Cold Caps Users Past and Present, to Save Hair
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For those of you with GI problems this is what I am doing and it works for me but everyone is differentl I have just had my 5th infusion of TCH The moment after chemo I seem to get constipated so I take 1 stool softener/day for about a week and eat a lot of fresh blueberries in oatmeal (good natural laxative and high in anti oxidants). Then it seems to go other way after a week so I eat more bananas, rice and foods easy on stomach. I combat the rather severe heartburn with Prilosec or cheaper Walgreens alternative for about the first 2 weeks after chemo.
Re trip home- from infusion center. I have the coolers with dry ice in my car, so if I do not make it home in time. I would stop and have my helper change the cap. I have kept the caps on 5 hours after infusion as my liver values were off initially . So far not too much sheeding so I am going to continue with the 5 hours of wearing them. I generally ask them to give me Herceptin last as I count that time in the 5 hours after infusion. This time we had problems with the thermometer, not working well so we had to guess if the cap was cold enough. I hope that will be ok?? It still felt cold. Does having the caps really cold like -34 degrees centigrade get better results than -24?
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ColdcapuserSF: I have been using Burt's Bees shampoo and conditioner. Before washing my hair I gently comb it through to remove any tangles. I wet it and then shampoo in sections....I don't try to pile hair on head or anything, I just wash the top part, wash each side and then the long hair hanging down (I gently rub that between my hands). I then rinse it and use a small amount of conditioner and rinse it out. My hair has not been tangly at all. I hope that helps.
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Hi ladies. I'm now 5 days post second tx. Does the shedding calm down a little? Or remain constant throughout chemo? I will be requiring a wig if this level of shedding continues.
Is it ok to wear a wig while undergoing cold cap therapy? Or will it damage follicles?
My hair Is very hard to manage or style without frequent washing and styling. I'm very conscious of what it looks like and don't go out often. I'd like to look normal and think a wig may help. Any suggestions appreciated.0 -
DebRox - i had one huge shed after my second treatment, and then it slowed down. i found just clipping it up and leaving it alone was better psychologically. Try to touch it as little as possible.
i have thinned quite a bit. Not noticable to others - but very much so to me. I bought a wig this week. "just in case". It's nice knowing it's there if i need it. I figure so many of the women wore hats - why would this be any different? I only plan on using it for special occasions and the odd night out. My scraggly hair is fine for home and the grocery store -but that's it! Hang in there. The shedding really does calm down.
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Hi lovely ladies - I am almost 8 weeks post chemo (TCHx6) and we had a really humid day in Mpls. So, I wanted to share that my gray hair (nape of neck and sideburns) are doing that crazy curly thing that the other ladies wrote about with the humidity. So funny. My hair actually seemed unruly, like the good old days. Oh, and I actually noticed (and shaved) some hair down south. Oh, again, noticed teeny tiny baby eyelashes.
Things are growing. It is like watching a garden grow...LOL!
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I don't know about wigs. I know they don't typically recommend hats at all because they don't want your head getting hot. With it being summer I would think the wig would make it hot. If you are not sure, email Frank or Geralyn.
DebRox: As far as shedding, it seems like from reading this thread everyone's shed pattern seems to be so different. I started shedding at day 21 after my first treatment (which was the day of my 2nd treatment) and it lasted pretty bad for about 3 weeks. Then it lightened up. I did continue to shed, but it was less than the big shed that started on day 21. It went up and down a little during the rest of chemo but that was manageable. Two weeks ago it did start shedding super bad to the point that all I did was pick fallen hairs off my arms all day long - constantly. I just had to clip it up. I think it finally starting to lighten up but I feel like the last two weeks I really lost a lot. I am OK with it at this point. It still looks normal to others despite feeling super thin to me.
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Hi ladies. i'd love ideas on how to wash my hair. I was reading Maria's suggestions the other day. Today is wash day (ugh!), and when i tip my hair over the tub it gets tangled easily. But - when i stand up, my body gets cold from the cold water i tip over my head. Am i missing an obvious solution? I'm usually quite clever about this kind of thing, but the chemo has made me a moron! I'd love everyone else's tips. thanks, gals!
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Hi All:
The way I wash my hair is as follows:
First, take a nice warm shower, not too hot, so you don't steam up the shower, but warm and comfortable. I keep my hair out and away from the water---you can even use a shower cap, if necessary. Then I have a plastic container-I use a square tall one-I adjust the water to cool, not really ice cold, and I pour cool water over my hair from the container and wet all my hair. I then put a small amount of shampoo in the container and add a little water and pour that over my hair and move it gently around my hair, no scrubbing or nails, just gently rubbing the shampoo mixture through my hair. I do this 2 or 3 times until I feel all my hair has gotten shampooed and then I rinse with the container of just cool water over my haed without getting my body very wet. When I feel it is rinsed clean, I move my head away from the water and turn the shower back on warm and rinse my body--NOT MY HAIR--in the warm water, so I feel comfortable and not cold. Then I get out of the shower and gently put a towel over my hair to soak up the dripping water, then I air dry for a while, then I style it as best as I can. Sometimes I gently set it with foam rubber rollers, with leave-in organic conditioner and let it air dry, or I use a hair dryer on COOL and softly style it. Be gentle with your hair, but no need to punish your body with cold showers, just be careful! Hope this helps.
