Cold caps

AndreaH

does anyone know how I can get a hold of a cold cap for my 27 year old daughter who is starting chemo soon?

melclarity

Andrea,

Where she is doing her Chemo, and it is something you have to ask her Team about as it is done where she has chemo. Do you know what Chemo regime she is having? I had 4 FEC and 8 Taxol and my Oncologist said it wouldnt be successful on FEC so I lost it, but wasn't that bad at all. I had friends did cold capping, different regime and their hair thinned on top and they had to wear headwear to cover it. Very individual and if its something she wants to try absolutely try. Hugs Melinda xo

AndreaH

Peninsula Private I'm looking to hire one but can't find the right page

AndreaH

We have asked and can't get straight answer apparently Hospital looking into it but not available as yet

melclarity

Oh! I do know, that not all facilities have the cold capping available, but I've never heard about sourcing it from elsewhere. Hopefully some others can jump in with some help for you. xo M

fairydust

I would probably ask the oncologist. I know they do cold capping at Epworth in Richmond perhaps call them for advice. The other place I would call is Breacan  or the cancer council. Cold capping is not always well tolerated.
Of the ladies I know and observed the majority experienced thinning hair,so try it but no guarantee.

AndreaH

Thanks 

angiesg

I did cold capping at epworth Richmond as a private patient and was very effective for me. Epworth in east Melb and Cabrini also provide a similar private patient service. The Royal women's has the facility for public patients but I believe the wait lists are longer. All of them do cold caping using the paxman machine which you can't access independently. Before the machines became available there were places that you can hire the caps and do it the manual way. From what I have heard this is an intensive process as you need to change the caps frequently and you need to keep them cold. Penguin caps was one of these companies that you can hire from. If you can get your daughter to have her treatment where the automated machines are available this will be the simplest and most effective manner. Best of luck 

angiesg

This link has a contact number for Australia 
https://penguincoldcaps.com/contact-us/

AndreaH

Thank you I have heard mixed review of effectiveness but I figure better to try.

LibbyB

I used the cold caps at Cabrini in Malvern. So you could also contact them for advice. But as others have said I'm not sure about doing it on your own.
I managed to keep almost all of my hair- a tiny bit of thinning, but not noticeable to anyone else. It was hard work, but definitely worth it!! Good luck 

kezmusc

Hi AndreaH.
 It depends on where you are as not all hospitals offer them, you might have to travel.  You can hire them from Penguin cold caps but that looks like a hard slog, lots of dry ice and some fuddy duddy hospitals are not keen on you lugging an Esky in!  They are horrendously expensive to the tune of around $700 a month.  But when I thought there was no other local option I was going to do it.  Luckily I had a new hospital open close to home that some generous soul had raised money for and donated a Paxman scalp cooling machine.  Absolutely well worth the search.  
I had my second last treatment today. (pic below)  After 4 rounds of AC and 11 rounds of Taxol I still have long blonde hair (it has thinned) but nobody but me can tell.  I also live on a farm so have probably been a whole lot harder on my hair than what they recommend.  Through 40 degree Qld heat I had an Akubra jammed on my head and washed from the mid length down every day and sometimes twice depending on the amount of sweat LOL.  I figured it wasn't going to fall out from the ends so why not. Don't know whether the cap had anything to do with it but I never lost my eyebrows or eyelashes either.  Everything else went so maybe it helped with that as well.   All the best.

onemargie

wow that's a bloody amazing picture! I had my treatment at Redcliffe hospital but they didn't use them and I heard that about pen private too they might use them now at Redcliffe as my treatment was last year so might be worth calling them otherwise I have an appointment with my oncologist there on Monday week the 22nd if you'd like me to ask for you??? You can just pm me about it if you'd like or any other questions as I'm over your way.. Best of luck to your beautiful girl. Sending her a massive hug Margie

[Deleted User]

I used cold caps and lost my hair after a nurse didn't check the machine properly. Still, I kept it for 3 months and it started to grow back. If I could go back in time, I would have gone without it and listened to music instead. It added a lot of time to my treatment and not being able to hear very well was a bit isolating. I did have very fast regrow he after chemo and have retained my thick hair. This is going back 2 1/2 years ago, so things have probably improved since then. I used the new style machines.