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Hi Iāve just done my 5th and last fec, just wondering when everyone started washing hair as normal. Dying to give it a good scrub. Also when did you first dye and or get it cut after cold cap. Iām getting so much differing info xx
As you know, Iāve been washing mine in the shower nearly every day since my 3rd fec. And here I am nearly due my final T and my hair hasnāt budged. Iāve been drying it with the dryer as well and using styling mouse now and again.
As you havenāt lost any either, I honestly think youāll be fine to give yourself a treat and wash it in lovely warm water. It feels divine after the lukewarm water with head over the sink treatment for so long.
Enjoy. X
Hi ladies, congratulations on persevering with the cold cap! I had my hair trimmed a few times during chemo to even it up and I had it dyed professionally at cancerhaircare.com about 6 weeks after I finished (3 x FEC and 11 x taxol).
I really canāt remember when I used hot water but I carried on using naked shampoo for a while as I liked it! X
Thanks ladiesā¦ Iāve still got the total fear of it coming out as soon as I scrub it in the showerā¦ Angela your braver than me 
I think because I know the fec is not vicious on the hair im more wary. Think ill wait a good 4 weeks before using the delightful hot water might wait until after radio to get it dyed! Some people havw advised 6 months before dying it but maybe if thatās if they have lost a lot of hair I dont feel like my scalp had really been affected just my hair is more dry than usual xx
Hair loss experiences with docetaxel Anyone? X
Hi Melia
Take a look at the cancerhaircare.com website, they have loads of information and advice. Iām fortunate to live a short distance from their saloon but the website is very helpful. X
Hi soworridl. Docetaxel isnāt as harsh on hair. In fact, for a lot of people who lose their hair on the fec or EC it starts to grow again on T. The absolute best thing is that you only have to wear the cap for between 20 and 30 minutes after your infusion rather than an hour and a half. Hopefully you shouldnāt lose any more hair now if you continue to cap.
Iāve only got one left to go and canāt wait to take that ice off my head for the final time. Itāll all of been worth it though. Iāll be eternally grateful to the paxman family. X
Melia feel the fear is right! I lost all mine to first fec with the cold cap had one to and now got a fuzz all over just about so in my opinion fec is more harsh on the hair than T I think you should be OK 
Sorry chemo brain sowdril ahhhhh this predicted text, think you know what I mean though!!!
I thought Iād bump this for anyone who is about to start chemo and is considering cold capping.
Iāve now finished my fec-t regime (Oct 17) and have kept all of the hair on my head (bald everywhere else) thanks to capping.
I had my long fine hair (lots of it) cut and layered into a pixie prior to treatment.
I used the paxman shampoo and conditioner. I washed it twice weekly in warm water using a cup and dried it on the lowest heat if I was going anywhere, otherwise I allowed it to dry naturally. I never washed it straight after chemo and always left it a day.
After my third fec I got a bit braver and started to wash it 4 to 5 times a week in the shower. I also started to use mousse.
Itās continued to grow throughout treatment and hasnāt thinned at all.
The cap isnāt the most pleasant experience and is pretty uncomfortable for about ten to fifteen minutes, then you forget youāre wearing it.
Drinking something hot when itās first put on helps, also take 2 paracetamol an hour beforehand.
My hair is now over 3 inches at its very shortest and around 6 on top.
Iām so grateful to the paxman cap company I could shout it from the rooftops.
I know this doesnāt work for everyone, but I also know Iām not a one off as I know of others who have just finished treatment who have also kept all of their hair.
Also, I didnāt wear a silk cap for bed to protect my hair as some do as it was horribly sweaty and the same with silk pillowcases.
Some people worry that by using the cap you are stopping the chemo reaching your head. This isnāt true. Itās only your scalp that is effected and the chances of breast cancer spreading to it are extremely tiny and rare. Have a look on the paxman website for more info.
If anyone is considering capping, I definitely say give it a go. Any questions, just ask.
Angela
Hi just thought I woukd add to angelas (feel the fears ) advice.
I too have very successfully cold capped, I have done 5 x fec which is said to be the worst for hair loss. My initial nurse toldme not to bother capping as it rarely works, so glad I never listened to her! So donāt be put off by anyone if you want to try it everyone is different.
