Worried About Hair Loss During Chemotherapy Treatments? Cold Caps May Be The Solution
No matter what kind, cancer is not something anyone should have to go through. The treatments can be, and usually are, even worse than the disease but are necessary to control, and hopefully, end it. If you are facing chemotherapy treatments, you have probably been told that you will lose your hair. While this may not seem like a big deal in the scheme of things, it can be the final draw to yourself confidence when it is already low. To help with this problem you have the option of wearing a wig or using cold temperatures to keep the hair from falling out in the first place. Here is a bit of information on using cold caps:
How it Works
The idea is to lower the temperature of your scalp so that the blood vessels are constricted. This prevents the chemotherapy medication from getting to the follicles of your hair. Of course, some of the drug may still get to the follicles but can keep enough way to prevent all your hair from falling out. You may end up with thinner hair, or perhaps a few bald spots though, so be prepared for this.
Caps
Cold caps are like a swimming cap. However, they are frozen in a freezer that can get the caps to a temperature of well below zero. You will need to war the cap for a while before, during, and after your chemotherapy treatment. Because they will thaw out during this time, you will need to have enough caps in the freezer to change them every 30 minutes or so.
Cooling System
Another option is to have a cooling system to keep the cap cool throughout the time you need to wear it. A small tube is used to connect the cap to a refrigerating machine. A coolant is run through the machine and flows through smaller tubes in the cap to keep it cold. The cap will be placed on your head before treatment begins and will not need to be replaced.
You will probably feel cold when you are wearing the cap, so you should bring a blanket. The coldness may also cause headaches. Talk with your doctor about options for stopping the headache pain that you can use while undergoing chemotherapy. Even if you end up needing a wig because your hair is coming out it blotches, you may feel better having taken control of one aspect of your treatment.
