MTV Star Diem Brown Documents Hair Loss on Film

Entertainment reporter and reality TV star Diem Brown has bravely documented her hair lossresulting from her battle with ovarian cancer in an online video.

The 28 year old, who is fighting cancer for the second time, aims to provide a resourcefor other young women who are also losing their hair. In the intimate video, the star records herself brushing her hair at various stages of the treatment. Her aim is simple: to give the viewer access to her hair loss and her reactions to it.

Writing on her People.com blog, Brown explains that when she was first diagnosed with cancer some six years earlier, she was desperate to see images of other young girls who had undergone the same treatment. However, try as she might, Brown could not locate any images of other young women experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatment during her many web searches.

Brown was also curious about the hair loss process itself: how fast would it happen? What does the hair falling out feel like? What does it look like? Faced only with images of stars who had shaved their heads out of choice, such as Natalie Portman and Britney Spears, Brown despaired of finding any images to give her some peace of mind that she wasn’t going through the daunting process alone.

At times overcome with emotion and at other times the cool observer, Brown bravely soldiers on through the videos even when, nearing the end of one segment, a large chunk of hair falls out causing her to momentarily panic before regaining her composure.

Not only has Brown made what she calls her “Google search contribution” for women experiencing hair loss through cancer treatment, she has also started her own charity. Medgift.com is a gift registry and social network for sick patients, allowing them to list their specific “needs, wants and wishes” during treatment and recovery. From assistance with personal medical expenses to money towards a real hair wig, Medgift offers the support Brown was desperate for when she was first diagnosed at the age of 23.

Sadly, there is no absolute way of preventing hair loss due to chemo. However, two methods (‘The Plant Programme’ and ‘cold cap’) can in some cases be effective in counteracting the hair loss caused by cancer treatment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8P_vCkOHPs