Is it worth trying cold cap after hair has fallen out

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy
1

This may be a silly question but can I benefit from cold cap treatment after I’ve just lost my hair??

I would really appreciate any tips or advice on this. Literally just lost my hair this last week just before my 2nd chemo session. 

I’m coping with it but am interested in finding out if cold cap therapy could help me.

Thanks and sending good thoughts to everyone ?

2

Hi Caroline, not done cold cap, so hoping a nurse on here can answer your question.

My thoughts would be, if it didn’t stop your hair falling out then it probably wouldn’t help to continue with it. ?. What do your Chemo nurses say? X

3

Hello Caroline, 

There may be a protective element to using the cold cap with little hair. I continued to use the cold cap even though by the end of the  second treatment most of imy hair was on it’s way out.  I had a buzz cut but kept my fringe because when I stuck a hat on,  I still looked like me!!  I have very thick hair and it may be that the cold could not penetrate the follicles. 

I missed the third cold cap but then decided to cold cap for the remaining three treatments even though I had very little hair.  I used a thin sleep cap to protect my head,  after discussion with Mr Paxman.  I did my research incase any nurses were to say it could not be used as I had lost so much hair blah blah.  I decided to continue using it as I thought it may protect my follicles from the rare  potential permanent effects of taxotere.  I see NICE guidelines from 2018 state that medical staff should discuss the potential permanent effects on hair regrowth prior to use.  In 2016, I really felt I was educating medical staff about this as Onco seemed unaware.  I could cope with hair loss via chemo but did not think wearing a cold cap for 3 more treatments to be too much of an ordeal in order to reduce risk of permanent loss. My hair started to regrow on Tax treatment.  I finished chemo in mid March and by Mid May I had a decent thick head covering so it was goodbye hats and the wig has never left it’s box.  Perhaps it also helped to speed regrowth. 

All the very best to you, 

Chick x ?