
Some doctors and researchers have been concerned that scalp cooling could increase your risk of scalp metastases. This is more of a risk with ice packs or cold caps that aren’t properly fitted to your head. Some scalp cooling systems may cause you to lose patches of hair where the device doesn’t make secure enough contact with parts of your scalp. Scalp cooling can cause discomfort if you’re sensitive to cold.Īpplying cold temperatures to the scalp can lower your overall body temperature, so bring warm clothes or blankets to chemo treatments to prevent symptoms of hypothermia. Sensors in the cap allow the temperature of the cap to be regulated so that the cap remains cold throughout the entire treatment.Īre there any side effects associated with scalp cooling? The machine delivers coolant to the cap during chemo treatment and for about an hour and a half after treatment is finished. A second insulating cap is then placed on top of the first cap. Scalp cooling systemĪ room-temperature cap is secured to your head, then connected to a hose that’s attached to a cooling machine. When the cap becomes warm, it’s replaced with another cooling cap to maintain the cold scalp temperature until treatment is finished. Cooling capsĪ cap filled with frozen material, similar to an ice pack or cold pack, is secured to your head during chemo treatment.

Once an ice pack has become too warm, it’s replaced with a new ice pack to maintain the cold scalp temperature until treatment is finished.

Ice packs between -15☏ and -40☏ (-26☌ and -40☌) are applied to your scalp during chemo treatment. Scalp cooling is accomplished using one of several methods: Ice packs This can prevent chemo treatments from targeting cells in your hair follicles and causing hair to fall out. Scalp cooling constricts the blood vessels in your scalp.
