Chemotherapy

Updated: May 19, 2008

Why do cancer patients often lose their hair? It usually has to do with their treatment, rather than their disease.

When cancer occurs, abnormal cells in the body continuously and uncontrollably divide and form more cells. One of the most common methods of treating cancer is chemotherapy, which targets and halts fast-growing cells to combat the cancer.

Unfortunately, the anti-cancer drugs used in chemotherapy are so powerful, they destroy healthy cells in addition to the cancerous cells, leading to severe side effects. Learn more about chemo from this interactive explainer.