Dealing with cancer is scary but dealing with the side effects of chemo can sometimes be worse than the actual cancer.
The biggest – will I lose my hair? Hair loss has been established as the most traumatic side effect of chemotherapy treatment amongst women.
For most, hair loss, or alopecia, is inevitable when prescribed with chemo and some even refrain from the treatment to avoid those side effects.
But there is new technology gaining buzz among cancer patients for its promise to reduce or event prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
The Penguin Cold Cap is a head wrap worn before, during and after each chemo session. It is chilled to -22 degrees in order to reduce the flow of blood – and the chemotherapy toxins in the blood flow- to the scalp and hair follicles.
So how does this help stop the loss of hair? Studies have shown that cooling the scalp has been found to reduce hair loss following chemo. According to some studies, this “cap” has been successful in reducing the loss of hair in up to 90% of its users.
Rental of the Cold Caps and the special freezers that get them to their chilly temperature can be expensive, and many doctors aren’t even aware of this new option, so an organization called the Rapunzel Project, founded by cancer survivors, works to make this therapy available to patients.
What do you think? Let me know your thoughts or if you or someone you know has tried this treatment?
Tags: alopecia, chemotherapy treatments, cold caps, hair loss
