cold caps

[Cazy1010]

do they work ?? X

[ZenaJ]

It worked for me. I lost every hair on my body but kept my hair on my head. If you have very thick hair it may not work. Make sure the cap is very tight to every part of your head otherwise the bits not touching will fall out. There is a certain amount of pain but this goes. Take blankets. Hope it works for you. x

[Lovedogs41]

They work for some and not for others! So it’s hard to say until you give it a go.I did a cold cap and lost about 60% of my hair so I use to wear wide stretchy soft hand bands to cover the bald areas.It is uncomfortable and adds more time spent at your chemo infusion,I’m not sure I would use it again,but like I said you won’t know until you try,everyone responds differently.

[Lizz49]

Hi Cazy

I did the cold cap through all 6 cycles of chemo but unfortunately it didn’t work for me and I ended up losing 80% of my hair and had to wear wigs anyway. I found it hard work and it prolonged the chemo days by a few hours. If I ever need chemo again I wouldn’t do it, but for some ladies it’s really successful. You have to make sure the cap is very tight to your head otherwise it won’t work properly.

I’d say give it a go, you’ve got nothing to lose and it might work? And if you find your hair starts shedding after a few weeks you may decide to discontinue with it. My chemo was 5 years ago now so maybe the caps have improved even more?

Good luck! Xx

[Towergirl]

they can work if the right size cap is fitted. If right cap will be freezing at first but doable later. Unfortunately I was fitted first chemo with medium cap after nurse couldn’t fit small (they were newly delivered machines)

Had the 2nd chemo with small cap and noticed the difference from slightly cold, didn’t work as damage was done so cancelled cold cap for 3 cycle of chemo as I’ve lost my hair.

[Lind58]

my mom has very thick hair so for her it wasn’t as effective but did allow her to keep 45% of her hair which to her made it worth it. Thinking of you and wishing you the best ♥️

[JR1MF]

YES!

I had 6 cycles of paclitaxel and carboplatin last summer. I went back to work after cycle 2 and most people I worked with didn’t even know I was having chemo. My hair has always been in a short style but I had it cut as short as I could but not shaved just a bit shorter . I had it trimmed every second cycle but I never lost a strand of my hair. The hairdresser said it didn’t grow as thick when I was having it but it didn’t even thin out much. The trick is to keep the cap as tight as possible. I always made it a bit tighter than the nurses did. It is painful at first but listen to music and read to distract yourself. Take two paracetamols about an hour in and you will be fine. I had extra long sessions due to a reaction to paclitaxel so sometimes I had it on for 10 hours as it makes each session 2 hours longer as it you need 90 minutes extra at the end.

I spoke to other ladies and it does work. My oncologist asked me at my follow up if I had a really good wig or my real hair? He was very impressed as they tell you it is only about 50% effective.

I would always give it a go but you have to start from the first session. Good luck.

[monkeytwo in reply to JR1MF]

Morning JR1MF

I have to say I take my hat off to you. I too reacted to paclitaxel when I had the six cycles with carboplatin last summer so that already makes it an extra long day without sitting there with more time on top for a cold cap throughout. Well done xx

[JR1MF in reply to monkeytwo]

I went from washing my hair every day to only twice a week and I still only do it every 2 or 3 days now. During chemo I used Faith In Nature shampoo and conditioner and didn’t go near a hairdryer . I also used a hat and stayed out of the sun as it was very hot last summer. I didn’t lose my eyebrows until session 5 and they didn’t go completely ! It is worth the effort !

[monkeytwo]

Morning Cazy1010

I had long blonde hair and lost the lot last summer I didn't even attempt a cold cap. I now have a pixie cut but had been so excited when it began growing back I couldn't bear to lose my hair again so tried cold caps. As the ladies have already said it needs to be fitted tight. So far so good no hair loss xx

[Ruebacelle]

Yes

[2016Mags]

I have done both, lost all my hair in 2017 and cold capped last year. When my hair began to fall out in 2017 I shaved it all off after first session and used wigs all the time as I didn’t want to see it fall out bit by bit. After my first 3 sessions with the cold cap I lost a lot of hair but they say we are saving the follicles for regrowth to be quicker.

My hair was very fine and my daughter brushed it every night as it knotted very easily, she put it in a very small plait at the back and I wore a silk cap to bed. I still wore wigs out but I was okay around the house.

