Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do Chemo Cold Caps work?

The technical answer is vasoconstriction. This means when a patient is wearing our specially designed cap that is cooled to a very low temperature (approximately -30 degrees C), the blood vessels that would normally carry the harmful drug agents to the scalp area become constricted and are now unable to damage the hair follicles.

2. Is wearing the cap painful?

Most patients experience a few minutes of mild discomfort when the first cap is put on. After about 10 minutes the scalp area becomes mostly numb. The most commonly reported side effects include headaches, complaints of coldness or uncomfortable sensations, dizziness and to a lesser degree, claustrophobia. In general, scalp cooling is very well tolerated with very few cases resulting in suspension of the scalp cooling process due to discomfort. Studies have shown that on a pain scale of 1-10, with 1 = “not tolerable” and 10 = “really well tolerable”, mean scores vary between 6.9 and 8.0.

3. Will Chemo Caps be effective with my chemotherapy regimen?

While Chemo Caps are effective with a great number of chemotherapy regimens, they are not a universal solution. Many factors determine the success of reducing or eliminating hair loss, including the drug regimen, dosage, administration method, and number of chemotherapy courses. Please see Clinical Studies on which regimens chemo caps have been most effective with and, most importantly, consult with your oncologist about whether using cold cap therapy is right for you..

4. How long are the Chemo Caps worn for?

It is recommended that caps be worn for 50 minutes prior to the start of the infusion process, and throughout the entire infusion period, and finally for at least 3 hours following the completion of infusion. Depending on your regimen, the entire process can take up to 6 hours. Note: the longer the caps are worn (up to 8 hours) the more effective they can be.

5. Is there any training available?

At Chemotherapy Cold Caps we’re committed to ensuring all users are completely comfortable with how the cap wearing/changing process works. Complete instructions, user manuals, and all the tools necessary for maximum success will be made available to you. Additionally, we are available by telephone for any questions or concerns that we can answer.

6. Am I committed to using your caps for my entire infusion cycle?

No. If for any reason you do not wish to use our caps for your entire chemotherapy cycle you may cancel at any time. Our fees are all on a per usage basis and you are free to stop at any time.

7. What is the cost?

Please see the Fees page for a complete list of all fees. Additionally, Chemo Cold Caps has created a crowd funding alternative for those users that are unable to pay the entire costs of their scalp cooling treatments themselves. Please have anyone that would like to assist you financially to click on the “Donate” tab and enter the relevant information

8. Are Chemo Cold Caps right for me?

Chemo Cold Caps are effective in reducing chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) in many patients, but success rates do vary. Determinants such as age, dosage and type of chemotherapy, and even hair characteristics are all factors that must be taken into consideration when determining whether scalp cooling will be a successful choice for you. According to researchers Wim Breed, Corina van den Hurk et al, in a study of over 1400 Dutch patients taken from the Dutch Scalp Cooling Registry, factors such as “higher dose and shorter infusion time, older age, female gender and non-West-European type of hair significantly increased” the chances of heavy hair shedding. It is advised to discuss all options with your oncologist prior to treatment.