Forum Discussion
Scalp Cooling Caps
I was wondering if anyone has used OR has information re: scalp cooling caps..used to prevent hair loss during treatment. ( it was mentioned to me by my medical oncologist ). Also cost of same. I commence Chemo next Friday and trying to gain as much information as I can. Also any tips re: managing possible side effects related to TC Chemo. Thanks to all. Take Care. Chrisxx
12 Replies
- No problem Chris! Thank you for your good wishes and all the best with your chemo. I hope it all goes well. As someone said to me. 'It sucks but it's do-able!' and that just about summed it up for me. One day at a time!
I used the cold caps at The Mater Cottage and I would say I probably lost around 30% of my hair and I used to wear caps & my own hair would show the main hair loss was at the top of my head. I won't lie to you it is very uncomfortable I used to take two Panadeine Forte before each visit and some days I had the cooling cap on for seven hours!! I would do it again if I had to, I finished chemo in January this year and had a hair cut (in a pixie style) in April and I had a full head of hair and now it looks great! The cooling cap also heaps the hair that you do lose to grow back quicker. You also need to treat your hair with kid gloves only very light brushing no more than once a day and only washing your hair once a week with an Organic Shampoo. If you want any other information just let me know. Cheers
- That has certainly given me something to think about. The cost may have to factor in!!. Good luck with your radiotherapy regime. Take care and thanks again for letting me know. Chris.
- Hi Chris! I used a company called Penguin Cold Caps. They are based in New Zealand but most of their caps seem to be here in Australia. I have just sent the set I hired on to a lady in Melbourne. I actually ended up delaying chemo by a week to get hold of the caps. It costs just under $600 per month and the dry ice is around $250 per month. As I mentioned, you keep them in your freezer and then get the dry ice the day before your chemo. Four or five hours before chemo starts you transfer all the caps into the esky. The first cap goes on an hour before chemo starts (I used to just get to the hospital an hour before I was due to start chemo). The first two caps are for 20 minutes to get your head nice and cold and then all caps after that are changed every 30 minutes. You really need someone to do the changes for you as once you're hooked up to the drip, you can't really move that arm and as I said, it was my husband that did all the work and I just sat there! You can only wash your hair once a week in organic shampoo and no hairdryers, tongs etc. For someone that used to wash their hair every other day, I thought it was going to be a nightmare but it really hasn't been. My hair has dried out with the chemo so doesn't need as much washing and I have used some dry shampoo here and there. I kept the length long enough to keep it tied back as I couldn't really style it. I have bumped into people I know that don't know my situation and they still have no clue (probably just think I need to get my roots done!!). For me, that's what a lot of it has been about, not just about whether I have hair or not. It's about telling who I choose to tell (without it being immediately obvious) and carrying on as normally as possible in between chemo sessions and looking relatively like my 'old self' has helped me with that. I respect everyone's decision to deal with it in their own way and this was just the way that helped me. I hope this all makes sense, I am sitting on the train on my way to my first radiotherapy session. If there is anything else you'd like to know, just shout. I'm happy to help :)
Hi Chris!
I am 6 weeks post chemo and I did use the cold caps and have managed to save nearly all my hair! No-one at my hospital had used them and the nurses and Oncologist all believed they didn't work but they were basing their opinions on the cold caps they had seen used in the UK 10 years ago! Things have changed a bit since then! They were all quite intrigued when every time they saw me, I stil had my hair and I think I have managed to change their opinions a little bit and hopefully they will be a bit more encouraging for the next person that wants to use them. The caps I used were not attached to a machine but stored in my freezer and then put in dry ice and kept in an esky for me to take to the hospital. This meant no extra time at the hospital after chemo as although you have to keep them on for about four hours afterwards, I could go home and sit there with them on. I personally didn't find it too much of a bother, it was my husband who had to do the cap changes and freeze his fingers! It has been totally worth it for me. If you want to know any more details, let me know :)
- Thankyou so much for all of your info. It doesn't seem worth it ....with no guarantees. I may just go with the hats and scarves and hopefully have lovely curls like you at the end of treatment. ( My hair is also fine). All best wishes to you...this cancer thing is the pits...but we will stay strong and look to the future. God Bless. Chris.xx
Hi Chris,
I didn't have 'cool caps' because there was a queue for them and my tumours were doubling every three weeks. I needed to get in there! I had treatment at 'The Cottage' at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney where they have a number of the 'cool cap' machines and I had lots of great conversations with the women using them and the staff.
The pros are that you MIGHT preserve your head hair, and even if you get hair loss and thining it might help you feel better to still have some hair.
The cons are that your treatment takes longer because you need to sit around after your drugs have finished and keep your head cool for a while. Women I saw were typically hooked up to cool caps for half an hour to an hour after their drugs finished.
Results were mixed, with some women still losing significant amounts of hair and some having a better result, but your hair will not look healthy during this process. Patients doing cool caps were advised not to use hair products, or to only use them infrequently and to favour organic ones.
Some women still cut their hair fairly short while others were hoping to maintain there lovely long locks.
