I have looked into this and feel very undecided. I hate the feel of anything cold, but obviosly don’t want to be bald. Any advice please? Feel like just opting for a wig. Have got 3 weeks to think about it.
Best wishes to all, Jilly
Hi Jilly - I decided not to have cold cap and have just had head shave - given myself a new name for my sixth month old grandson - bit of a biscuit now - Granny Baldy. I also decided not to have a wig - I go commando about the house and don a hat if visitors arrive and if i go out - honestly don’t feel too bad about it as I feel that I am in charge of myself! Not everybody’s choice but definitely right one for me - let me know what you decide
Love and good vibes xx
Hello Jilly
I have had 4 cycles of epi and cyclophosamide and I have managed to wear the cold cap for all of them (its not nice, but copable- because what I try to do when I am having my chemo and wearing the cold cap is to imagine I am in the maldives, I can smell and hear the waves and I am drinking a nice cocktail - positives thinking at its best.
I had very thick hair and just could not face loosing it, that was one of my worse fears. I have still got my hair but it has thinned on top (showing the scalp a bit), but I wear big sunglasses on my head (trendy or what) or I got some hats from Dorothy perkins which are brilliant and only cost £4 each and look really nice.
Love and best wishes to all
Emma
xxx
Hi Jilly
I had chemo 5 years ago when first diagnosed, and I wore the cold cap and I can honestly say it was the best decision I made. I think it depends on how you feel about yourself and your hair to me my image (sounds vain) but is my confidence and I also do not like others to think I am ill, so when i found out i was to have chemo it was a decision i made to wear the cold cap as firstly i didnt want to loose my hair on a vain issue but most importantly i didnt want to be treated any differently or to be seen as ‘oh shes got cancer shes bald’. This i appreciate is the opposite of what chebsy is saying, and i really think it is down to how confident you feel about your body image, and confidence and if you are worried about how you are conceived by others.
I worked through my chemo (just had a week off after the treatment) but worked in between (looking back now i dont know how i did it! and would not recommend it to anyone!!!) but that also had something to do with my decision to wear the cold cap as i did not want my clients knowing i was ill!!! so the cold cap was the option for me.
I have to say it was bearable, and not as bad as it sounds, i did loose a bit of hair behind my ears and small amount at the back hairline but i had shoulder length hair and it was fine and easy to cover those bits up.
So i think it really depends on you and how much confidence your hair gives you, for me i couldn cope with loosing my hair as i wouldv lost my confidence as well, which is not what you need when you are low anyway.
good luck in your decision!!! 
Rachel
ps. a chemo tip, drink plenty of fluids whilst you having it done and suck polos to get rid of taste when having chemo injection - works a treat!!!
Thank you friends, I have short hair anyway Zippy, so would find it hard to cover bits up. you have all given me food for thought. Suddenly realised I don’t know if I’m vain or not, but quite self- conscious
Jilly xxx
Hi Jilly
I started my chemo 17 days ago and used the cold cap and my hair although shedding is still holding on, I don’t think I could wear a wig and like Rachel don’t really want anyone to know other than family and friends. It is time consuming but nowhere near as bad as I expected but I decided that what had I to loose, it’s definitely worth a try.
Good luck with your decision.
Ann
xxx
Hi Jilly,
I have had 3 cycles of epi so far and have worn the cold cap throughout, my 4th and final one (yippee)! is next friday, then I’m onto tablet form. Although my hair has thinned a lot, especially on the top, it still looks ok and though I know the difference, other people can’t see it unless they know me really well. My son’s friend even asked if was a wig!!
Like Emma, the thought of losing my hair has been the most difficult thing I have had to cope with in all this, so for me, the cold cap has been a life saver but it’s obviously down to personal choice. It’s not pleasant, but you get used to it after a while and if it saves your hair, fantastic! If not, at least you’ve tried and you’ve got nothing to lose by that.
Try it for your 1st one and if you don’t like it you can ditch it. Good luck with whatever you decide and I hope your treatment goes well.
Love, Carol X
Just thought I’d let you know my wife’s oncologists view on cold caps…“dont like them, why give a refuge for cancer cells” !!! I suspect no two oncologists are alike BUT it seemed to make sense at the time. Mind you, at the time,we’d have believed him if he told us the moon was made of cheese !!!
Take it easy Jilly.