Cold cap????

Hi Lady Magenta

Welcome,to,the forum and sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  I wasn’t offered the cold cap so my hair started falling out after my second session of AC chemo. I then got my mother to shave my head. I used a couple of turbans which I bought off the internet whenever I went out but didn’t bother with them while indoors. 

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatment.

Best wishes

Daisy53

It's a tricky question as there is really no right or wrong answer, just whatever you feel the most comfortable with. If you're on the fence you could always try the cold cap and if you don't like it or it's not successful, you can then shave your head and see if you prefer the bald look or experiment with scarves and wigs to see what you feel most comfortable with. The beauty of scarves and wigs is that you can change as often as you like!

I had 4xEC and 12 Taxol in 2021 and didn't bother trying the cold cap. Personally, I felt it would be less stressful to accept that my hair was going to fall out rather than anxiously wait and see if the cold cap would work. I cut my hair short before chemo and when my hair started shedding, it was quite slow (everyone told me it would be quick but it wasn't) and I felt such a relief when I shaved it off because then it was done and was one less thing to worry about. In the end, for me, having no hair was not so bad at all and felt quite liberating. I often rocked the bald look, but wore scarves at times because having no hair can make you REALLY cold. During chemo and until my hair started properly growing back, every day I would massage a little bit of light scalp oil on my head to stop it getting dry and keep it nourished, and once it started to grow back the hair was very good quality.

Now that my hair has grown back, I have a little bit more appreciation for it!

I wish you the best of luck on your journey and I hope you manage to make the right choice for you!

Thank you. I have a wig appointment this week to see what I think. Xxxx

Thank you for your reply. I am finding that after being quite clam about everything, I am now getting quite anxious about it all. Your comments are really helpful though. X

Hi there,

I have had 2 rounds of EC WITH the cold cap. If you can get through the first 20 minutes then you can do it but the first 20 mins are tough - so distraction  for that time worked well for me (plus I do have a bit of an iron will). I have not lost any hair yet but I’m thinking it’s still early days. To be honest I wont be devastated if I do (don't’ think so anyway}. I really think it’s so much personal choice and what you feel you can face on that first day. For some reason it was important to me to be able to manage it - like some kind of test that I could manage the rest - but that’s mad really. Basically, I think I’m just stubborn!

I do have a wig and hats on standby. Try and let go of the anxiety if you can - so much wasted expended energy. You sound a really lovely person talking about rocking the bald look! You will be beautiful either way.

Jan

I got talked into trying cold cap, a little against my better judgement, as I already knew it works least well with fine straight hair, and least well with EC chemo, which I started with. Sure enough it had mostly fallen out by the time I had my second chemo. Cropped it short, mostly wore a scarf, then a wig for special occasions. My hair started to grow back when I switched to Paclitaxel. I finished chemo late October, it looks like a normal short cut now, albeit it has gone white. 

Thank you for your words. It's really helpful to hear what you think. I am feeling a little less anxious now. I will see how I feel after my hair cut later today. I am not sure how I will feel when I can't dye my hair bright pink, wigs and hats might be better. 

Good luck with your treatment too xxx

Thank you. I am also having EC so am expecting it not to work so well but my hair is very thick. I have got scarves, turbans, hats and a wig on standby though. Although the wig is lovely it's not my fabulous (if I do say so myself) bright pink hair. 

You words are really helpful, thanks. And I suspect if I do lose the hair it will also come back white. 

Thanks xxx

I have had 4 rounds of EC and 12 weekly sessions of paclitaxel. I used the cold cap throughout and I am very pleased I did.  I finished my treatment mid November 22.  I kept more of my hair than In expected.  I had a wig but never used it.  I had too much hair. My hair has come back salt and pepper and curly.  I have had it cut in a pixie style. My eye lashes and eyebrows are growing back. It is very much an individual decision.

All the very best 

Hi

I am on chemo no 4 and have used the cold cap I have kept 80% of My hair . I started  lose strands of hair after session 1 day 14/15 that lasted 5 days and then got less and less .

I am wearing a normal headband just to Cover my crown where is has snapped or thinned .

Well worth the perseverance imo.

good Luck x