How More Women are Keeping Their Hair Through Chemotherapy

 A staggering 1 in 8 women will face a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Hell, if you think about, I’m sure you know someone undergoing treatment for cancer as we speak. It can be a daunting thought especially when we think about how cancer patients are depicted on TV and in the movies; weak, frail, balding, and pale AF. While this can certainly be a reality, it doesn’t have to be the only option. It’s possible to go through breast cancer still feeling vibrant, strong, and in the driver’s seat.

Part of what makes “being a cancer patient” so challenging is that no matter where you go, that bald (and beautiful) head is usually a tell tale sign that will often illicit questions, comments, and concerns from total strangers (whether you want it or not). Even if you choose to rock a head covering or a wig, it can be challenging when you’re trying to be low key in your hot yoga class and Cousin It melts down the side of your face landing on your neighbour in Down Dog.

If only there were a way women could choose to keep our hair during chemo… Well, believe it or not, scalp cooling or cold capping is quickly gaining popularity and is having some really incredible results.

You may have seen some celebrities sporting these caps while undergoing certain types of chemotherapy. Peloton instructor Leanne Hainsby, Today Show Corespondant Jill Martin, and 90210 Legend Shannon Doherty have all used them with varying levels of success. It’s an exciting possibility in a time when patients often feel like they have little to no autonomy over their body.

A cold cap is a flexible, gel filled hat that closely resembles an old school football helmet. On chemo day, six caps are carefully layered into a cooler filled with dry ice, bringing the temperature down to -38 degrees Celsius. Caps are rotated through and changed every thirty minutes to ensure the blood flow to the scalp is restricted. This results in less chemo drugs penetrating the hair follicle and a reduced likelihood of chemo related hair loss.

This may all sound a little too good to be true and you may, unfortunately be right. There is no guarantee that it will work for 100% of the patients that use it. It can also be extremely uncomfortable while the patients scalp is being brought down to the correct temperature. Frost bite and dry scalp can also be a serious accompaniment with the caps creating additional challenges for a person already dealing with so much. Another challenge is that many doctors aren’t up to date with the latest options dismissing the treatment as something that simply doesn’t work. In many eyes it is seen as an unneccesary inconvenience, taking up time and space in the already busy chemo rooms. Just like the paint colours on the walls, it really comes down to personal preference of the treatment centre that patients are working with. Recently, we have seen plug and play machines being provided by treatment centres, which can really help take the pressure off of patients. The final and largest challenge with cold caps is that they are an added expense for patients to incur, not being covered by basic medical coverage. Even for those with extended medical, scalp cooling is very rarely included for coverage which creates another barrier for patients being able to build them into their treatment plan.

If systemically we could remove these challenges for patients and make cold capping more readily available, the results would not only benefit the system as a whole, it would change hundreds of thousands of lives on a daily basis. Patients could continue to feel confident in their own skin. With mastectomies and lumpectomies, many lose a massive part of what makes them feel feminine. Keeping their hair would help women continue to stay connected to their identity and who they are. Many women going through breast cancer are also mothers. A super common fear is having to watch your child see you change from mommy having hair down to her butt to looking like Mr. Clean. Imagine if a mama could scrap that from her plate of worries and just focus on showing up for herself to fight with everything she has. One additional benefit to consider is that when patients look healthy, it’s easier for them to BE healthy. Not fighting with that effing wig in yoga class, still going out and leaning on the support of a community, and maintaining a sense of normalcy gives patients tangible supports that help them poor their all into being well.

Many women are confident rocking that bald beautiful head. They feel strong and vibrant with or without their luscious locks. But for the women who’s identity is closely intertwined with their hair, cold capping can be an absolute game changer in how they show up to the ring to kick the shit outta cancers butt. I was one of those women.

To learn a little bit more about my experience with cold caps, check out my Ted Talk below.