Jeong Ae-ri: 'My Hair Fell Out During Ovarian Cancer Battle... I Shaved It All Off in the Bathroom'

South Korean actress Jeong Ae-ri has openly discussed her past battle with ovarian cancer, detailing the profound physical and emotional challenges she faced during her treatment. In a recent appearance on the YouTube channel 'Song Seung-hwan's Wonderful Life,' Jeong recounted the initial symptoms that led to her diagnosis.

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The doctor said, ‘You need to change departments.’ I was told to go to the gynecologic oncology center. They said ovarian cancer cells were found.

She described experiencing significant weight loss and fatigue while performing in a play, initially attributing it to the demands of her profession. However, the situation escalated when she suffered severe abdominal pain at home, which prompted her to seek medical attention. Initially diagnosed with peritonitis, Jeong received a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer shortly after surgery, just as she was preparing for discharge.

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Women's cancers mean you lose your hair. [...] It started falling out noticeably.

"The doctor said, 'You need to change departments.' I was told to go to the gynecologic oncology center. They said ovarian cancer cells were found," Jeong recalled. She learned she had clear cell carcinoma, a particularly difficult form of ovarian cancer. Determined to be a "good patient," she followed her doctor's instructions precisely, choosing not to seek extensive information about the disease, fearing it would increase her anxiety.

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I didn’t want to face it falling out sparsely. So I called the hairdresser I usually went to and asked for a house call. I shaved it all off in my bathroom.

A significant part of her chemotherapy treatment involved hair loss. "Women's cancers mean you lose your hair," she noted. While her hair didn't fall out immediately after the first few treatments, it eventually began to shed noticeably. Unwilling to face the gradual thinning, Jeong arranged for a hairdresser to come to her home and shave her head in the bathroom. She also experienced severe foot pain as a side effect of the treatment, describing it as feeling like "sand was put inside, or my sole leather was put in." The surgery itself involved a lengthy incision because doctors needed to thoroughly examine the area for clear cell carcinoma, which affected her ability to straighten her back.

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My feet were uncomfortable at night, and it was difficult. It felt like sand was put inside, or my sole leather was put in. It was indescribably uncomfortable and difficult.