Cold Caps Users Past and Present, to Save Hair
Comments
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I used the headbands around my hairline and ears, then used the black and gold stretchy bands both under my chin and around my head (like the headbands) to pull everything in.
Had a terrific result on TCx4. Also used moleskin on my ears and forehead. and wasterribly grateful my hospital had freezers so we didn't have to drag coolers around.
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Leslienva,
is it ok to use Toppik during chemo, I'm getting TH, 1x week for 12 weeks and using PCC
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Leslie, THANKS! I have heard of Toppik on one of these threads, I think the newer thread for post cappers....I assumed it was chemical based & couldn't use while doing PCC, BUT I just saw that it is actually free of Parabens &Sulfates...GOOD TO KNOW!
Sephora's site shows it has it on sale & its less than it would cost at Sallys...0 -
Yes, you can use Toppik during chemo! I also use the Colormark to cover grey strands.
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Hi Leslie - where did you purchase Colormark? I'm only a month into this and my roots are HORRIBLE. Hoping I can get something to use on special occasions that will cover until I need to wash again. So far, so good ... Round #2 scheduled for Thursday and only a few hairs here and there are gone (mostly behind ears and neck). Keeping fingers and toes crossed and everything else
Thanks, Kim0 -
Kim, I bought it at Ulta.
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EditI have a box of Herbatint, dark blonde that I'm not going to use. Ammonia, paraben, peroxide, ppd free. Dark blonde comes out dark so more for medium brown hair. I heard it works great but I'm just going to wait until I can color with INOA at the salon. Here's picture of the box. Inbox me and i'll send it -my gift to whomever wants it. Posted it on the life after cold caps thread, too..
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Leslie and Goldenpaws - I used touchback root concealer - it's like a fat magic marker. Get it at Sally's or Ulta. It's awesome. Also, style edit spray. Like Rita Hazan root concealer except cheaper. Covers a large area of grey - like a whole part line. Less messy than bumble and bumble spray powder. I also used Wow color powder. People raved about it but it's expensive and I feel it's just ok. My hair fairy sent me Joan Rivers color fil in powder. It covered great and made my hair fuller. Also helped with the greasies. Good stuff
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Just a quick explanation for those who wondering why we get a big shedding after chemo :
During the chemo, most of our hair's follicles are like asleep. We have no more telogen shedding (the normal process of 2 years old hairs shedding) and got only the anagen loss (the chemo shedding that regards healthy hairs). After the chemo, the follicles awake. All the hair process is resumed and the telogen shedding get back to the normal. In fact, the new growing hairs pull off the old hairs...
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Hello all,
I have not posted in years now, but I wanted to let all the newbies know that you can do this!! During treatment and capping, it seems like a long drawn-out process, but what you get in return makes it all worth it! My hair is so thick now that it is sometimes difficult to straighten or blow dry and my curly hair remained just that, curly.
During treatment, it just looked like I had a bad hair day. Sure, I lost some hair around the neck and ears, but the other hair covered that area and I got a little thin on top, but nobody knew the difference. I just want all you ladies to know that it really does work and worth every minute you are wearing that cap.
I wish all of you capping success!
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Danielle - thnx so much. I def cannot go this entire time without covering my grays. Thank you!! Also, thnx Misstic for the great explanation on shedding. I'm just starting to shed a little bit but it does freak me out.
Rhonda, also thanks for the positive feedback. Scary but I know by now I would probably be bald. Just hard trying to keep a normal look....even though my kids say my hair looks the same as before ... thanks, kids! Ugh ha!!
Kim
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DaniellaD,
and everyone else. Thanks so much for all the hair tips. I'm starting PCC on Friday with 12 wks taxol& herceptin, then herceptin every 3 wks for the rest of the year. I'm really encouraged by everything I'm hearing. When I had chemo 25 yrs ago there were no cold caps, it's kind of hard to believe it really works but because of all the pictures I've seen, I'm sold. I've gotta color my roots so I'm getting the touchback , you guys have recommended. I don't use any products with alcohol, paraban (sp?) or sulfites on my hair anyway so I'm not worried about that. I've just gotta do those roots. Because they were thinking I didn't need any adjunctive therapy after my surgery I took my time making a coloring appointment , then the Dana Farber study came out a couple of weeks ago and we decided to do the herceptin & taxol. Now I have roots coming in without being able to color my hair. Any tips really appreciated.
