Do "cold caps" really work for hair loss?

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Hello12
Hello12 Member Posts: 33
edited March 2016 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

My mom has been on hormonal therapy for 5 yrs and her oncologist is now recommending chemo. One of her worries is that she's going to lose her hair again. I've read about cold caps that people use to stop that side effect. Does anyone have experience with these? Do they work? And if so where do we get them?

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited March 2016

    No personal experience with cold capping, but here is a link to a very extensive and active thread on the topic. All the best to your mother.

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/6/topics/...


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  • Hello12
    Hello12 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2016

    thank you!!

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  • JFL
    JFL Member Posts: 1,947
    edited March 2016

    My cancer center has them. Several fridges were donated. Several of the chemo nurses told me a few patients have done it and it works. However, it is painful, verycostly and time-consuming. The patient has to be at the center for 3 hours before and 3 hours after wearing the cap, in addition to wearing it during chemo. It seems geared toward a short, definite course of chemo (such as for early stage). The nurses told me it wasn't practical for ongoing Stage 4 chemo when I asked.

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  • tarheelsupport
    tarheelsupport Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2016

    I have a family member who used cold caps. They are expensive, are excruciatingly painful (get drug cocktail to help), and require several folks to help you throughout chemo---as they have to be changed every 30 minutes or so for an hour before chemo, all through chemo and for several hours after. Also, many chemo nurses are hostile to the hubub the changing of the caps and all the other items creates. However, it worked, and for her, it was worth it. After her last chemo appt, she walked out with a full (but thinned) head of hair and called chemo over---without having to look in the mirror and be reminded of it. I concur with JFL that it would not be worth it if you were having ongoing chemo.

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  • Hello12
    Hello12 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2016

    Darn. I didn't know it was so involved, and painful. Thanks for the info everyone. Someone needs to invent a cap you can leave on and don't need to change!!

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  • Wildflower2015
    Wildflower2015 Member Posts: 279
    edited March 2016

    Hello12,

    There is a brand of cold cap called Dignicap that works the way you described. It was recently approved by the FDA.

    Cold caps worked for me. My hair thinned but I inever needed a wig. I used the Penguin brand. Yes, the caps were very cold but not excruciatingly painful. They were expensive at $580 a month but it was worth it to me. Also, I had only one helper and that was sufficient.

    I encourage you and your mom to look at the cold capping threads in this forum for more information.

    Wishing you and your mom all the best!

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  • car2tenn
    car2tenn Member Posts: 515
    edited March 2016

    Bah Humbug!. It is worth it!. I am 9 weeks into Taxol/Herceptin. I use cold caps for 45 minutes before and one hour after Taxol. I am also receiving chemo Perception.. The only real problem is cost since insurance does not now but soon will cover the cost.

    Regarding discomfort: I use an electric blanket during infusion.

    Cost: Arctic Cold caps rental $500 a month and $75.00 a week for pellets of dry ice.

    Is it worth it? Absolutely. Do not be scared away it is a coming thing and I am thrilled to have avoided the bald head. Carolyn from Nashville

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