Cold Caps Users Past and Present, to Save Hair
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I lost both gratually after chemo even though I used Lattise on my brows only throughoutchemo. Now 101/2 weeks PFC and brows are pretty much have grown in and lashes are coming in also. Still use Lattise nightly.
I'm well, 2 weeks since surgery. thanks for asking.
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I am 7 weeks PFC and lost my brows about 2-3 weeks ago and they are coming back now but, i am starting to lose my lower lashes this week, hope the top ones hold on. I have always colored my hair and haven't since March my ends are dark brown/reddish and my roots are very dark brown/black and gray. My husband calls it tri-colored hair, but i am happy its there LOL
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Meow0369 -- I didn't lose my eyelashes and eyebrows until near the end of chemo. So disappointing. They started getting thin, but really got thin probably around rounds 5-6. But they did not completely go away. I used Latisse mostly throughout chemo and then once they fell out. I am about 4.5 months past chemo now, and I look normal! They came back probably 2-3 months after chemo.
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Kechla...thanks so much for the ear cover idea. I have always done the moleskin on forehead but did not think my ears were getting cold. Wrong, got freezer burn after 2nd infusion, so I have be wrapping moleskin on ears with limited success for my last 2. I am definitely going to try the sock idea for my 4 taxols.
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Hi Ladies!
I am 5 weeks PFC... and my hair is coming out more than ever- or so it seems.
I dont remember it coming out this much since my very first treatment.
Also my hair is SUPER dry. Any recommendations on what I can put in it that is gentle? I was told to baby it for 12 weeks.
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Icandoallthings: I shedded ALOT several weeks after chemo too. Now at 11 weeks PFC it seems to slow down. I use Giovanni shampoo, conditioner and leave-in conditioner (conditioners applied only on ends) throughout and I always wash with coldest water tap allows and my hair is actually very shiny and silky but I think it could be because I only wash it every 5 days. It gets so dm oily in between which might be good for maintaining the luster!
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KD - Thank you for your kind words of wisdom.
Meow - Very sorry you are struggling so much when you need support. Big hugs to you.
Kechla - Thanks for taking the time to share your pics. Your ear sock idea is great. I'm just using 1/2 pantiliners which don't really cut it.
Take care everyone.
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Icandoallthings -- I did use conditioner along with shampoo during my cold capping. I used it all over but just a small amount. But I used sulfate free of both. I think hair can get get dry from chemo and from "chemopause" due to change in hormones.
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ok so I probably get the stupid award but I had fun. I'm 14 weeks PFC and my hair stopped falling out a month ago. I got tickets to see Cyndi Lauper so I thought it would be fun to color my hair pink with hair chalk. It made my hair so tacky and a tangled mess that I lost a LOT of hair trying to comb it! And after 5 washes, it's still in my hair! It seemed to let go of my new "mullet hair" on top pretty easy so I wonder if there's something about all the chemo drugs my old hair has in it makes it hard to let go. So basically it's pink everywhere except on top.
But hey, girls just wanna have fun, right?
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hi there!
Just introducing myself..... you can read my dx and tx history below. Had my second chemo infusion on Wednesday with capping.
Here's my question: I'm finding the capping to be really not-uncomfortable. I'm a very sensitive gal, so reading these boards had me expecting headaches and nausea and frostbite during capping. It's doesn't even feel uncomfortably cold. I'm nervous that i'doing something wrong. I hired an RN recommended by the infusion center to be my "capper".
Is it just the Ativan and Medical Marijuana making it so tolerable? Also nervous for the impending first big shed
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Haha...if you are taking marijuana and Ativan...nothing should be bothering you
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Dear Myraclaire,
Welcome to the community. We are sorry for your diagnosis but so glad that you reached out to our community. Your dx and tx history should appear in your second post - just a tech glitch on our part that does not make it apparent immediately. Keep us posted and stay connected here. Good luck to you as you continue your treatment. The Mods
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Hi everyone my 2nd treatment was yesterday of TC. My hair continues to shed I am on day 22. How many days did your hair shed and then did you get a break? The cold capping went well I think although I know it is a lot of work for my husband. How often are you all washing your hair? Does it look oily?
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Runner, you look adorable and glad you freed yourself for a few hrs. Maybe contact a hair dresser to see how to gently get the rest out.
love your spunk!CR77 , unfortunately everyone is different w shedding. Metabolism and chemo regimen. Some shed thru it some after some the whole time. Just go by your protocol to the "T". Hang in there!
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Runner - love the pink hair, perfect for the concert!! And the overall look of your hair is awesome! It really responded well to the capping!
I will be 13 weeks pfc on Tuesday and colored today. My shedding has been minimal the last two weeks and my hair is very slowly filling in so I decided it was time. I used a non ammonia color and it did okay. My hair did fine - it didn't cover gray as much as my usual color but it is soooo much better and it actually made the texture softer than it was before. It also looks thicker with the gray colored so overall I am happy. It is only semi permanent so I will have to do it again in 6 weeks or so but I can live with that until my hair fully recovers. I also washed it under the shower head in warmish water...pure heaven, lol.
