EC Chemo

My daughter cold capped with EC but had lost 80% of her hair by cycle 3. She truly hated the cold cap and felt it was the worst part of chemo. Decided to give up and asked her hairdresser to clip off what was left of her hair. She was much happier then and got on fine with a wardrobe of chemo scarves and beanies, mainly from Etsy, until her hair grew back.

It's a very personal decision. We knew several patients who managed to keep a good 50% of their hair using the cold cap and we're happy to adjust their style.

Very best wishes for your successful treatment. xxx

I cold capped on EC and lost the majority of my hajr after cycle 2. I’m glad I tried though 

Hi I finished chemo two weeks ago.

i had 4x EC and 4 x Paclitaxel fortnightly.

I cold capped throughout. Although I lost a lot, I also kept enough to get away without a wig or a topper.

My hair was very long, thick and wavy before. I had it cut to below the shoulder to help it be more manageable.

My hair really thinned all over but I did lose most on my crown - am quite bald there, but I can use clips to clip the rest up and over, and no one would know.

I didn’t find it overly cold, even when my hair really thinned. The hardest part was the extra time it added on, but in hindsight that was definitely worth it.

My hairs very dry, and don’t get me wrong it looks like I need a good trip to the hairdresser but I don’t stand out.    I never wanted to stand out as a person who had cancer a if that makes sense. I still lost my lashes and brows and had many tears when it shedded - it still is.

EC is very harsh on the hair, but I’d definitely do it again.

Good luck xxx

Hi. That’s interesting to know that although you lost a lot you were able to conceal it. 
I am currently having weekly paclitaxal and carboplatin, session 6 of 9 is tomorrow then I go on to 3 sessions of EC every 3 weeks. I am currently cold capping and like you I have thick curly/frizzy dry hair. 

I wonder when it will stop shedding now you have finished. Maybe you could start using some hair growth serums etc now? I know they aren’t recommended when undergoing treatment but maybe ok now?

I’ve kept my hair at the front and where it’s quite long there, I’ve been able to clip it back and over where it’s bald siding the tiny crocodile clips. 
I have like a wide bald Alice band shape where I’ve lost the hair, and also have smooth patches about each ear. I think that’s where I wear glasses and they rub on the hair when I put them on and take them off.

I also bought the hair fibre spray and hair fibres on an adapter. It’s like a small powder puff and you dab on the bald patches. It help to take the whiteness of my scalp away and helps disguise it. The combination works quite well.

I really hoped my hair would start to regrow during Paclitaxel, as others have seen regrowth. Sadly I haven’t and it’s still shedding. Not as heavily, but it’s very fragile still. Some say it can take weeks after chemo to stop or return to normal.

I’ve bought an eyelash serum and Rosemary oil for my brows but it’s early days so no regrowth as yet. I started using this when chemo finished just over two weeks ago.

xxx

I've had two rounds of EC now and pretty much lost all my hair despite doing the cold cap. It feels like I wasted a little of time and put myself through unnecessary pain. You have to wait 90 minutes after treatment with the cold cap on so it really does prolong the treatment time.

Hi I cold capped throughout my treatment.  I had EC and Paclitaxel. I lost some hair 

But never used the wig I had. I took paracetamol just before the treatment.  Yes it made the treatment longer but from my perspective it was more than worth it.

From what I have learnt from this site. It is like marmite some are pro and others are not.

My hair grew back quickly.

It remains an individual decision.