Strictly Come Dancing’s Amy Dowden opens up about ‘heartbreaking’ hair loss as she opens up about her health status battling breast cancer
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Amy Dowden has given an emotional and candid health update as she continues her battle with breast cancer.
The bubbly Welsh dancer, 33, has expressed her heartache after her loss hair as a result of chemotherapy treatment.
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Brave Amy wrote on Instagram: “What has been harder for me this time and the last few days is the hair loss.”
“As much as I’ve prepared myself to wake up every day, gently comb my hair with a wide comb and see what comes out, it’s just heartbreaking for me personally.
“I only wash my hair once a week max twice, don’t use heat on my hair or style it so it just doesn’t feel like me.”
“So it’s time to get the wig out, I say, and get used to it and help me feel like myself.”
During her treatment, Amy wore a cold cap – a hat that has a cooling effect by reducing blood flow to the scalp. According to the NHS, it also reduces the amount of medication reaching the scalp, which can help with hair loss.
The dancer, who underwent a mastectomy in June to fight the disease, subsequently shared a video of hair in a sink, revealed after some “gentle combing”.
Amy’s latest round of treatment has led to other nasty side effects including nausea, nausea and mouth ulcers.
She explained, “So this cycle I started getting sick as soon as the second batch of ‘Red Devil’ came in. I came home very tired and got sick (despite all the anti-sickness meds), by Friday afternoon the nausea stopped and just.” Waves of nausea.
“I’m still taking anti-disease meds now. Hardly any.” sleep due to steroids and insomnia they bring it with them. I haven’t had a last cycle, but this time some nice friends with mouth ulcers.
“But I’ve managed to get on a few walks, ate delicious homemade soups and smoothies, and feel even better today. The little one wins!”
Amy, who also has Crohn’s disease, was diagnosed with stage three cancer in May.
This comes after she discovered a lump in her right breast the day before flying to the Maldives in April for a belated honeymoon with husband Ben Jones.
The star has a revealing history of cancer in her family Hello! Magazine: “My mother had thyroid cancer and breast cancer when I was younger and it was hard to watch her.
“It’s important to remember the impact cancer has on the whole family – watching a loved one contract it can be just as difficult, and it can have a negative impact on everyone’s health.”
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