Hi

They wet your hair back and fit it tightly. I recommend that you take an Alice band with you to stop the cap freezing your skin. I wasn't told and they improvised with gauze. 

The treatment is an extra 2 hours to add on to your treatment time. The first 20 minutes as the cap reaches -6 I found unpleasant but not painful. My hair is already falling out though so I'm going to stop using it now. I'm picking my own battles and my hair just doesn't seem important to me whilst I'm trying to get my fitness up due to contracting covid and sepsis at my first session.

Good luck with it and let us know how you get on.

Barb xx

Thanks so much.

I also gave up after two rounds last time I had chemo, but I was hoping maybe cold cap technology had come on a bit since (was five years ago).  I agree losing hair is less important, and actually short hair is pretty cool these days, plus wigs have also become more acceptable I think.  But I will give the CC a go, cos it was a good 18 months at least before I was happy with how my hair looked last time.

So in summary long hair doesn't matter because it's all wetted down?

Thanks, and good luck too xx

hello, gigi

back in 2014 I had a masectomy,  chemo, radio thereapies and herceptin jab.

I, too, had very long hair - and I am going to be honest here, because the truth is better.   I opted to try the cold cap, and, unfortunately, it did not work - I was told by the nurses, it was very rare if it worked.

after a while on chemo,  I was sitting at my dressing table ,  brushed my hair, and it just all came away.

I was advised, that, if I had cut my hair short, the impact of long hair just falling out, could be less of an impact, mentally.      On reflection, I agree with this and wish I had cut it off.  in answer to your question, does length of hair under the cold cap matter - for me, no it didn't.  as I said, I have long hair and it fitted under the cold cap - it just didn't  work for me = I lost all my hair regardless.

There are some lovely Wigs out there - and the NHS ones have vastly improved - in fact ,  I could choose from various upmarket wigs and had good advice.   

my hair did all grow back - and its now long again, so do not lose faith - it should all grow back.  

I do sincerely hope that , if you try the cold cap, that it works for you.

Strangely, I never even cried when I was told I had breast cancer, but, to be honest, seeing my hair just falling completely out, made me cry, but just for a few seconds.     I feel I had a very positive reaction to having breast cancer,  you have it, and going in to a depression, does not help or solve the matter.

last November, I had a breast reconstruction.

pam

Just to put a positive spin on the cold cap there are 2 ladies on the same session with me and both have thick hair one is very long. They've lost as little as 10% of their hair. Give it 1 go and then you can make a more informed decision.

Good luck

Barb xx

That's good to hear, thanks Barbm!

Do you all have chemo sitting in one big room?  I had private health care first time around and I had my own room.  I'm a little nervous that cold cap will add another two hours, sitting in a room full of other people.  Even if they've all been swabbed, they might have colds etc.  How have you found it? xx

Yes I was there all day so had 5 people in the morning and another 5 in the afternoon. After shielding to ensure maximum health I caught covid and sepsis at the hospital. I'm currently still in hospital desperately trying to get back to health for my chemo session next Wednesday.

Gosh, really sorry to hear that.  That's dreadful.

You think you got it during chemo?