I’m finished chemo since end of December but still on Avastin and am able to go out with a baseball cap on.

Even though a lot of hair fell out cold capping it was also regrowing on chemo. It took 8 months before I could go out without a wig with extremely short hair when I did not use the cold cap so overall I feel the cap was worth it now. Best of luck, Mags xx

[Alice77]

If your hospital has a machine I would use it. Unfortunately mine used caps from the freezer which had to be applied to damp hair every half hour. It did work but only as long as there were staff to change them regularly. I kept most of my hair for the first four cycles and managed without a wig or scarf until there was an emergency with another patient during the fifth and no staff were around to change the cap. The following session another person was also using the caps and there were not enough to get them properly frozen in time for use. At that point I realised that without a machine or the student nurse who had helped me in earlier sessions it was not going to work. Then my eyebrows and lashes fell out followed by most of my hair. Fortunately it started to regrow quite strongly a couple of months after my tenth and last chemo cycle. I have been asking my hospital, which is the main one in the County, to get a machine but it is not considered a priority.

[Saintgermain]

I'm in the states we use Dignicap I had 6 Carbo/Taxol I only lost 15% my hair is a short pixie my hairdresser had experience with a couple BC survivors her thoughts are the hair needs to be cut short prior to the cold capping and you have to follow the protocol to a tee which I did wash it 3 days after treatment certain chemo's react better to cold capping your provider can give you the breakdown. Another tip get the little ear muffs that was my only complaint

[JustKBO]

I kept it on for about 10 seconds. I felt my head was in an iron clamp it wasn’t worth the pain or extra time for me. The staff said it wasn’t that successful. So I just rocked my bald head. It’s entirely up to you but I wouldn’t bother. Good luck.

[Cazy1010 in reply to JustKBO]

yep I’m on that page !!! I’ve got scarfs and looking into wigs , the less time I spend in hospital the better and I’m not bothered about hair I’m still the same person xx think I’ve made my mind up xx

[Summergold2 in reply to Cazy1010]

good for you did the same thing and wore bandanna too. They have cute baseball caps with braids and hair too …when I was feeling self conscious

[NewtonEmma1900]

Hi Cazy,, a friend put me off using a cold cap but actually the hospital didn’t offer it up! I cut my hair short a few weeks prior to chemo to get used to it but clearly I lost all my hair. I bought a wig that replicated my short hair along with a couple of turbans. I didn’t wear the wig very much because I found it quite itchy, but I ended up buying lots of turbans - which I loved - I felt like I was ‘owning it’. It’s such a personal choice! I hope the chemo goes well! Katy

[JustKBO]

well done you! I got a wig and took it back after one try. It itched like a ******!

I bought beautiful hats/scarves from Masumi but fidgeted with them all the time.

In the end I found the lightest, cheapest, thinnest little jersey beanies on Amazon to cover up when it was cold but by and large I just brazened it out and wore my bald bonce like a talisman!

If we want to speak out and highlight ovarian cancer there’s no better way to do it. Of course everyone is different and you have to do what you are comfortable with and what works for you. X

[Flute_7]

I was originally diagnosed in 2020 and wasn’t offered a cold cap, hence I lost all my hair and used a wig for a short period which was ok until I washed it !!!! so had to use scarves, hats etc thereafter.

Relapsed in 2021, on different chemo and didn’t lose hair, then relapsed again in 2022.

I have been on a trial which involves having chemo every week for 6 months (1 week off 3 weeks on) and have used a cold cap every week for last 6 months, I still have my hair but no eyebrows or lashes etc. but am extremely grateful that I have had the opportunity of using the cold cap.

Losing hair doesn’t worry some people and I think you mentioned you aren’t concerned which is great, so if you decide not to use the cold cap, it sounds like you will be just fine.

Having hair means a lot to me, especially as I’ve already experienced not having it. I don’t like being viewed as ‘someone with cancer’ so for me apart from friends and family knowing what I’m going through no one else does.

The cold cap doesn’t work for everyone as some people above have said, sometimes hair becomes patchy or thin, but for me everything is worth a try so as to have some normality. Yes first 15 minutes can be uncomfortable but I view it as a small price to pay for normality.

When I leave the hospital every week with my hair in tact I don’t see cancer in the mirror looking back at me !!!!

We all have a different story to tell, so whatever you decide regarding the cold cap will be the right decision for you. Very best of luck with your treatment, keep us posted with your final decision. Xx