Scalp cooling
Hi,
Has anyone here used scalp cooling/the cold cap in recent years? (I see there is another post about cold caps, but it's ten years old and I don't want to potentially trigger the original poster if they get email alerts to say there have been replies to it.)
If so, what are your thoughts? Did you find it successful? How much time did it add to your day? I've read that the cap should be on for 30 minutes before and 45 afterwards (the afterwards time seems short - is that an accurate timeframe to expect?). Any other information that you think would be relevant or useful would be gratefully appreciated.
Thank you.
Comments
Hi, thank you for the response above.
Just an update. I have done four scalp-cooling sessions for my four rounds of chemo to date. I still have some hair, but not much. I think the efficacy of scalp cooling largely depends on chemo type. My first chemo was AC, dose dense, which is very hard on hair. I would say I only have about 10% of hair left on my head. However, for me, 10% is better than nothing. I don't find scalp cooling pleasant, and I don't think it would be for everyone. I'm glad I did it so far, but I'll also be glad to see the back of it when chemo ends.
Hope that's in some way helpful for anyone who's considering doing it.
Hi BellaBubble,
Thank you for posting to the online community. I do hope you receive some responses soon.
The cold cap varies with each individual in how it is tolerated and also how effective it is. Everyone responds differently so success can only be determined once you have tried it. The length of time will depend on the chemotherapy drugs you are receiving. The pre-infusion cooling time is 30mins then it remains on for the duration of the infusion. The post-infusion cooling time varies depending on the drugs. This time can vary from 20mins to 90mins. It can add time to your treatment. I would advise speaking with your oncology nurse and they can clarify how much time you would require based on your treatment. They can also give you a patient guide that has useful information on what to expect and how to care for your hair. Macmillan also have information on scalp cooling here that may be helpful.
If you would like to speak to a cancer nurse about this or for any other advice or support, you can call our supportline on 1800 200 700, Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm.
Kind regards,
Cancer Nurse