WASHING HAIR AFTER CHEMO AND USING COLD CAP

Just had my first chemo and cold cap session today and have just read in the leaflet to use neutral PH balancd shampoo. Can anyone tell me some names of this as i cant find what type of shampoo this is and can you buy them in regular supermarkets. Many thanks

Hi Annette
I am using the cold caps and I am off for my 3rd chemo today.
I spoke to paxman and they recommend these products which are all organic:- Boots naked range, Burts Bees, Pitrok, Daniel Field, Honesty Costmetics, aubrey organics.
If you google PH neutral it will come up with lots of other products but for me it was all about the smell (I feel very sick after my chemo)
I bought the boots naked as it was easy to get my hands on (the rest you will get on the internet) but it made my head itch and it smells so strong that it made me feel very sick.
I ordered Akin Unscented shampoo and conditioner off the internet. it is about £8 for a small bottle (225ml) so its quite expensive but I love it and it is very gentle and has made my long hair soft and manageable.
Louise x

Hi to you both,
I used the cold cap treatment during My Chemo last year and I washed my hair in Johnsons baby shampoo which was recommended by my hospital. I never lost my hair at all it just went thin. i still continued to wash my hair every day as normal and yes hair does come out in the shower but only a small amount.
Good luck with it all . Sending you positive vibes to get through it all.
Tracy

Hi I had my first chemo 10 days ago using the cooling cap, before I left the hospital gave me the Paxman leaflet and hospital advised I used baby shampoo, when I read the leaflet they said do not use baby shampoo but suggested the boots naked range as previous post. Also they are doing trials for a shampoo they are producing and sent me a free next day bottle if I took part in the trials so I got both must say the boots shampoo is rather nice. All gets a bit confusing if you go on paxman website you can see their advice.

good luck

Hi,
just started chemo on Monday, went for the cold cap too, was told by my nurse at the hospital not to use any shampoo! So ended up goin to my hairdresser to see what they recommended, they gave me Nioxin shampoo and conditioner for chemically thinning hair, have only used it once and doesn’t smell too bad! Just wary about using any shampoo to b honest, so scared of losing my hair!
xx

Hi
I used the simple range for the most part - available fom most boots stores I think. What I liked about it was the absence of any smell as most shampoos and conditioner made me feel quite sick because of the scents. My sense of smell went into overdrive with chemo and the cold cap so it was lovely to not feel sick because of the smll of the conditioner left in my hair post chemo
hope it all goes well for you xx

Hi girls: 4 fec 1 t used any old shampoo! Had it cut three times since the start and my hair is just the same. Cold caps are a pain, cold, inconvenient but the short termpain has been long term gain formore :slight_smile:

Thank you very much for everyones comments they are very much appreciated. Good luck everyone xx

The cap works for some at not for others and at the end of the day I don’t believe its down to the shampoo and conditioner. I have heard of lots of people using baby shampoo without any problems and yes this is the one they say do not use.
The chemo we are on will also have something to do with success or fail and I am on 6 x FEC75.
I had very thick long brown hair and I have lost about 40% and most of that came out after chemo2. I am hoping it will slow down now. (Jut had 3rd one today) .
Most of the shedding is when I comb it or wash it and it frightens me how much it falls out.
I think if my hair not been not so thick at the start then it wouldn’t have been so bad. The first cold cap did not feel cold to me at all but I assume its because I had so much thick hair on me head.
Would be interested in your experiences or any advice

Hi, I’m using the cold cap, 3 FEC down and 3 T to go. I’ve been using the Naked range of shampoo and conditioner and washing my hair about 2-3 times a week and letting it dry naturally (no hair dryer). I had it cut shorter before I started and then again the other week. My hair has gone slightly thin on top, but if I part my hair differently you can’t really notice it. I bought a few thick Alice bands which cover it easily too. The worst hair loss occurred around 10 days after my 2nd FEC, though it wasn’t as bad as it looked in the shower! Now the hair falls out slightly, but not much more than usual and you really can’t notice it. My friends who don’t know I’m going through chemo haven’t noticed a thing, and those who do keep on remarking how they can’t tell. That’s a win in my books! Hope that helps :slight_smile:

Hi all,
I am due for my LAST chemo of FEC75 in 5 days…been a long time coming :slight_smile:
I too have used the cold cap through out. It has got much more colder as the treatment has gone on as I have continued to shed hair. Not nearly as much as cycle1 and 2 as it slows right down, but have lost 60% of my hair. Unfortunately the cap was fitted too tight for the first one and as a result have lost it on top. I look a bit like a mad scientist with thin whispy bits at the back. However, I don’t wear a wig or full head scarf. I can still (just) get away with a wide head scarf and so sport the Bo -ho chic look. The wind outside is not kind and always reveals the bald patches. But is hat weather now and have just bought some fab ones.
However… All is not lost as by cycle 4/5 new hair will start to grow back. I now have about 4-5 mm on top, a bit like a fuzzy baby hair. And underneath where it fell out first I have loads growing - about 1cm. It doesn’t sound a lot but it keeps me smiling :slight_smile:
I wash twice a week with Natur Vital as recommended by the Paxman site. I also use the tonic every two days that is massaged into the scalp. It’s not exactly cheap but I will go to any lengths to keep as much hair as possible.
I hope you are all well and your side effects are minimal.
Good luck with the hair and cold caps
Hannah x

Has anyone used dry shampoo on there hair?? My hair gets very greasy and I’d love to try a dry shampoo, but just a bit worried its not good for my hair?!?
any advice greatly appreciated!

xxx