Cold caps and hair care

Hi Angie, I have used the cold cap for both sessions of chemo and it is a strange sensation but I have kept my hair. I have very fine hair but a lot of it which feels greasy if not washed frequently, so I wash my hair every day, but keep the water as cool as possible.  I did cut my hair to shoulder length because of the matting in the longer hair.  I have noticed slightly more hair loss than I normally experience but nobody outside those I have told seem aware that I have breast cancer so I think the dignicap is working. My chemo nurse says everyone is different and if this experience has taught me anything it is that you do what is right for you.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies.

i had my first taxol/herceptin chemo with the cap today. I tolerated it really well, yep first 15-20 minutes were the worst, had it on a bit longer longer today due to slow dosing me as it was my first . Now 11 more to go ??. I took the lorazepam too.

Simmo1967, I could not find any online stockists for the spilt milk mineral powder, can you recall where you got it from? Looks like it may be only available at hair salons.

now for  being creative with no styling products 

thanks Angie

 

Hi Angie

One other thing that i used to help me get by without colouring my hair was a product called Spilt Milk... Its a coloured powder that you brush onto the roots of your hair to hide any regrowth. Got me through the months of not being able to colour. You can buy it online. I was lucky enough to get through my 6 rounds of TCH with hair still on my head did lose quite a bit mainly around neck as the cap didnt come down that far. I only washed my hair once every 2 weeks ( gross i know ) but didnt want to touch it too much. I also didnt use any hairdryer or straightener anything with heat is a big no no. Good luck i hope it works for you x

Hi there. I had scalp cooling during my 6 chemo treatments. I had long curly hair before chemo commenced after my first treatment started losing my hair at the top part of my head as the cap didnt fit properly. At that point i cut my hair short to stop it from matting. So if you can imagine i looked like friar tuck!!. Hair grew back really quick though. I used organic shampoo and conditioner and was very gentle with it...no coloring hair drying or styling products. Agree with doll, make sure you go to the loo before you start as you will be hooked up for a while and if the chemo fluid doesnt make you want to go...the coldness will.

Good luck

Maryrose 

Hi Angie, I used the cold cap when I had my 1st chemo.... I thought I would be able to handle it but have now decided against.   I was told to wash with organic shampoo/conditioner, use a wide tooth comb, no blowdrying no colour etc.... I followed all this but  now loosing my hair  and alot of it....

Good luck with everything!

Hi Angie,

The information i have been given is to be very gentle with your hair and scalp during scalp cooling/ cold cap treatment.  Gentle products shampoo and conditioner etc.  Advised against colouring, blow drying and all those things that involve styling with heated appliances (can't think of the word- must be chemo brain).

There seems to be a wide variation with the amount of hair loss during scalp cooling.  Some people have thinning others lose hair in patches. I shaved my shoulder length hair back to a number two with clippers because I feel it makes the thinning/ patchiness less obvious.  I actually find the very short hair very empowering.  I don't use shampoo anymore, just water and sometimes conditioner.  Occasionally I massage in some sweet almond oil. Others where i'm treated use scarves or different styling; some don't look to have lost any hair at all.  I have actually had regrowth of hair during the scalp cooling that has filled in the patches that initially thinned.  I'm two thirds of the way through my chemo and I'm really pleased that i decided to do the scalp cooling.  The nurses tell me that when the chemo is finished hair grows back sooner with scalp cooling.

A great tip i got from these pages was to ask the doctor to prescribe a dose of ativan/ lorazepam to take before scalp cooling.  I found the head freeze feeling when the cap is cooling down to optimum level quite uncomfortable.  The paracetamol just wasn't working for me.  Another practical tip- go to the loo before you are hooked up to the scalp cooling and your chemotherapy infusion.  The scalp cooling needs to start before your chemo infusion and continue for a period of time after it is complete.  While it isn't impossible to get up if you need to it can be a bit of a kerfuffle getting disconnected/ carrying the equipment with you.  

Good luck with it.