Keep Positive! Smile and Laugh Alot!!
Nancy
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Nancy - thanks for the washing tip. That's what i'll try today. Seems less punishing then what i've been doing. i don't think i can do any styling ... i lose too much hair during my wash! i just air dry and clip it up. Not nice - but it'll do for at home.Thanks so much! Pam
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LivCar: Here's what I did. I washed my hair in cold water in the shower, first (trying to not get much cold on my shoulders or torso). I let the cold water run over my head til all wet, then worked up a little shampoo in my palms and gently worked it down the shaft of the hair. I'd hold the roots of a section with one hand while I rubbed the shampoo with the other. Then I used a little lather on my scalp with my fingertips. Then I rinsed, letting the water do the rinsing and just lifting the hair up in a pony tail or in sections and maneuvering without twisting the roots. Then I applied a small amount of conditioner.
Then I switched the water to warm and washed my body while the conditioner worked in, keeping my head out of the warm water. When done with my body, I switched back to cold water, braced myself, and rinsed the conditioner out while I worked through the hair with a large pick-type comb (which is what I always use). I wrapped the hair in a towel without twisting or hand-drying, and let it air dry. My skin really liked the cold water "finale" and I've continued to do this, especially on warm days (which we're just finally having here in the bay area!)
I rinsed my hair every day in cold and used the comb to comb through, preventing tangles from building up. My hair is curly and thick and prone to snarling, so I was glad to keep it in good condition this way. My dry hair appreciated the once/weekly deep condition by the last chemos (and PFC).
I didn't use an expensive shampoo or conditioner, just used Trader Joe's Nourish Spa hydrating shampoo and conditioner. Love all the natural botanicals in there, really is like a spa.
Hope this helps!
Susan
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Thanks Susan! i just finished my wash. AGain ... lost more hair. I'm really thin on the top now. Starting to see lots of scalp. Not sure how it'll all hang in for 4 more chemos! Keep your fingers crossed for me.
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Hi LivCar - it is a bummer to lose hair when you wash. Bummer about seeing scalp - I lost all the nape of my neck about 2.5 inches up all around - LOTS of hair. Really, really WHITE skin with no hair. There was nothing! But, we still protected it with the cold caps - and put the eyebrow strip on the nape of my neck to protect it after that first big loss. So, by continuing the cold caps, the hair started growing throughout my chemo.
Re washing - I simply took a normal shower, after warming my body I put it on lukewarm (not cold) and washed my hair - rubbed/patted the shampoo. Rinsed. Then put A LOT of conditioner in and rubbed/patted. Rinsed in lukewarm water. Wrapped hair in a towel and dried with a cool hair dryer - the ends, not the scalp. Worked for me.
Hang in there ladies!
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Annie - did you see new hair growth during chemo? if so ... when? THanks for the shower tips. I think my next one should go much better.
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Livcar - I did see new hair growth DURING chemo after I lost it on my first chemo due to the cap not fitting well. The loss of my nape of the neck was on the first chemo on January 10. I saw major first shedding at the end of January into February. I noticed that I had hair growth in April, my last chemo was April 25th. Now, 8 weeks out, I have all kinds of lengths. Sideburns are about one inch, all gray, no color (so it is new hair growth). The nape of my neck is two inches, again all gray. My very patient (sp?) husband just looked at it and told me the measurements - he is an architect, so very precise! I am so glad I kept at it, because this hair should be like my other hair on my body which is about 1/4 to 1/8 an inch (down south, on legs).
Hope that helps....stick with it, if you can!
Annie
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Thank you mdg, Susan and Nancy, really appreciate the detailed help on hair washing and products.
This is a great group!
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to: momof4girls How did your first chemo go?
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to: ColdCapsUserSF -
thanks for asking. My first day of chemo went pretty smoothly. I ended up staying at the hospital for the four hours after the infusion to finish up the caps. It just seemed easier. I have slept nonstop the past two days. I just can't even lift my head up off the pillow. But I woke up today feeling somewhat refreshed and I don't need my anti-nausea meds so I'm hoping for a better day. Maybe a nice walk with my daughters.
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Glad to hear you are more rested today! Hang in there! Enjoy the day with your girls.
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Hi all:
14 days PFC and getting lots more new little hairs. Never lost all the hair down south, nor my legs but arm hair coming back and finger hair too. I too started getting my hair coming back during chemo. It is going to be so weird with the new hair coming in under the existing hair but I am NOT complaining. Can't wait to get a haircut though.
