FIGHTING hair loss FROM CHEMOTHERAPY

FIGHTING hair loss FROM CHEMOTHERAPY

A Howland cancer patient said cold caps helped her avoid hair loss caused by chemotherapy for uterine cancer that spread to her lungs. Cold caps are tightly fitting, strap-on hats filled with gel that’s chilled to between minus 15 and minus 40 degrees.

Cold cap data

Because the caps are so cold, they narrow the blood vessels beneath the skin of the scalp, reducing the amount of chemotherapy medicine that reaches the hair follicles, thereby making hair less likely to fall out.

Patients wear the cold cap for 20 to 50 minutes before, during and after each chemotherapy session for a length of time depending on the type of chemotherapy they get.

Cold caps are changed several times during the chemotherapy treatment. Each cap is usually worn for about 30 minutes; then it warms up and is replaced with a new cap.

Women who use cold caps during chemotherapy are advised to baby their hair during treatment: no blow drying, hot rollers or straightening irons; shampoo only every third day with cool water and a gentle shampoo; no coloring until three months after chemotherapy is done; gentle combing and brushing.

Some doctors are concerned that the caps may prevent the chemotherapy medicine from reaching cancer cells that may be in the scalp. Several U.S. studies are underway to look at the safety and effectiveness of the caps. At this time, none of the caps has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Source: Breastcancer.org.