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Myraclaire: Welcome - sorry you are here.
I'm really, really sensitive too. I had a hard time with nausea the first infusion but it didn't have to do with the capping itself. I can't take the standard anti-nausea meds and that compounds problems. I do notice that every week is a little different though. The first session felt hard with caps - very cold/heavy. The next four or five didn't bother me except for the first few minutes of the first few caps. With the sixth they felt super cold and miserable throughout. We're using a biomedical freezer where the temp doesn't vary at all and we measure the temperature of each cap as it comes out - there's no variation in them - but my body registers differently... so , who knows. I'm glad you've felt good with the caps thus far. Hopefully that will continue for you! On another note,, do you mind if I ask if you are using the medical marijuana for nausea? If so, does it work well for you? I'm in CA and am getting ready to go get that today because I can't get a grip on the nausea.
Runner - you look smashingly good! Your face looks full of life again.
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Sassy convict hair! Ha ha ha ha ha love it
The laughs here really keep me going. (Also enjoyed: looking craptastic, having troll hair)
I just wanted to say i've been saving the hair i lose each day in tiny baggies so i can see how the shedding progresses. I'm using a Paxman cap and had not been told not to brush my hair, so i've been brushing it very very gently holding onto it near my head. I have long hair. I lightly brush the top after that. I haven't noticed any coming out in the shower
For me, shedding started day 16, peaked at day 19, and has tapered down since then.
I hear the first shedding is often "the big shed", and i'm hoping to lose less after subsequent rounds of TC. I look the same from the front, but the top of my head is quite thin especially along my usual part. As it progresses i'll change my part then start wearing soft headbands.
This is me after "the big shed", going into chemo infusion #2 on Thursday Sept 15.
The puke fairy kicked my ass for 36 hours after this second infusion, and i was in hospital for iv fluids, tests, and Zofran (which seems to be what i need). I hear being sick after an infusion seems to negatively affect hair. Guessing that the chemo drugs don't get released from the body as quickly. Fingers and toes crossed i don't shed more this time.
Thanks for all the helpful, practical, hilarious, commiserating posts everyone! They really help.
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myraclaire- I didn't do any kind of anxiety meds before capping and had the same response as you. It never bothered me. No headaches, frostbite, or anything. I worried I did it wrong. I didn't.
Everyone else- thanks for the comments. I happened to have a hair cut appointment and my hair stylist had a few choice comments about my hair. Byyesterday I looked like a crack ho. She had to put some kind of treatment on it and let it set for 15 minutes under some heat to get all the pink out. My scalp is still stained with pink. She ran her fingers through my scalp and commented I have a ton of new hair coming in everywhere. I figured I did but I can't feel it. Sadly, the big bald spot I had at my crown has grown in enough that when it is damp, it's so dark and curly it looks like I had a pubic hair transplant! It's pretty funny.
I'm putting a teal streak in my hair tomorrow but I bought some different stuff that washes out easy. I'm running in a 5k that raises money for ovarian cancer research and teal is their color. I have to wear a compression sleeve when I run now. Blah. The radiation scarred a bunch of lymph nodes and every time I exercise I get lymphedema under my arm and on my back. Weird. My arm doesn't swell but it aches bad unless I wear a sleeve. Oh well. I bought some in cute colors because the standard light brown makes it look like I have a prosthetic arm. Maybe I already said this stuff!
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Thanks for all the encouragement! Today is day 16 and I'm very very anxious. I've been following the protocols to a T and beyond! I think the hardest parts are drinking a gallon of water daily, but I'm doing it. And not pulling my hair back- I have long, thick "fluffy" (i.e. Not curly, not straight) hair that I NEVER wear down normally. I flinch every time I touch it lately
Willa- the medical marijuana is very helpful for nausea, appetite and generally not giving a crap about anything
Runner- Im not into overmedicating (although let's face it, when you have cancer you have to let that go) but the nurses at My treatment center recommend Ativan for all cold cappers. So far so good, so I'm not changing anything
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Myraclaire- I'm the last one to judge when it comes to meds. I'm kinda jealous of the marijuana. Lucky!! It's not legal where I live under any circumstance. Except you can get a marinol prescription for appetite. My oncologist prescribed Ativan all through chemo, you just didn't get any the day of chemo unless you brought some from home. I never felt like I needed it that day but I always took it as soon as I got home because I still had 4 hours of cold capping and it was the only way I could chillax.
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Runner70 - Pubic hair transplant.. lol, you look terrific in pink hair. About radiation to the lymph nodes, though I am node positive with micromets, my RO said that they consider radiation to the lymph nodes only for >4 nodes involvement. So, no radiation to the lymph nodes for me. Not sure if that's something standard over here in Oz.
I am now 7 weeks pfc and shedding hair. I am thankful for the cold caps as I still have a head full of hair! It gives me a bit of confidence to settle into my 'new' normal.