I had my port put in yesterday it's really sore, other than that I think this will be a lot better than the stronger treatment I had 25 years ago and I worked all through that. Friday is C day so we shall see. Meanwhile I have an appointment with a PTSD dr tomorrow who works with cancer patients. I had bad ptsd after chemo 25 years ago and finally my mo sent me to see someone to deal with anger issues. Now, I know enough to get help when I think I'm going to need it. Looking back as to how things were in my 30's getting treatment last time to how they are now, all around things seem to have improved 100+%
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Hi Ladies!
Last week I finished my last round (6) of TCH+p! I'll continue with the herceptin through September but that should be much easier! I had great success with the Elatogels! I didn't lose the hair around the nape of the neck and the ears that I had expected. If only it could've helped my eyebrows
And honestly, I would've used the Penguin caps because there was a lot more information on them, but when I was doing research I found someone from the Penguin company on multiple sites saying only Penguin caps would work and elastogels wouldn't work and that just bothered me. But in the end, it all worked out and I think it's great that there are options! They both definitely work! The ladies on this forum are so helpful and have so many tips and tricks, I probably could've worn a bag of ice on my head with success! Thank you all so much for getting me through this and hopefully I'm able to help someone else and pay it forward! You guys blow me away everytime I'm on here! Everyone looks amazing!!
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Killerfunbags, CONGRATS!!! You & your hair look amazing!....I feel there is not as much info on the elastogels, compared to Penguin on this site. That's awesome that you were so successful....Just curious, do you still have to be super gentle & "baby" your hair for the next 4 or so months also on the elastogels? What a relief to be done
I can't wait for that feeling & to have a celebratory cocktail, LOL....5 more weeks for me...Lori
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Good morning KillerFunBags!! Wow, you look awesome!! Amazing that you're hair looks so fantastic. CONGRATS!! I'm heading for Round #2 this morning ... then 2 more. Can't wait for this to be over. I'm always happy to see success w cold capping. I'm doing PCC ... so far, so good. What are you using (makeup) for your eyebrows cause they look great. Again congrats! Looking beautiful ... feel proud ♡
Kim
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Killerfunbags - WAHOO!!!!!!!! You look absolutely fantastic! So thrilled to hear of another successful Elastogels user! Did you follow the PCC protocol in terms of temps/dry ice, times, etc?
I did PCC (because of limited Elastogel users here), but am just so happy every time I hear of another successful Elastogel user. I think the fact that they can be purchased (and that means they can be re-sold, no? And some of the costs re-couped?) at a much cheaper price really opens this opportunity to save your hair up to SO many more women. Thanks for being brave enough to try them and add to our experience here, showing that they work! And beautifully, I might add!
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OMG...you look amazing! Another success! Keep them comin' ladies!!!!0 -
this pic taken last night (#7 taxol after 4A/C) with my cold capping buddy, my husband. I finally said, "hey, why don't you put one on and see how cold it is?" Notice cold capping cro-magnon eyebrows on me. The caps always push my forehead down.
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Gatomal, you look great! So glad to see these PCCs working. Is that his expression at full cold strength? My husband is doing my capping for me. My ice hats are in the medical freezer at my Drs. office. I start tomorrow. 12 weeks of Taxol/ with herceptin once a week. I'm planning on covering my ears with panty liners as I've seen some do, that should be quite the "look"
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Killerfunbags,
You look fabulous! So glad to see that these things work!!!
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Gatomal, I LOVE that pic! So adorable!
My husband tried on one of the caps just out of our regular freezer - not even at the dry ice temp. He cried out like a schoolgirl (ok, maybe not quite that bad), took it off after like 10 seconds and said "OMG, I don't know how you do that! I have so much respect for you! I can't believe you do that all day!" and practically started hyperventilating! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! I am impressed your husband is smiling in this pic. He must have more hair than my poor hubby. I'm sure that is why it was so hard for him to handle...lots of exposed scalp in his case, lol!
It's the only way I can explain it, b/c except for the first 2 caps, I thought the cold was really quite tolerable! I was really surprised by his reaction. The guy loves cold packs for injuries, but I guess his scalp is lot more sensitive than his knee.