I have been overly careful with my hair, I have just began washing it in the shower 4 weeks post chemo. I washed my hair once a week woth tepid water, with the help of my mam and a jug. I too used the paxman shampoo and conditioners. I would wait a week after chemo to way it the grease was horrific but it made me feel like I was giving my hair a better chance. I wore a hair net for bed and used a silk pillowcase. Only ever brushed when my hair was dry and with a wooden comb. I still havenāt used a hairdryer or straighteners though Iām dying to get it dyed and straightened. I was maybe overly cautious but losing my hair was my worst fear I have kept all of my hair which I am still rather shocked about. No thinning or bald patches anywhere. I nwver expected it to be so successful though of course Iām delighted it was! Not going to lie I found the cold cap awful I was always aware of ot even after ghe first 15 mins and would make me feel dizzy and queasy. But glad I stuck with it. Good luck to all those just starting with it, Iām well aware it doesnāt work for everyone but I am proof that it can and will work. Iād upload a pic if I knew how. And Angelaā¦hooray we DID IT!! I would put a swear word in there but it would be blocked haha x
Hey Melia Iām so pleased you did it and saved your hair too you and Angela were very lucky with the cold cap and got through treatment hope you are doing good xxx
Yes. Well done to both of us Melia. Itās brilliant isnāt it. ? I bet you enjoyed that first proper wash. What a treat. X
P.s. Iāll just add for anyone considering capping that in England most hospitals offer the paxman cold cap for free. No cost to us at all.
I, too, kept my hair throughout chemo thanks to the cold cap.
Definitely worth giving it a try, even if nurses or oncologists suggest it probably wonāt work, but you MUST get a very short haircut before your first session. The shorter it is, the less you have to brush it, so the less pressure is put on the roots, which will obvoiusly be weakened by chemo.
Throughout almost five months of treatment, I brushed it only once a day, incredibly gently, first thing in the morning. If itās a pixie cut or short back and sides equivalent, you can get away with that.
Like feelthefear, I touched it as little as possible throughout six chemos (3 FEC, then 3 Taxotere).
Was advised by a lovely lady I met on my first chemo, who had kept her hair throughout, to take conditioner with you to each session. Then when theyāre ready to hook you up to the cold cap, zip to the loo just before that, wet your hair, put masses of conditioner on, gently stroking it through with your fingers (rather than a comb), then put on cold cap.
By the way, cold cap wasnāt painful at all for me the first few times, but was quite painful last couple of times for abt first 15 mins, after which my head went pretty numb with cold and stopped hurting, thankfully ( a couple of ordinary painkillers 20 mins before also helped).
I didnāt wash my hair till three days after each chemo (yes, felt pretty gross, but it means drugs not as high in your system by then).
Then I washed it every couple of days in
the shower. Normal hot water, normal shampoo. BUT donāt rub it in with your fingers as you might normally do. I put a blob of shampoo in my palm then just dabbed it all over my head, rinsed and repeated this then rinsed again and it was perfectly clean.
Did find after 2nd chemo hair started coming out a bit for a week in the shower - then it stopped.
It did get thinner all over generally and pretty much stopped growing, but kept it all over
throughout treatment, and nobody at work noticed.
Las tip: donāt bloody scratch your head!
As your hair starts to loosen, it will itch and tingle, but leave well alone. I scratched an itch once without thinking, and a thin strip of hair come off in my hand - bugger!
Managed to cover it up using a coloured root retoucher from the chemist and just a hairband for last two months. That strip grew back within 3-4 months post-chemo.
I was incredibly lucky to keep my hair and I know the cold cap doesnāt work for everyone. But give it a go, touch your hair as little as possible and you might be lucky, too.
Good luck, girls. X
Hi everyone,
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Thank you for sharing your stories and best of luck with your treatment!
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I have a family member who started chemotherapy less than two weeks ago.She is now considering using the cooling cap,but fears that it wonāt have much of an effect since she didnāt use it in her first session.Her hair hasnāt yet thinned more than usual though.Does anyone have any information about this? I know that the elasto gel caps website says that the caps shouldnāt be used after the first course of chemotherapy,but I would like to hear from your experiences
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I was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive ductal carincoma breast cancer in October and Iām 23. Currently on Taxol and Carboplatin every week for 9 weeks then Epirubicin & Cyclophosphamide 3 weekly after. One of the first things I said to the doctor after he told me my diagnosis was what about my hair whilst crying and laughing because I couldnāt quite believe what he had told me. The nurseĀ mentioned the cold cap which I was already aware of as my mother had breast cancer 10 years ago.Ā
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Ive had the paxman cold cap every time Iāve had Chemo for the last 3 treatments and I havenāt lost any hair. It isnāt as bad as people think it is, itās cold to begin with but just make sure you have paracetamol about 30 mins before and youāll be fine. Put lots of water andĀ condtioner on it and youāll find you have icicles once it comes off haha, itās very numb for a little while so make sure you bring a hat.
