Cold cap therapy

That's good to hear you are doing well.

Hi Abbeydog, thanks for following up with me. Yes, I did have good success with the cold cap. Because I had 12 one weekly sessions, I got pretty good at putting my hat on. I did however miss the first session due to lack of enthusiasm from staff. I did lose about 40% of my hair, however it started to regrow quickly and although a bit thin, I never needed to wear a wig like I did last time. If you didn’t know that I was having chemo, you wouldn’t guess that I was. I was very happy with the result and the speed of regrowth. The only thing that surprised me were the curls. They were not as tight as following my breast cancer, but they were curls none the less. They appeared once I started cutting my hair after my chemo. Now 18 months later, I’m still rocking the curls, though more just waves now. Thanks for your earlier recommendations. If I’m unlucky enough to require chemo again, I would definitelyuse the cold cap. It was cold and extended the sessions, but I feel that it was well worth the effort. I liked to put on the cap myself as I think I was better at doing it than the nurses. I had more time and could feel when I had a good fit.
Many thanks. I hope you are doing well too. 

Dear Chris,
Did you have success with the Cold Cap?
I hope that you doing well, other than your hair too.

Hi Ausmum2, thank you for your very encouraging reply. I’ve had long conversations with Abbydog and she has been so helpful as has been Kezmusc. Both have had great success, and as a result I am prepared to give it a good try even though I missed the first session. If I can avoid the tight ‘old lady frizzy perm’ stage I will also call it a success. When I lost my hair 10 years ago with TC, I was bald for close to 6 months after chemo before I started to grow back hair, then there was the 2 or so years of waiting for my old hair to come back. Both of these ladies have given me lots of help and info about doing it just right. One thing I have learnt since my first session, is that I will be the best person to sort out my cap and do the preparation. The nurse was good, and I had no idea, but now that I do, I think we will both benefit from me preparing it. The nurses are busy, so I’m sure they won’t object.
im so glad you have had success too. 10 years ago it was very new, and the jury was out on how well it worked, so it seemed like a lot of pain for questionable gain. I also had a friend who did it 8 years ago and she didn’t get a great result and told me she wouldn’t recommend it, and then my oncologist wasn’t terribly enthusiastic, hence the reason I missed the first round. How I wish I had last weeks nurse the week before. Anyway I wear my hair quite short, so if it does disappear it shouldn’t take too long to grow out again if I can miss the long bald period.

Many thanks
Chris

Hi @Chris
I have just done 4 AC cycles with Paxman cold capping (and following the rules re hair washing, silk pillow slips etc) and I still have hair! Enough for people who don’t know me to not know. My hair is much thinner, but I’m happy with what I have. 

Can you private message your phone number? I would be quicker. 

Hi Abbydog, any info you think might help would be greatly appreciated, including photos. Many thanks. It’s a while since I used this site, so can you send me a private message please, or do you need my phone number? I am spending this weekend thoroughly researching anything that might be of use while going through this treatment. I have already decided that I am the best person to fit the caps. Last week I didn’t go prepared, as it wasn’t something I hadn’t given much thought to, mainly due to the negative feed back I’d had. As a result I was unprepared, and I want to know as much as possible this time. I did miss the first session, which is a bit of a concern, but I am having the paclitaxol as weekly infusions, so hopefully due to the fact that I had only had 1/3 of the full cycle I will keep my fingers crossed that it will still work. The nurse who helped still thought it worth a try.

Chris 

P.S. I do wear my hair short, as in my photo. This is a wig, but it suited me well enough for me to decide that short hair works ok for me. I haven’t bought a wig yet, though I have been online looking. I would go for short again, as my first long hair wig wasn’t that easy to maintain.

Dear Chris,
I used the cold cap very successfully. I never wore the wig I purchased in advance.
The machine was a different brand 'Dignitana'.
I can send photos via Private message if you want.
Good luck!

That’s great Chris that kezmusc was able to help. I definitely think your hair grows back quicker. Even if your hair thins I reckon I would stick at it and put a scarf around it. Keep us posted with how you go. Take care. 

Thank you so much for your reply. I have had a lengthy discussion with kezmusc and I have since been online looking at Paxman. I really appreciate your help and I’m sorry you didn’t have success with it. Because I missed the first week, I expect to be in the same boat as you, however, if it can protect my hair follicles to prevent the wiry tight curls, I will be happy enough with that. I wear my hair short anyway, and it seems that hair regrowth after the Paxman caps is still a lot sooner than using nothing.

Many Thanks.
Chris