From a personal perspective, I was glad I hadn't gone with the caps when I saw what was involved but I'm in my 50's and I'd previously shaved all my hair off for charity (a couple of years before I got cancer!) so going bald for a while was no big deal to me. I did get a wig after I did the 'Look Good, Feel Better' day, but only wore it a couple of times because the chemo put me into menopause and I loved my head being bare when I got hot flushes!
I also have friends that say not losing all their hair and not 'looking like a cancer patient' was a really important part of their recovery. It's a very personal choice.
I didn't mind being visibly sick and, to be honest, it was heart warming to see how frquently people went out of their way to be kind to me.
I finished chemo just before Christmas. Having previously had very fine hair I now have an impressive head of waves and my hair is thicker than it's ever been. For me, at least, going bald has been a blessing in disguise.
Best of luck whatever you decide.
Meg
x
Hi Chris,
I didn't have 'cool caps' because there was a queue for them and my tumours were doubling every three weeks. I needed to get in there! I had treatment at 'The Cottage' at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney where they have a number of the 'cool cap' machines and I had lots of great conversations with the women using them and the staff.
The pros are that you MIGHT preserve your head hair, and even if you get hair loss and thining it might help you feel better to still have some hair.
The cons are that your treatment takes longer because you need to sit around after your drugs have finished and keep your head cool for a while. Women I saw were typically hooked up to cool caps for half an hour to an hour after their drugs finished.
Results were mixed, with some women still losing significant amounts of hair and some having a better result, but your hair will not look healthy during this process. Patients doing cool caps were advised not to use hair products, or to only use them infrequently and to favour organic ones.
Some women still cut their hair fairly short while others were hoping to maintain there lovely long locks.
From a personal perspective, I was glad I hadn't gone with the caps when I saw what was involved but I'm in my 50's and I'd previously shaved all my hair off for charity (a couple of years before I got cancer!) so going bald for a while was no big deal to me. I did get a wig after I did the 'Look Good, Feel Better' day, but only wore it a couple of times because the chemo put me into menopause and I loved my head being bare when I got hot flushes!
I also have friends that say not losing all their hair and not 'looking like a cancer patient' was a really important part of their recovery. It's a very personal choice.
I didn't mind being visibly sick and, to be honest, it was heart warming to see how frquently people went out of their way to be kind to me.
I finished chemo just before Christmas. Having previously had very fine hair I now have an impressive head of waves and my hair is thicker than it's ever been. For me, at least, going bald has been a blessing in disguise.
Best of luck whatever you decide.
Meg
x
Hi Chris,
I didn't have 'cool caps' because there was a queue for them and my tumours were doubling every three weeks. I needed to get in there! I had treatment at 'The Cottage' at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney where they have a number of the 'cool cap' machines and I had lots of great conversations with the women using them and the staff.
The pros are that you MIGHT preserve your head hair, and even if you get hair loss and thining it might help you feel better to still have some hair.
The cons are that your treatment takes longer because you need to sit around after your drugs have finished and keep your head cool for a while. Women I saw were typically hooked up to cool caps for half an hour to an hour after their drugs finished.
Results were mixed, with some women still losing significant amounts of hair and some having a better result, but your hair will not look healthy during this process. Patients doing cool caps were advised not to use hair products, or to only use them infrequently and to favour organic ones.
Some women still cut their hair fairly short while others were hoping to maintain there lovely long locks.
From a personal perspective, I was glad I hadn't gone with the caps when I saw what was involved but I'm in my 50's and I'd previously shaved all my hair off for charity (a couple of years before I got cancer!) so going bald for a while was no big deal to me. I did get a wig after I did the 'Look Good, Feel Better' day, but only wore it a couple of times because the chemo put me into menopause and I loved my head being bare when I got hot flushes!
I also have friends that say not losing all their hair and not 'looking like a cancer patient' was a really important part of their recovery. It's a very personal choice.
I didn't mind being visibly sick and, to be honest, it was heart warming to see how frquently people went out of their way to be kind to me.
I finished chemo just before Christmas. Having previously had very fine hair I now have an impressive head of waves and my hair is thicker than it's ever been. For me, at least, going bald has been a blessing in disguise.
Best of luck whatever you decide.
Meg
x
- I had the same chemo as you will be having.I didn't worry about my hair coming out,and I actually had my head shaved a few days before chemo.On exactly day 14 my eyebrows came out,and my little prickles of hair also! I found chemo pretty good actually,so I consider myself fortunate.I had 4 rounds of chemo. From about day 5 to 10, I had varying degrees of tiredness.Dont plan much on those days.Days 10 to 15 I felt good but stayed away from crowded places so I wouldn't get sick.The last week I felt almost normal.Have a look at my blog posts if you like,and you can see what side effects I felt the most.Looking back now,it seems like ages ago!Food cravings were strong for me,and also a very annoying skin rash.Buy some Zyrtec and have it ready.I used moo goo for my skin which got very dry,and Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash all day every day!!!Constipation was a problem the first week so take something like coloxyl before it becomes a problem!!!Also I took the anti nausea medication I was given,every day for the first week.I never had nausea.All the best.xoxCheers Robyn
