Breast cancer survivor faced hair loss during chemotherapy and reclaimed her identity

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Aging Untold) — Hair loss is often the most common and visually striking side effect of chemotherapy, especially for women. Lisa Steinhauser, a breast cancer survivor, said she lost her hair and part of her identity during chemotherapy. Now she inspires patients to find strength during their own battle. Hair as part of her identity “So when I knew I was going to lose my hair, that was pretty hard because I had a lot of it,” she said. Hair has always been Steinhauser’s craft, artistry and expression. Diagnosis and treatment In December 2021, Steinhauser went in for a routine mammogram, and she said doctors found a spot they were concerned about. “I really was not expecting it to be anything at all, but it was,” she said. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive, invasive type of breast cancer. Treatment is intense. “It was not fun,” Steinhauser said. “I went every three weeks.” Shaving her head Steinhauser’s hair began to fall out during trea