Hi
I’m just about to start chemo (next Tuesday) and am going to give the cold cap a try.
Can anyone recommend a natural bristle brush?
and did you wear a scarf to cover and protect your hair as it can’t be washed or styled?
And if you’ve any other tips, that would be great.
Thanks.
Sara
Hi Buy a wide-toothed comb because brushing will weaken your hair . Wash it once a week with a mild shampoo . Do not use hair dryer . Pat it dry . I kept a lot of hair but lost it at the sides however was easily disguisable . Take two paracetamol to reduce the 10 minutes of head freeze before it gets bearable . Good luck - 10 weeks after chemo my hair has regrown at sides and thickening . Eyelashes and eyebrows also restored be warned you will lose all body hair xx
Hi
I used the cold cap and hardly lost any hair, it doesnt work for everyone but so worth trying.
Take paracetamol and ibuprofen an hour before you think you will be ready to put on the cap, it helps a lot.
I sprayed my hair to make it damp and then put lots of conditioner on before the cap (I used simple
shampoo and conditioner the whole time during chemo and quite a while after)
Bring a hot water bottle, blanket, scarf etc
Make sure you get a really tight fit with no gaps, try different sizes if you need to and make sure its pulled down with the Velcro straps, I used the gel caps that are kept in the freezer and changed
every 45 mins as the other type (machine which constantly keeps the cap cool) didn’t seem be a
good fit for my head! Some people put gauze around the edges to stop it touching their forehead
but I didn’t think it made a difference. Don’t be afraid to be pedantic about it as the nurses may not
be so careful but it’s not their hair!
After each round I waited for two or three days to wash my hair
I tried to only wash my hair once a week. It was winter so could wear a hat although sometimes felt they pulled hair out.
I washed it over the bath with very gentle spray and as cold water as I could tolerate and used
simple shampoo and conditioner
I tried to brush it very little and only with a wide toothed comb. I didn’t use a hairdryer,
straighteners or any products on it until about 8 weeks after I had my last chemo and waited around
3 months to dye its
I slept on a silk pillowcase
You will absolutely notice that your hair will shed when you wash it or brush it but don’t give up, it
doesn’t mean it isn’t working. Mine did this from the very first chemo and my hair definitely became
thinner but, in the end, probably only lost about 10-20 % and most people would not have noticed. My
parting got wider and I was sporting a bit of a mohican for a little while when it was growing back!
It is definitely worth persevering; I hope it works for you!