Cold Caps: Success Stories with Photos here!

Angiel

Jiffrig - I did AC/T also and used PCC. I had good results. I estimate I lost between 30-40% of my hair. My pictures are posted on Page 1 of this thread. Good luck

Jgab

• When I found out I was going to have chemo treatments, I had hoped I would someday share a cold cap success story. My pictures begin with pre chemo. The pictures are through out chemo and the final two are after chemo. The last two are taken Eight and nine weeks post final chemo. The last picture was taken right after I had extension put in to plump up my hair.
• I was fortunate that I had great support from my family and a great cold cap therapist that got us started on my first treatment.
• Although I still cry and get scared most days, I am happy to have my hair and feel somewhat normal in my crazy new life. Cold capping isn't for everybody, but if you are interested, it can work. It definitely isn't everything when you are working to save your life. But it does keep a bit of normalcy in a foreign new place in your life.

Jgab

sorry...my last photo didn't load. Here is my hair after my extensions were applied:)

dancetrancer

Looking great Jgab!

tshire

I just wanted to share that I was featured on the local news with my cold caps success story! Getting that word out!!

http://keyetv.com/news/local/cold-caps-help-breast-cancer-patient-wed-with-full-head-of-hair

BBwithBC45

Great job, Tiffany!

dancetrancer

What a great story!!!!! Way to go Tiffany!!!

dancetrancer

bump for newbies

IL311

Wow, thank you all for sharing, I have my third TC treatment on Friday...and final one before new year. You all give me strength to keep plugging along.

Meow13

Tiffany, love your story and your message. So many think it is all about vanity and that hair is not important.

I sure hope we can ditch the bald head as the symbol of a cancer patient.

dancetrancer

Bump for newbies

Anonymous

I just found this thread and WOW! this is so encouraging! Please keep posting pics, ladies!

248A

Hi! Thank you for sharing, such amazing success story! Do you mind sharing more on the HairRenew supplement? I’m currently taking Biotin, and wonderinh if I can add the HairRenew. I’m getting into my second TC in a few hours, but shedding since day 14 from the first session. I feel like it just doesn’t stop- I’m using PCC and would like to think I’ve been following the instructions carefully. I also have a few bald spots know although good thing they are still covered. Thank you in advance

Cali58

I hope these pictures are useful to anyone interested in cold capping. I used Penguin Cold Caps while on Taxotere/Cytoxan. In my opinion, the brand of cold caps you use doesn't guarantee good results. I paid for new PCC rental, PLUS I paid additional $350 to a "Penguin Cold Cap Technician EVERY TIME I cold capped" and still lost 80% of my hair. I finished chemo on 5/30/17. Here are my results:

Before chemo

PFC - May 2017

3 months PFC - August 2017 - my hair continued to shed quite a bit for at least 3 months PFC

9 months PFC - February 2018. The bottom of my hair is fluffy, but thin.

My tiny pony tail

I will update after I color my hair on April 17, 2018. I will be using Oway HColor (Italian hair coloring), as it is supposed to be better for my health.

3/21/18 - I am adding the amount of hair I shed during major sheds in response to PM's I have received. the following pictures show my worse shed days when washing my hair. The first bag (day 19 after first TC infusion) shows my first big shed after washing, the second bag 2nd wash, etc. I tried not to wash often because it frightened me and made me cry every time I washed. I also noticed that my hair kept shedding quite a bit during 2 or 3 days following every hair wash and then it would stop shedding. It was the SAME PATTERN, no matter how often I washed. Sometimes I waited 2 weeks between hair washes or even longer. The hair in the bags is as tight as an SOS Steel Wool soap pad — very tight, but THICKER! I continued to shed large amounts of hair for more than 3 months PFC. I don't have more pics, but it doesn't mean that this is all I shed. Also, I didn't save the hair I shed during 2 or 3 days post wash

I placed a JUMBO EGG next to the bags of hair for comparison purpose.

dancetrancer

Hey Cali! That's a lot of hair loss and stress and money spent! Your story is a good example to show that some women do not have an easy time of this nor have excellent results, despite doing everything right. I'm curious - would you do it again knowing how the process went for you, or would you just go for a wig?

Cali58

hello, dancetrancer - I am not sure if I would cold cap again. I got very nauseous as soon as I sat on the infusion chair during the last treatment. I would shake during the infusion, as I not only had the cold caps, but I was also applying ice to my hands and feet to prevent neuropathy. For sure I would cold cap again if I needed to be treated with Taxotere. The fear of permanently losing my hair is greater than all the inconveniences I went through while cold capping. I have been wearing a human hair wig and I love it when it's not hot. It looks so beautiful and real, nobody realizes it's a wig.

dancetrancer

That's great that the wig looks so awesome!

I agree, the fear of permanent Taxotere associated hair loss would make cold capping worth it to me, too, even if I had poor hair retention from the caps.