Experimental headwear may make hair loss related to chemo a thing of the past

Shirley Billigmeier recently underwent her final round of chemotherapy, and she has a full head of hair, thanks to an experimental piece of medical equipment called a "cold cap."

Doctors fastened the cap on Mrs. Billigmeier's head for one full hour before each round of chemo that she received. After treatment, the cap – which is set to -22°F – is worn for an additional four hours. Those five chilly hours were well worth it, as the treatment seemed to have been a complete success.

Although it's still considered "experimental," cold cap treatment has been around for over a decade. A 1997 study published in teh European Journal of Cancer reports that 87% of patients who wore the cap retained their hair during and after chemotherapy treatment.

The treatment is available, but it's the accessibility that is the problem. The Rapunzel Project - a foundation setup by Mrs. Billigmeier while she was undergoing treatment - aims to give more people access to cold cap treatment. We wish her luck!

Comments

[Delia Marly - Make Your Hair Grow]

This is a nice one. Going to tell my friend about this cold cap and maybe it will help boost her confidence after going thru a hair loss due to chemo.