You can see I'm back with a vengeance... I was offered cold caps at the same place I would be having the chemo, at no extra cost or runaround so I decided to give it a go if I could tolerate it. I'm not hung up on losing my hair but know that it would make everything a little bit gentler for the kids (and partner) and if I could manage it and the extra time it takes, no problems. The day of the disastrous non-chemo, about the only thing that wasn't a problem was the cold cap - whether it wasn't on really firmly or I was just so traumatised from the preceding 6 hours, who knows... Jump 3 days to second try at chemo and I found the cap only just bearable. I've still got a couple of weeks to see if it has had the desired effect but I really hate having the greasy feeling of the conditioner-washed hair hanging around my face and I look like one of the lesser-groomed side characters on Midsomer Murders. So, I'm starting to assemble fors and againsts.I know from reading everyone's posts that when their hair falls out and grows back, the texture, colour and spread can be quite different from how it was before.I'm sure that even with cold caps (and I know even if successful there's likely to be thinning) there will be changes to the hair. Of those of you who have used them, how would you compare your hair to before, immediately after chemo course, and further down the track?

Hi lovely ladies, Months down the track of chemo & radio. Lung cancer primary - tick. HER2 POS breast cancer - a work in progress. Grrrrr. I just wanted to share my experience with cold cap. 1st time was horrific. So painful, tears (not like me) & fear. I learnt by trial and error that taking a couple of panadol beforehand helped heaps & as the brochure says "place an extra goop of sukin conditioner on crown of head and smear a little way down." This helped to lessen the pain during endless hours and especially helped at removal time with the freezer feel/look. 3rd treatment & I could barely feel the cold cap. PS this was winter in Hobart! I had longish, straight quite thick blonde COLOURED hair & I chose not to cut it as I wanted to see what happened & I've never had short hair. Tried to stay as "normal as pos".End result, hair thinned quite a lot after extreme chemo/treatment had finished & have receding temples so have changed part to cover. Slowly returning now. I used an afro comb if anyone can remember those & combed my hair in the backyard. My hairdresser had products that did not contain any nasties so was able to continue colouring. I see a huge difference in loss of thickness but no one else seems to notice and I actually get compliments on my hair. If they only knew. I feel it was worth the initial pain,effort & many extra hours it added to my treatment. I am grateful my hospital at least had cold caps as an option. Best wishes & hugs. Maggie.

I am 15 days after my first dose and I am shedding hair abit more and the hair in my nether regions is dropping out at a great rate but my head hair is hanging in there - fingers crossed.

The new hat I may be rocking - it says it all though - gratitude - to be alive!! There is a little sparseness on top now.

Well, that sort of puts a different perspective on it. You are going through all this and lost your sister 18 months ago - and you want to spare your sister's children the pain of seeing the visual effects again. You are one extraordinary woman! I can't even start to imagine those circumstances but a complementary buzz cut is the very least you deserve. I'd have done the Sinead O'Connor thing if my head wasn't the wrong shape, with a pre cancer bald patch, a few scars and a mole to boot!! But go for it - given what you have been through, a few stares and thin eyebrows are hardly in the race. I hope this is the worst part, that you triumph over this and that there are no more tears. Best, best wishes and all power to you.

@kmakm Sometimes the heavens open up and just rain a shitstorm, don't they? I'm sure you're on top of it, but just in case you're not (and I know you've got so much energy to sort everything out), have you looked into what care your father-in-law might be entitled to (I also don't know how active he is)? My in-laws are entitled to quite a bit under different schemes and, although your situation is different, I would assume that you could make a claim as being an invalid carer (not that I know an awful lot about this stuff but might be worth trying to find out). This may mean that you can get services to help out. It might not be much but, hell..I'd give over the cooking and cleaning to someone else any day of the week!

Cold Cap Experience | BCNA Online Network

181 Replies

kezmusc
Member
8 years ago
Hair is looking good @"Kiwi Angel". I have dead straight hair but it did grow back with a curl. This is my chinese chicken hair do when I get up. hahahaha. Photo probably 8 months after chemo.
kmakm
Member
8 years ago
I cannot get over the smoothness of the nether regions and my head! @Finch, showers are a revelation with no hair don't you think?! A sensory delight.
Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
@Finch - I had had it up all day so that is some of the waviness. I have always had wavy hair but it seems curlier since I had the first chemo. I’m down to washing every 3 days now. I would of thought bristley too now your head and your nether regions are soft as a baby’s bum!! R u moisturising your head? Be careful if u are out in the sun too. xoxoxx
Finch
Member
8 years ago
Lovely curly hair @"Kiwi Angel" . Do you think it's because you're not washing it and you're bringing out its natural wave ?
my new shaved head is sooooo soft. I thought it would be bristles, but it's baby soft. My hair was so fine anyway.
Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
I still have this much left even though it is in desperate need of a wash and it seems to be getting curlier - did anyone else notice this. I have heard it generally grows back curly too.
Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
@Finch at least we will be halfway and I have better drugs this time round! Glad u feel better - having a laugh at the vision of u thinking your wig was a hat - will take some getting used too. Good luck for Monday xoxoxoxo
Finch
Member
8 years ago
It sure did @Zoffiel. !
I feel much better @kmakm , it was becoming a minefield to get up in the morning. My bed needed a vacuum for a start as I didn't want to wear a cap. Then the shower, then a quick vacuum of me and then a clean up of the floor. What a palaver . I feel really comfortable too.
Might bump into you tomorrow. We are heading to Tyabb for a look around the antique shops then on to Sorrento to visit family.
I wore my wig yesterday , I forgot it wasn't a hat and lifted it to scratch my head when out for lunch with a friend.
Back onto the steroids for us on Sunday @"Kiwi Angel" ..... here we go again ;)
xxx
kmakm
Member
8 years ago
Well done @Finch. Do you feel better now it's done? Or upset?
Zoffiel
Member
8 years ago
Another thing you don't get told, @finch It feels like someone is pulling it out! Thankfully that stops after you have shaved it, though mine never completely stopped growing--just enough bristle to be irritating.
I decided if I was going to be bald I'd be super smmooooth bald--got quite good at navigating the back of my noggin with the razor :)
Kiwi_Angel
Member
8 years ago
@Finch - they never tell u that losing your hair will be uncomfortable - my nether regions felt like that until the hair started to fall out. Hope your poor head is feeling better. I have no soreness or itching there so fingers crossed. Like u I have very fine hair but I still have a full head of it - I have no idea where it is all coming from. It will be very interesting to know if the hair grows back in the same place as before with the laser treatment or it all grows back - that would be very annoying!!! Can’t believe round 2 has rolled around again for Monday - has gone very fast!! Hopefully your nosy neighbor doesn’t turn up anytime soon!! Xoxoxoox

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Cold Cap Experience

181 Replies

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