Shannen Doherty shares emotional pics and talks hair loss during chemo

Shannen Doherty says losing her hair during chemotherapy was ‘a battle of its own’ as she shares emotional photos taken ‘the day the decision was made to shave my head’

Shannen Doherty has been sharing about her experience living as a cancer survivor, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

First diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, the Beverly Hills 90210 star is opening up about the emotional battle she endured when she lost her hair during chemotherapy treatments in her latest Instagram post on Saturday.

‘When I started chemotherapy, I tried a cold cap in hopes of saving my hair. While it works for many and is amazing, it didn’t work for me,’ Doherty began in the caption of two emotional photos that show her breaking down in tears.

Cancer survivor: Shannen Doherty, 50, shared two photos taken after her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2015, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month; she is seen in a photo posted on her Instagram page on August 26

The 50-year-old actress went on to share that her ‘hair was falling out in clumps’ when she washed it. 

‘I had bald spots and it became increasingly harder to cover those up. I finally made a decision to shave what was left of my hair,’ she explained.

‘It was a battle on its own. I loved my hair. It had defined me to a certain extent and provided me with a security blanket of sorts.’

She ended the post by adding, ‘I’m sharing with you the day the decision was made to shave my head. #breastcancerawareness’

Heartbreaking: The Beverly Hills 90210 alum detailed her battle to keep her hair during chemotherapy treatments in 2016

Her story: The actress revealed she made the decision to shave her head when clumps of hair were falling out during chemo; she can be seen sobbing with tears during treatments

In one of the black-and-white photos, Doherty can be seen crying and being comforted, as she grabbed at her thinning hair.

She’s sobbing with tears over her hair loss in the second snap of the post.   

Due to the presence of multiple tumors, Doherty had a single mastectomy in May 2016, which was followed by the chemotherapy treatments and radiotherapy, because the cancer was more advanced than previously thought. 

By 2017, Doherty went public and announced that her cancer was in remission. 

But in February 2020, she revealed the cancer had returned the previous year, and that she is now in stage four.

Just two days ago, Doherty posted two photos of herself bald, and revealed she’d like to share more of ‘my personal journey from my first diagnosis to my second.’

Humor as a medicine: Doherty shared how wearing funny pajamas cheered her up during those hard chemotherapy treatments

Just two days ago, Doherty posted two photos of herself bald, and revealed she’d like to share more of ‘my personal journey from my first diagnosis to my second.’ 

‘Is it all pretty? NO but it’s truthful and my hope in sharing is that we all become more educated, more familiar with what cancer looks like. I hope I encourage people to get mammograms, to get regular checkups, to cut thru the fear and face whatever might be in front of you,’ she wrote in the caption. 

‘I had many nose bleeds from the chemo. Not sure if any of you experienced this. I also was beyond tired. I cheered myself up by putting on funny pajamas that my friend Kristy gave me. Did they actually cheer me up? Yes!! Lol. I looked ridiculous and in that ridiculousness, I was able to laugh at myself. Finding humor helped get me thru what seemed impossible. I hope we all find humor in the impossible. #breastcancerawareness’                                

Doherty, who’s originally from Memphis, Tennessee, has been married to photographer Kurt Iswarienko since 2011.           

Second diagnosis: Last year, Doherty revealed that her cancer returned in 2019, and that she’s now stage four; the actress has been married to photographer Kurt Iswarienko since 2011

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