New Invention To Stop Hair Loss In Cancer Patients

Scientist have been busy recently with a new invention that they say will mean that cancer suffers will be able to be treated for cancer and keep their hair. The inventor who is an oncologist has designed the Cold Cap. It functions like an ice-pack which is put on the head and had been shown to reduce the hair loss that occurs with chemotherapy. The reason for hair loss in cancer patients is that chemotherapy destroys rapidly dividing cells. The cold cap tightens the blood vessels going up to the hair follicles and so that they are not subject to the toxicity of the chemotherapy.

The cold cap in order for it to be most effective should be used before, during and even after chemotherapy treatment. The cold cap as the name implies, is extremely and uncomfortably cold and must be changed about every half hour to maintain the cold temperature. The other things to bear in mind is that as well as the cap changeover about 4 hours of extra time is needed for each chemo session. Most health insurance policies do not have a provision for the cold cap, but this could change if it becomes a popular and well known hair loss treatment for cancer sufferers.

Most traditional hair loss remedies make little headway against the hair destroying effects of chemotherapy. Propecia, minoxil and a host of other hair loss formulas are not any good as the hair is lost almost instantly with chemo treatment.