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Suladog I tried panty liners but they didn't stick well. We settled on thin moleskin cut to fold over the ear and over the earlobe. About two inches by 2.25 inches. Also another thinner strip to secure it if need be. We also brought extra moleskin, puffy and thin and good scissors to cut it there were cold spots. We also have a ziplock full of additional precut pieces in case one falls off or isn't sticking. It's good to have as much done in advance to reduce stress, as the timing and changing can be a little hectic until you really get a rhythm down. Always bring extra stuff, as it will be almost six hours total, if you are following PCCs recommendation. I also take a Vicodin and Ativan as prescribed by my docs. Makes it more tolerable, especially if icing fingers and toes for taxol.
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Gatomal,
Thanks for the tips! I'll bring extra moleskin and will try that instead. I start at 9:30 am , will start PCC before the premeds, the taxol is and hour then Herceptin counts as one hour of PCC post chemo than another two hours or so..I think it's something like 5 hours my dr says. They cold cap there, and my doc has prescribed Vicodin which I will take beforehand. Already taking vicodin as I had my port put in two days ago and I'm still sore.I can't tolerate Ativan as it gives me the opposite response, (I have ADD) and climb the wall like a monkey if anyone gives me that stuff. I found out the hard way after my first chemo 25 years ago. NO ONE wants to see me on Attivan! Nobody mentioned I should ice my fingers, the doc says this is such a low dose I should have no problems and I'm taking L-glutomine. One of the docs also prescribed Xanax for me. I've never taken any of this stuff, but she said with my add and history of bad ativan reaction that might be best for me if I need something. I've done much stronger chemo before back in the primitive days 25 years ago, so that doesn't scare me, anything has to be better than that!! I'm just nervous about the PCC as that's totally new territory.
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Thank you all so much!!!
Curly- I'm definitely still babying my hair and plan to for the recommended 4ish months. I actually have a hair appt already scheduled for 4 months from my last chemo date lol. Something to look forward too! Hopefully it'll be ok by then. I've noticed some of the ladies were still shedding at 4 month, but also some stopped well before then so I guess we'll see!
Goldenpaws- I use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz- someone at Ulta gave me a tutorial! I still think they look crazy so I appreciate that!
You girls are almost done!!!
Dancetrance- I think I did the same protocol- I did my research from this site, rapunzel project, CCC, PCC and Amazon and basically got the same info for temps and everything. And I started an hour before and tried my best to get to 4 hours after. Sometimes I called it quits at 3 1/2 lol. So I think it's all basically the same information. The only varying factor I can remember was wetting the hair before putting the shower cap on. I did this but not everyone does so it doesn't seem necessary.
Now hopefully it'll hold on for the next few months
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Killer Fun Bags, your hair looks great and I'm so glad the Elastagels worked. PCC really has some customer service issues, so it's nice to know there are other options!
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I cannot believe it was a year ago that I had my friends schlepping coolers packed with caps and dry ice. It seemed there was a blizzard every time I was scheduled. I am so glad to see the tradition continue and more women survive chemo without the added trauma of being bald.
Killerfunbags - Love your name and you look amazing!
Gatomal - Your husband is a good sport. We could never get through this without the care and compassion of those who are there for us.
And so, at 10 mos. Post Freakin' Chemo...Doubters Eat Crow!
Dancetrance, MDG, Hortense, Hope, JC, everyone - Hoping you're all well.
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WW, your hair looks amazing! So healthy and beautiful!
I too cannot believe it was a year ago you started with cold caps. Wow that time went fast. I remember when you came to the boards - thanks so much for sticking around and joining the veteran cold capper's club!
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Hey current cappers, you should know that Warrior Woman was hilariously skeptical about cold caps when she first appeared on this board- thought it was all a great conspiracy. It's really gratifying to see her picture now with that healthy, shiny hair and to hear her encouraging words to others. They really do work! Looking good, WW.
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What gorgeous, healthy hair, Warrior Woman! Killer, yours is lovely too. Thanks for posting.
I am 8 weeks PFC, just bought Nioxin 4, and will try it tonight. First trim next Monday. Keep at it, Cappers!
Jeni E.
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hi ladies,
Just checking in :-)
Killerfunbags - looking gorgeous! I'm also delighted to hear elastogels worked for you. I am so grateful for PCC, but had real issues with admin, and the market benefits from competition.
Warriorwoman- thanks for sharing what 10mos looks like.
I shed for more than 4 months - very lightly the whole time. I think I posted about all my hair neurosis on the other thread, but am finally (18wks post !?*%'ing chemo) relatively confident its stopped.
Woo-hoo! Onwards ladies!
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