I am three weeks post op from a bilateral mastectomy and found out a couple of days ago that I will indeed still need to have chemo. I am choosing to do Cold Capping (the one with the machine, not the one that requires ice packs to be changed out). I want to do whatever I can to preserve my hair as best as possible. Can y’all let me know which shampoo/conditioner is preferred or worked best in y’all’s experience?
I recently turned 40 and my son starts college this coming Wednesday! Agh! Excited to start this brand new chapter in my life…and would like to do it with as much of my own hair as possible!
Hi - I don’t know if you’re in the UK? I used Daniel Field products and found them to be really good. I lost about 30% of my hair and had a really harsh chemo regime so was very pleased with that. It’s thinned but no bald patches and most people haven’t even noticed tbh. They do a free consultation and are so helpful. They also ship overseas if you’re not in the UK. Otherwise just make sure you use paraben and sulphate free shampoo and conditioner as it won’t be able to cope with anything harsh! I used a wide tooth comb and a Manta hairbrush too. Good luck! Emma x
Hospital recommended Simple conditioner to use with cold cap so I used Simple shampoo too. I was very fortunate not to loose my hair. It continued to grow while on EC but stopped while on Paclitaxel. Strangely it got a bit darker in colour.
Whilst we talking cold capping, how long extra did people have to spend in hospital each trip to have cold capping?
I’m a similar age to you @courtlee (I’m so glad you’re excited by the new decade, it’s a great mindset) and waiting for oncotyping to confirm the amount of benefit I’d get from chemo. I’m leaning towards not cold capping however keeping an open mind and keen to learn more so hope you don’t mind me asking on your thread
It depends on the chemo regime. For EC it was 30 pre infusion and then 90 minutes post infusion. For docetaxel it was just 20 minutes post infusion, which was the length of time for them to do the flush so it went quickly! I didn’t find cold capping too hard or painful at all. I know some people do but after the initial 10 minutes whilst I adjusted to the coldness, I can genuinely say it was fine. I’ve kept most of my hair so I’m very pleased that I did it x
Thank you @ivy-cat that’s so helpful because I genuinely didn’t know it could be different for different types of chemo treatment. So you’ve helped me add another question to my list. Really pleased you got the result you hoped for x
Hi,
I also did cold capping and used Daniel Field products both for hair and really good skin serums. Found it to be really helpful to get the most from the cold cap.
My chemo was the harshest for hair AC-T and many are advised not to bother, but I was adamant to try and also for those that it doesn’t work for it will help with regrowth.
Top tips are;
-check out Paxman site as they will tell you how likely your chemo regime has of keeping your hair (in my case it was 35% of people will keep 50% of your hair)
-Consult with Daniel Field (no obligation and was v helpful). If getting his products ask for one without menthol as smell is very overpowering.
-Don’t need to cut your hair unless you feel it would help you or if you think it might be annoying while shedding. Tie hair in loose ponytail if long so you protect it.
-invest in silk pillow
-Rem the nurses don’t always give best advice and some might be negative and this includes Daniel Field products
-If you have time (as has to be done b4 chemo starts) Microblading eyebrows was brilliant as eyebrows tend to go when you have finished chemo
-keep an open mind and perhaps see what works for you as some people invested in a wig in case cold cap doesn’t work as what everyone will say it’s hit or miss and can depend on hair type.
-For shedding brush once a day with a wide comb gently to avoid matting. This is key as you will lose way more hair if it’s matted.
-Wash once a week and no hair dye
-When you do shed rem to focus on the hair you have rather than what you have lost.
The big thing that I noticed was how much hair everyone has. I don’t have very thick hair but have been shedding from day 25 (about a handful) every day for a number of months and am still shedding now. Despite this I can get away without a hat.
-The cold cap does add a lot of time and the pressure is intense. Try and distract yourself. -Know the cold cap time yourself and insist on the right fit as so many people have a poor outcome as the cold cap was the wrong size. On that first day try all sizes and note your size and request it from them on. Don’t let them rush you.
-Make sure your hair is wet enough before putting on cold cap
Cold cap is not easy and the pressure of the cap was what I found hardest. However if it doesn’t work or you give up you will still have benefitted in terms of regrowth and preventing permanent hair loss. Do what works for you.
Lastly when finished it is surprising how fast the hair growth is. I am four weeks after chemo and already I have two inches of re-growth so it is filling in fast. I had one or two patches of very thin hair and this is now nearly gone.
The very best of luck and message me if you have any questions!
I cold capped for 12 weekly Paclitaxel and kept most of my hair with two small patches above my ears and shedding. I had lots of hair so it didn’t look thin.
Some suggest taking paracetamol 30 minutes before, I found distracting myself with watching videos or reading better. After 15 minutes I didn’t notice it. Make sure you use a hair band to protect your forehead and tops of ears.
www.lookgoodfeelbetter.co.uk do a great online course for hair care/loss with Jasmin from www.cancerhaircare.co.uk who recommends lots of products that have been thoroughly tested, they also give out personalised help if you go to them direct. Faith in Nature shampoo and conditioner are the most popular and affordable. They do a Rosemary which is good for hair loss and growth. I personally used the scalp shampoo, conditioner and concentrate from Percy and Reed. I washed my hair once a week after cold capping and gentle brush daily.
To ensure you know all you need www.coldcap.com is from the Paxman company who make the cold cap machines used by the NHS, lots of information on how to care for your hair and use the cold cap. I had one nurse who tried to put on the cold cap and the neoprene hood on at the same time when you should do them separately. The better the fit the better chance of good results.
You may lose like to join the monthly chemo starters to be with others having treatment at the same time as you. This is the link for August, there will be a new thread for September (just search for it).
Thank you so much for all of this information! The hair care line you mentioned keeps coming up, so it must be pretty great. I am in the states, but will definitely still look into it. I appreciate you!
Thank you so much! I love getting information on all of this from people who have gone through it or are going through it. I’ve learned so much more than the oncologist would ever be able to tell me. Ha!
Thank you again - I appreciate you!
Oh! I love your username - it’s hilarious and extraordinarily relevant!
Cold capping worked for me too! My hair shed a bit, but no one could tell. I only noticed when new, fuzzy hairs started growing, especially on the top and around the ears where the cap had less contact. I was on a budget and used Simple products, which worked well. A good fit is crucial—I a swimming cap helped keep it snug. I washed my hair only once a week and brushed twice a day. Taking paracetamol 30 minutes before also helped with the discomfort.
You’re more than welcome. This forum has been so supportive to me on my own treatment plan and I wanted to share my experience to help others. I’m am so privileged to have been chosen as a community champion for BCN.
I wish you well on your journey and probably catch up with you in the future. Best wishes to your son at Uni.
Hi @courtlee, you’ve already been given sone great advice but I’ll add a few things that I’ve done which I haven’t seen mentioned. I’ve had 3x EC and 2x Docetaxel 1 more to go and have kept most of my hair (so far) but I had a lot of hair to start with which helps.
I use faith in nature shampoo and conditioner but i really focus on the conditioner and put it on my scalp, trying to get moisture in.
A Manta hair brush, I wasn’t convinced at first but absolutely love it now.
A good wash day towel, these are basically a towel which is a t-shirt/jersey material so you could by an xxxl t shirt and use this instead. Its basically much kinder when drying your hair.
Lastly, be prepared to shed a lot of hair around week 3 but try and ride it out. I lost so much but after 10 days of 2 big handfuls coming out everyday it slowed right down. I’m not sure if that happens to everyone.
Good luck x
