Cryotherapy to Reduce Hair Loss During Chemotherapy
Hair loss is a common side effect of several chemotherapy treatments for various cancers that can cause added anxiety and stress. Your emotional and mental health is an important part of your overall health. That’s why we offer scalp cooling to patients who could benefit from it during chemotherapy.
The Paxman Scalp Cooling System uses cryotherapy technology to potentially minimize or prevent hair loss by lowering the temperature of the scalp, thus reducing blood flow to the area around the hair follicles. If you use a cooling system during chemotherapy, someone from your care team will help you set up and wear the scalp-cooling system.
Not all chemotherapy treatments benefit from scalp cooling. You should discuss with your provider if your specific treatment could benefit from this.
Who is Eligible for Scalp Cooling?
The use of cold caps and other scalp cooling devices is not recommended for everyone. It depends on several factors, including the type of cancer you have.
Scalp cooling is not recommended for people who:
- Have a central nervous system cancer
- Are getting chemo to prepare for a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant
- Had, or will have, radiation therapy to the skull
- Have leukemia, lymphoma, or multiple myeloma. (These cancers travel through the blood and lymph system, so we don’t want to reduce the amount of chemo going to the head and scalp because of the possibility of cancer cells in these areas.)
- Have a cold-agglutinin disease, cryoglobulinemia, or post-traumatic cold dystrophy (due to the risk of toxicity)
Scalp cooling might not be as effective for people with:
- Severe liver problems, because scalp cooling affects how long a medication stays in your system.
What Else Should I Know About Scalp Cooling?
Potential side effects of scalp cooling therapy are minor and may include chills, headaches and scalp irritation. Using a cooling cap during will add some time before and after your chemotherapy session. Ask your care team how long it will add to your appointments. Hair loss is different for everyone, and we can’t know for sure if you’ll be able to keep all your hair before trying scalp cooling.
If you’re interested in scalp cooling treatment, talk to your provider. Not all insurance plans cover scalp cooling systems. Check with your insurance company to see if they cover this treatment. Your care team can answer your questions about the cost of scalp cooling.