Chemotherapy is a term which is used to describe that treatment which is given to those who have been diagnosed with cancer. Chemotherapy can be considered as a drug treatment which kills the cancer cells and also kills some of the normal growing cells of the body. One of the side effects of chemotherapy is hair loss. It is likely that people undergoing this treatment may lose hair all over their body but mostly, hair is lost from the head.
Losing hair is inevitable for those who are undergoing chemotherapy but there are certain ways through which you can reduce the amount of hair loss. The following are some of the most effective ones:
1. Wearing Cold Caps
One of the commonly followed methods to prevent hair loss after or during chemotherapy is wearing cold caps. Cold caps can be worn before, after and during the chemo session and this has proved effective for many people. This method may not always completely prevent hair loss, but definitely reduces it for a lot of people.
2. Use the Technique called Scalp Hypothermia
Scalp hypothermia has proved to be a very effective method of preventing hair loss in recent times. This is a method in which a person undergoing chemotherapy is made to wear a tight skull cap which is made of rubber or silicone gel. This cap is cooled to very low temperatures, as low as -22 degree Fahrenheit.
What really happens is that the low temperature constricts the blood vessels of the scalp and due to this; the number of chemotherapy drugs which attack or affect the hair follicles is considerably reduced. For opting for this method, you must talk to you oncologists who will give you more information about the same and will test the feasibility of this method for you. This is a new treatment and requires one to use 15 caps in one chemo session. Thus you may also need to contact your insurance company to ask them to cover this cost as well.
3. Use Ice Packs
On the same principle as scalp hypothermia, a lot of cancer patients also swear by putting ice packs on their heads during chemotherapy sessions. Many have reported prevention of hair loss by using ice packs which again inhibit the attack of drugs on hair follicles, thus preventing or reducing hair loss. If the above methods don’t work for you, try this one out but only after doctor’s approval.
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