Chemotherapy can be a stressful event for breast cancer patients. One of the most traumatic experiences during the treatment is the hair loss. A recent study shows that the cooling cap can limit hair loss for women during breast cancer treatment.
The finding suggests that the scalp cooling equipment was proven to keep most hair - with up to 50 percent less of hair lost. Albeit a further research still needs to be done, the cooling caps will improve an individual's life quality during cancer treatments.
How does the cooling cap work?
A new study led by Dr. Hope Rugo from University of California, found the effectiveness of the cooling caps after recognizing that 66 percent of 122 women at five medical centers experienced lesser hair loss.
Cooling Cap May Limit Chemo Hair Loss In Women With #BreastCancer #UnitedStates #FDA... https://t.co/yTCqyuI49N pic.twitter.com/9fRY4z3LBA
— Trending Cancer News (@cancerolizer) February 15, 2017
The cooling device used a double cap placed on the scalp for 30 minutes before, during and after the treatment, and maintained the temperature at around 37 degrees Fahrenheit.
The cooling cap isn't always effective, expert says
Dr. Julie Nangia who found a similar result with Paxman tool claimed that hair loss is inevitable although the chance is slimmer, up to 30 percent.
There are a few cooling caps approved by the FDA. This means that the device is safe to use but it does not always give an effective result for patients, as reported by CBS Local. Furthermore, the cooling cap isn't covered by health insurance and a patient may need to pay at least $1,500 for the device.
While the cooling cap may not remove the side effects of chemotherapy, Dr. Harold Burstein said that the tool will benefit for breast cancer patients because hair loss was an uncomfortable experience, yet a visible manifestation of chemotherapy.
