Can this prevent chemo-induced hair loss?

When you receive a cancer diagnosis, many thoughts may rush through your head at once. You may wonder how it will impact your job performance, whether you can afford the recommended treatments or if you will lose all your hair.

Hair loss from chemotherapy is common and can take a toll on your self-esteem. That’s why cold capping was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015.

The technique involves wearing a special cap that cools your scalp to temporarily reduce the amount of chemotherapy that gets into the scalp’s hair follicles – reducing hair loss.

Traditional cold cap systems provide a series of soft gel caps maintained at a therapeutic temperature in a cooler. With the help of a nurse, you will change the cap at regular intervals to maintain scalp cooling during the chemotherapy session.

“Newer continuous scalp cooling systems use a computerized cooling unit managed through a touch screen and an attached cooling cap,” explains Crystal Michels, a nurse manager of cancer services and developer of a hair loss prevention program at Advocate Health Care. “This maintains continuous direct contact between the cooling cap and the scalp for a consistent temperature and therefore overall treatment effectiveness.”

Choosing to wear a cold cap during your treatment may require you to avoid heat from styling products and chemicals, such as hair dye. You also may experience discomfort while wearing the cold cap, including temporary headaches and tolerable scalp pain.

However, Dr. Rajini Manjunath, a medical oncologist affiliated with Advocate Health Care, says offering this technology has had a favorable impact on her patients.

“For many women, chemotherapy-induced hair loss is one of the most distressing aspects of breast cancer treatment, even though it’s typically temporary and incomplete,” says Dr. Manjunath.

Insurance coverage for this technology varies. However, Dr. Manjunath says many insurers now provide a reimbursement benefit to help cover this service.

Want to learn more about your risk for breast cancer? Take a free online quiz.