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Runner-
I'm in New York where they make it very difficult to obtain Medical marijuana legally. I jumped through all the hoops and basically "paid" for my license. Ultimately, it was easier and cheaper to get edibles (chocolate bars and lollipops) that a friend got from California. (Disclaimer: I do not endorse breaking the law). It def helps manage the physical side effects with the capping and the nausea but the best bonus is psychological- the time just passes. I'm an Always-on-the-go person and taking it easy and staying homebound for days on end is not easy for me!
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Wow. Lost a LOT of hair 3rd day after 2nd TC treatment. This would be about 24 days after my first treatment. So far I'd mainly just lost around the fringe, but this was all over. Normal??
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Amy Abs: You emboldened me today: warm-ish water -the overhead shower head (not the hand held on cold-spit setting). I used conditioner for the first time (Fast Shampoo and Conditioner). Only second time using the shampoo - no reports yet.
This shampooing was the least shedding and least traumatic yet - 11 wks PFC. But then again, not much left to lose. Can't find who here referred to Gollum - but MAN is that funny (and true). Time to change my profile pic. I have lots of regrowth - short fuzzy and gray - but can ALMOST go without Toppix. Brows are back, lashes on their way - full but short. Not shaving my legs too much (so what), and the pubic hair is also on vacation (again, who cares?).
The question I keep being asked by family and friends is "would I do this again?" (since the given is I've had a less than fabulous result). First of all, my deep apologies to those of you who may be dealing with a recurrence, but I don't want to think about the circumstances that would have me making that decision. I just finished this ordeal - and would appreciate a little time to not have cancer riding shotgun in my life. I kept saying I couldn't wait to have this in the rear view mirror. Well, it's there - but, as we know - the rear view mirror is constantly in my periphery and objects may be closer than they appear.
KD, thinking about you - glad you're doing well after surgery.
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Thank you Aimless. I'm just a little sore and sometimes uncomfortable which hopefully gets better in the next few weeks.
My daily shedding was very little last week so yesterday I got a real haircut. So great to get rid of the damaged, useless and ugly hair. It's a pixie cut (similar to Jeniffer Lawrence). Got a Demi color also. My stylist even used the dryer on mid heat and a bit of flat iron on the ends. Boy it made a HUGE difference. Both my colorist and stylist said I have a lot of growth and no shedding while they were working on my hair. Top still on the thin side but now blending with the new growth. For the first time in months I went out for lunch afterwards and wasn't uncomfortable showing up in public. I think will still continue washing my hair in the sink and give it 5 more weeks before getting highlights. Although the deep brown color gives the illusion of fullness so may stick with it.
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Kechla- yes it's normal. You're right on schedule for the first big shed. I thought the first one was the worst. It will get better in a few days. The fact you have hair at all at this point means cold capping worked. Just hang on to that thought. It was really distressing for me at the time. There's just so much to take in and you don't even know how the hair will turn out in the end. It's a nice distraction from having cancer though.
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Hello everyone,
I'm having a bit of a melt down moment. I am 23 days PFC. I was taking TC regiment. My hair was rocking and holding on strong. Now I am shedding worse than ever. There was a time during the final capping session that the caps weren't cold enough. So I was afraid that might be what's causing this. But I've been reading some other posts and others are having this PFC shedding too, that seems to be on going. Mine just started and I've lost a lot of hair. Hard to cover up the scalp at this point.
I'm freaking out, mainly because I thought I had stellar results. I was blown away by how well this worked. I hardly lost any hair. No one notice. Heck I barely noticed any hair loss. But now.... this is big. I'm feeling so down because going into my final chemo I was feeling on top of the world as far as hair goes. Now, my chemo is over and hair loss is happening. It's a major blow to my moral. I just thought I had made it through unscathed.
Is this a normal thing to have happen after treatment? The most major shedding event? I am hoping this will stop and that it's not a result of error on my part during the capping process. *commence freak out*0 -
KD- your haircut sounds great. Sounds like it was just what you needed. Hope you continue to feel good about your hair and you're healing well.
Tunegrrl - your hair looks phenomenal. Fingers crossed you continue to do great.
Myraclaire - Thanks for encouragement on the marijuana. I feel a little better after getting it (less nausea) but still awaiting that stellar don't give a crap about anything feeling. Good luck with your next infusion.
Best wishes to everyone for a week of happiness and lots of hair. ha.
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thanks Runner. The shedding seems to have slowed again, but still more than previously. I just need to keep in mind my goal is to no have permanent hair loss.
Any advise on loose scarves or such as hair gets thinner? I am inept at tying scarves...
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Myraclaire -- I think you are fine. I have a mild headache during the first cold cap each time, and then after that it didn't bother me. I did take 1 dose of Ativan before starting. And I am VERY sensitive to cold, but I found the cold capping to be much easier that I ever expected. Just be happy something is easier than expected, right?!
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