to help others, but there are times when I prefer it not to be at the forefront of my brain, and cold capping helped with that.

Cons The first cap is cold! I recall feeling a little lightheaded with the very first cap for the first 10 minutes but refused to tell anyone because I was determined to use these caps! My scalp eventually got used to the cold, and fortunately I handled the coldness well. Each [cold cap] company has a specific protocol for hair care between treatments. For mine, I waited three days to wash my hair after treatment, then washed it every two to three days. I could wet my head on non-wash days if needed. There is a lot of maintenance between infusions: minimal touching or brushing, no heat (I could use low-cold dry), and no ponytails, braids, hats, or anything that will put stress on your scalp and hair follicles.

Biggest Lesson Every cancer moment has taught me to appreciate simple things. Washing my hair with warm water, brushing my hair, wearing ponytails, playing with my hair, getting scalp massages, wearing hats — none of this was allowed during cold capping, since you don’t want to add tension or trauma to your hair follicles. I don’t take these simple actions for granted anymore!

Advice for Other Women Experiencing Hair Loss Cold capping is definitely not for everyone. It takes work and commitment. There’s no guarantee it will work, or how much [hair] you may or may not lose. But it gives you another option, which I’m grateful for. I had a friend go through treatment shortly after me who chose not to cold cap and instead let her hair fall out. She made an informed decision that worked best for her! You do you.