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Home > Hair Loss > Hair Loss and Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy and Hair
Loss
How does chemotherapy affect your hair?
Table to risk of hair loss with
different chemotherapy drugs
When your hair grows back after chemotherapy?
How
to prevention of hair loss when you have a
chemotherapy?
How to prevention of hair loss when you have a chemotherapy?
Preventing as much of the chemotherapy drug getting to your scalp as possible can do this. This is done using a cold cap that acts to cool the scalp and therefore restrict blood circulating in that area and reaching the follicles. The availability and types of cold cap used varies from hospital to hospital. The cap put on fifteen minutes before chemotherapy to start restricting blood flow, and kept on during and up to 1-2 hours after your chemotherapy. This does mean that your time in the unit is longer.
Not everyone can tolerate wearing the cold cap as it
can feel very cold. This discomfort varies from
patient to patient so it is not a failure if you
can't wear it and it has no influence on the outcome
of your treatment. In other clinical trials to date,
less than 2% of patients who had retained their hair
did not continue with the procedure.
While cold caps may be effective in preventing hair loss for some chemotherapy drugs they are not successful for all drugs. Your doctor or nurse will be able to advise you
The cold cap system
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How it works?
Studies have shown that scalp cooling is effective in preventing hair loss in patients treated with some chemotherapy drugs. Coolingthe scalp to a temperature of +17 oC to achieve a subcutaneous temperature of +20 0C (68 oF) constricts the blood supply to hair follicles diminishing or abolishing their perfusion hence preventing high chemotherapy dose delivery during the initial phase of chemotherapy. Further, coldness itself reduces the availability of (chemotherapy)
cytotoxic drugs
to the cells of the hair follicles by directly
reducing their metabolic rate. It is the combined effect of both these mechanisms,
induced by cooling the scalp, that prevents or
reduces hair loss (alopecia). -
How effective is it?
The cold cap system works better for some drugs than others. Some clinical trials show a success rate of up to 85% with :
Docetaxel (taxotere) Epirubicin
Paclitaxel (Taxol) Cyclophosphamide
Wearing a wig
If your hair does not grow back, is patchy,
or you are still undergoing chemotherapy, you
might consider wearing a wig. There are several
varieties in all styles and colours, and can be
made from both synthetic and human hair, or a
combination of both.
How to wear a wig : There are several different tips to make sure your wig is secure :
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Although a well fitting wig should stay in place by itself you can also use double-sided tape. Wig specialist stock hypo-allergic double-sided tape that will not irritate your skin. The tape is applied to the underside of the wig. Surgical spirit can be used to remove any remaining adhesive.
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The lining of the wig can sometimes irritate the scalp. You may find it helpful to wear a thin cotton scarf or skullcap under your wig. These are usually available from wig suppliers.
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You will need to have your wig adjusted as you lose more hair.
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Ensure that you receive instructions on how to care for your wig and how to have it re-styled.
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Try to avoid using hair spray on you wig as this can make it look unnatural.
What you can do for yourself
If you are worried about your hair falling out
from chemotherapy, these are some of the things
that patients recommend you might do
-
Ask your doctor or nurse if your chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss
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If they do, ask about a wig straight away, before you start your treatment, so you can match the colour and texture of your real hair
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If you are feeling adventurous, choose a wig for a whole new look - why not the hair and style you've always wanted!
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Think about having your hair cut short before your treatment starts
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Some people like to have their hair shaved off completely, so they don't have the distress of seeing the hair fall out
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Wear a hair net at night so you won't wake up with hair all over your pillow, which can be upsetting
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Use gentle hair products such as baby shampoos
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Don't use perms or hair colours on thinning hair - colours may not take well and perms can make the hair damage worse
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Try not to brush or comb thinning hair too hard - a soft baby brush may help
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Avoid using hair dryers, curling tongs and curlers on thinning hair, and try gently patting your hair dry
If your scalp flakes or itches, this means it is dry - use oil or moisturiser, not dandruff shampoo
