Round 2 hair shedding

Hi Jay Jay, it's difficult to answer your question as it seems to vary massively from one person to another.  Daughter started with cold cap and had exactly what you're experiencing. Started with strands but very quickly turned to handfuls. By chemo 3, she had lost 80% of her hair and decided to give up the cold cap (she hated it anyway and felt it was the worst part of chemo) and asked her hairdresser to remove the rest of her hair. She was much happier then, collecting a wardrobe of chemo beanies and developing a 'style' with them. 

I have, however, heard about lots of people whose hair only thinned slightly with the cold cap, it's definitely more effective for some.

Eighteen months on, daughter's hair is about three inches long, thick and curly. She's just had her first highlights.

I know a lot of people choose to clip or shave their hair themselves, but I think it really helped to have the hairdresser do it . Daughter didn't have the 'shaving rash' many people get and the hairdresser recommended a moisturiser for her scalp which kept it in pretty good condition.

Very best wishes for your successful treatment. x

Hi, 
I cold capped and lost about 50% of my hair but cold cap protects the hair follicles and my hair started to grow back before I finished chemo. I seem to have permanently lost a lot of my body hair and I wander if I hadn’t cold capped would my head hair have been lost too. I’m 18 months post chemo and despite being on Letrozole and Abemaciclib ( both drugs cause hair thinning) I have a full head of hair and it’s now a short bob. 
Whilst cold capping make sure cap is tightly on your head. I developed a bald patch and I’m sure it was because on my first session I didn’t have the cap applied tightly enough. I experienced pain, which after 10 minutes was relieved as my head became numb. Take a blanket as by the end my whole body would feel cold and you will need a hat or head covering for your journey home as your hair will be wet. 
Cold capping, like all of our cancer treatments isn’t without discomfort but I am pleased I preserved. I wish you well it’s all doable.

Hi Cherry,

thank you for sharing your experience with me. I too have heard mixed results from cold capping so I guess wait and see and hope for the best. It’s really nice to hear your daughter is doing well with her new hair, if I follow suit and it all comes out I can then aim for the same, one thing I have found over the last few months my goal posts move quickly sometimes.

xx

Thank you for this, very informative and I diddnt realise that hair could grow during treatment. Bizarrely I don’t find the cap bothers me at all but really hoping it does work for me for same reason, I panicked it may not grow back, I also have noticed that sometimes the caps are not such a hood fit so will have to shout up and ask for help.