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I donāt wash my hair half as much anymore because Iām terrified of losing it and when I do wash it (which is tops twice a week now) I only dry my front bits with cold air and let the rest dryĀ naturally. When it starts to feel greasy I just put dry shampoo on it and put it up. If your hair is important to you definitely go for the cold cap, itās tolerable! Itās just like your head being in a cold pool. I tell myself itās a spa treatment to cope! Another thing Iāve found helps me is making sure I still do my make up to go for treatment, I just think it makes you feel better and positive. I hope this has helped anyone, we can get through this!!! ??? Positive vibes everyone Xxx
Hi Ladies, Iām 35 with shoulder length hair and day18 after First Cycle of EC. I used the cold
Cap, didnāt touch my hair for a week afterwards and since then have washed it twice a week, very gently in Aveda shampoo and conditioner, which I thought was natural and gentle. Admittedly I got confident In the last week and have worn it down and styled it like usual with a hair wand, avoiding any heat near the root. I Started shedding in the last couple of days but thought things were going well until I made the mistake of trying to wash it today, and handfuls and handfuls seemed to come out. Got terribly distressed as it seemed like it wasnāt going to stop and I got my hands tangled in it. I know itās silly to be distressed because itās the number one thing to get yourself ready for in this process, but I couldnāt get it off from my hands, it was caught on every surface in the shower room, and I freaked out. We were staying in a friends house and I was distressed at the idea of leaving hair everywhere and my poor boyfriend cleaned the whole place up while I tried to deal with the matted sections caused by so much coming away and getting caught in what was left. Now my head is itchy and sore.
Not sure what Iāve been doing so wrong? Now my hair is dry, I donāt have any patches missing just the whole thing is very thin. I canāt wear if loose because of the shedding, but wearing it up pulls it. Am I better to just cover up and not touch it from here on in? I have another cycle in 2 days and will it continue to fall as it is or slow again then have a dump in a few weeks? As some people have done so many more cycles than me and not lost anyone does this loss so early mean the cold cap just isnāt going to work for me?
I feel so pathetic being bothered by this as so many braver women than me embrace the loss, but Iām just not āthereā yetā¦
Feel grateful this forum exists, thank you in advance fellow warriors xx
Hi milliemoo I can totally understand why you are distressed, it is very upsetting as your hair is important to make you look like you. I hope my experience helps to ease your worry:
I was diagnosed in September 2014 and cold capped through 3 x FEC and 11 x weekly taxol. After my first cycle I had a very similar experience to you at around the same time. Handfuls fell out, a big matted lump when I tried to wash it and I was really upset. BUT after that I didnāt lose anymore! Yes my hair was thin, but only I knew that, I had no big patches. Some people have naturally thin hair.
I only washed it once a week on chemo day. Lots of people say donāt wash it after chemo but I wasnāt advised that and had to wash it as it felt so sticky with the conditioner in, and I was sooo cold I needed a bath to warm me up. I patted it to remove excess water and left it to dry naturally. I did tie it up in a loose ponytail as that helped disguise the thin top. I found really soft scrunchie hair bands in Boots, covered with soft fabric which didnāt pull my hair.
When I finished chemo I had a good 2 inches of new hair growing all over my head filling in the gaps.
Make sure that the cold cap is really snug. For my first chemo the nurse cooled the cap and then put it on and I donāt think it had a really good fit. Subsequently the nurses put it on at room temperature and then cooled it on my head, it seemed to fit much better that way although it is on for an extra 10-20 mins but isnāt such a shock as you get used it it cooling down. Make sure you are happy with the fit before the infusion starts.
Hope that helps. Have a look at cancerhaircare.co.uk for lots of tips. Xx
Iād add to this that the taxman cold cap is brilliant. I have a shoulder length curly mop thanks to it. I used my capping time in hospital to ensure 1) I had 2 extra litres of saline runs through my veins (did 6 x fec all through 2 veins on left) 2) check I felt ok to go home 3) ask lots of questions about treatment and plans etc. Chemo day was the only time I ate food made out of the house e.g. subway.
I encourage everyone to at least try the cap through fec. X