Next week is my first Herceptin only treatment. Wow, how will I deal with no labs, but I do see the oncologist - she wants to see me routinely while I'm still dealing with these heart palpitations.
Hope everyone is having a great Monday!
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All that growth during chemo talk is so exciting! thanks ladies!!
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I know...this is worse than my 13 year old watching for underarm hairs...it did take him years to get one of those long and curly hairs!!!
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Arlene & Annie ... did you do that caps at home in between treatments? i have such a bad chemo day experience with the caps, that i can't even look at them at home. I was hoping I'd put them on 3 times a week, but that never happened.
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LivCar - I never did one cap at home. I live in Minnesota. It is cold here. The last thing I wanted to do was to take a cold (but not nearly cold enough) cap and put it on my head without any drugs to help me. Additionally, I just did not get the concept. The temp is too high in my freezer, etc. Also, at the time, I kept thinking if this did work, there would be no bald men in Minnesota. Ponder that! Anyway, others swear by it...and they said it contributed to a healthy, thick head of hair!
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I never did any Cold Caps at home.
When I used them a year ago they did not suggest this.
My hair turned out fine...
Maybe they are changing some of the rules?
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Anniemomofthree: I used PCCs before Frank began recommending wearing them between infusions. So I did not use them between, and have a hecka head of thick hair. (I have long ringlets with a mind of their own, I call it my "Medusa stage.") My motorcycle helmet is the only thing that flattens it. The difference with the between-fusion caps is that they come out of your regular freezer, so are at +32F, not -32C -- a world of difference. Because they aren't cold enough to freeze your nerve endings, you can sometimes feel the cold *more* at the regular freezer temp. I swam every day, so had my head in cold water for a good hour a day. I'm convinced that helped. I don't really have a way to test it, though; it's not like one half of my head was in cold water and the other wasn't!...
Momof4girls: Glad to hear it went smoothly. I was thinking about you. Hope the advice helped! Try to move at least a little -- the exercise will help detox and help you feel better faster -- and keep hydrating (also to detox). And honor your body and brain's need for a good power nap.
Susan
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Livcar-
I lost a lot of hair on top after first chemo complete with bald spot that has increased ten fold since. But with that said I still have hair and I wear a hat or bandana at all times I have enough hair that hangs down underneath so know one even knows. So even though you may lose a lot of hair like I did hang in there it is still worth continuing. I am all most 7 weeks PFC and my HUGE bald spot is starting to get covered by hair. I figure in about 4-6 more weeks I might be able to go without a hat.
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LivCar: Stick with the caps, they are worth it. I did the in-between caps 2-3 times per week and was really good about using them right after treatment. After #4, I only did them for 2 days since I got so sick that, like you, I couldn't even look at the caps. There were times too that the caps after chemo made me sick to my stomach.
Stick with it LivCar. I'm 2 weeks PFC and while my hair is thin, I don't need scarves, hats or anything as long as I leave it back in a scrunchy and I have lots of new hair coming in too. I'm very pleased I stuck with the caps.
If you can, try to use them in between as they do stimulate growth which I think I'll go use them today.
It is the dreaded hair washing day today.
Arlene
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LivCar -stay the course...you may even jump start the re-growth!
Arlene - congrats on being done and seeing the new growth. That is really exciting!
Momof4 - I hope you got your walk in with the girls!
Leeann - the waiting can be really hard...hang in there!
Susan - that is right, you swam every day in the cold water, right? Glad that worked out so well...
Funny thing....despite my use of Latisse, I have recently (last 72 hours) lost almost all my bottom lashes. I had read about this happening and it did. The baby hairs must be pushing them out!
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Anniemomofthree.. My lashes did that too lower then upper. I used Latisse throughout. Now my lashes r back full and long. I am still doing Latisse.
My shedding has remained light since last week. I had as a matter of routine saved my hair in an opaque container PFC. I read on the forum ladies had saved their hair in baggies for each chemo, so I did the same. I just looked in the PFC container for the first time and my guess is half of my hair is in there. The heaviest shedding was in the third month PFC. I don't understand why there is so much shedding PFC. My little chemo sandwich bags of hair look very small next to the PFC hair. Any one have any ideas about the PFC hair loss or talked to Frank about it?
My hair is all one length so that helps with the thinness. My sideburns where it was bald has a lot of
New hair, the roots look more dense than the rest of my hair. I am hoping the rest of my head begins to sprout new hairs. How many months did it take for the hair to come roaring back? I am about 16 weeks PFC.0 -
Sashette: Lord I can't imagine continuing to shed like this until 3 mo's PFC! I hope that is not the case for me....I did not keep any hair, I just went with it....nothing I could do so I just throw it out. I too wonder why so much shedding so long after PFC......I guess the hairs just can't hang on any longer....
I keep praying lashes stay......I used latisse a little during chemo but decided to just wait to get serious about it after. I started about a week ago.....Cross your fingers....I keep waiting for lashes to go as it seems like most people lost them and many several weeks after PFC.
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