Prevention Of Chemotherapy Hair Loss

How does it affect your hair?

Chemotherapy is something that must be done to treat cancer and sometimes this can lead to alopecia. This cancer hair loss occurs because of the way chemotherapy targets and kills fast growing cells and your hair follicles fall into that bracket of fast cells. Hair loss generally appears differently in people as people react in different ways to certain drugs. It can appear in some as a slight thinning of the hair and others all over the body, it really is down to people's tolerance to the drugs that they are being treated with.

Preventing Hair Loss During Chemotherapy

The hair is one of the main side effects of chemotherapy treatment but there are things that can be done to minimize, however it cannot be fully prevented as there is no known chemotherapy hair loss solutions. Some solutions that can help are listed below.

• The Cold Cap System - This is a method used by some doctors on patients undergoing chemotherapy who want to have the best possible chance of retaining some of their hair. It works using a cold cap on the head to cool the scalp and prevent blood circulating to the hair follicles, this type of cap does vary between certain hospitals. The cold cap is put on the head at least 15 minutes before the chemotherapy treatment starts, to give it a chance of slowing the blood flow to the scalp. After the treatment has finished the cap is left on for between 1 and 2 hours after the chemotherapy. This does however mean that you spend longer in the treatment unit. The cold cap is exactly what it says, it is cold, and not everyone can stand it for that length of time and this is why it has been abandoned in some cases. It is not a necessity in preveting hair loss but it gives a greater chance of retaining some of the hair you have. While cold caps can be successful they are not as successful for all chemotherapy drugs, so it is important that you talk to your doctor if you are one of many chemotherapy patients, about the drugs you are taking and whether or not the cold cap will be effective for you.
• Purchase a wig - Prior to your treatment shop around for a wig that matches your hair colour, often the hospital were you will have your treatment will point you in the right direction. Purchasing a wig prior to treatment will mean that you have one ready in case you do experience hair loss. Heres a tip try going out in public with it on before your hair loss starts so you can begin to feel more comfortable wearing it. Many wigs today are so good people will not be able to realise you have got one on. Have fun choosing the right hairpiece and experiment with the many different colours available.
• Cutting your hair short - Short hair can be a lot easier to maintain and can allow your wig to fit more comfortably. Some people often shave their heads before their treatment begins as it can be less traumatic when their hair starts to fall out.
• Buy a Scarf, a Hat or a turban - These are becoming much more fashionable these days and are worn by people who don't even have cancer. Many chemotherapy patients use hats or scaves to wear over their heads. There is a great choice when looking for chemotherapy hair loss hats as they can be tied in many ways with different looks.

Tips for Taking Care of Your Hair During Chemotherapy

These tips are for maintaining hair during chemotherapy whether your hair is very thin or if you havn't lost any at all.

• When washing your hair use a gentle shampoo, a herbal shampoo like Rainbow Research's Organic Herbal Shampoo is great for soothing the scalp and providing essentail nutrients to the hair follicles. Do not over wash as this may aggrevate the hair and cause it to break or fall, washing every 3-5 days is more than enough.
• Rinse the hair thoroughly and pat dry it, do not rub it as this may cause the weak hair to fall out. Also, do not use hairdryers as these can be very harmful to the hair.
• Wear a scarf or a hat when you are outdoors to prevent any heat loss through the scalp and prevent any effects from the sun.
• Do not color or perm your hair during this time, if you havn't experienced any chemotherapy hair loss the hair follicles could still be weak and the hair will not turn out the way you want it to i.e some hairs may not curl or color.

Great Tips Ways To Cope With Chemotherapy Side Effects

Coping with Chemotherapy is the one of the hardest things a person can do, but to receive inspiration and advice from those that have been through the treatment and survived, can mean a lot. Coping With Chemotherapy is a book by Nancy Bruning who is a survivor of the chemotherapy treatment. In this book she compassionately offers advice and authoritative information on the world of a cancer patient. Visit our hair loss forum and discuss or ask question about anything related to chemotherapt and hair loss.