Cold Caps

冷帽是一种减少某些化疗引起的脱发的装置. Typically, three to four weeks after the first treatment session, damage to hair follicles from chemotherapy results in hair loss. (毛囊是头皮上的小口袋，里面含有头发生长的细胞.)

冷帽的作用是冷却头皮，暂时收缩血液流向毛囊. 这样可以减少到达头发的药物量以及毛囊的代谢活动, making them less sensitive to chemotherapy's effects.

头皮降温的效果因人而异，取决于你的化疗方案. While using cold caps isn't a guarantee you'll keep most of your hair, they can slow and reduce hair loss. You'll still experience thinning hair and patchy loss. Cold caps also don't prevent hair loss elsewhere on the body, so they can't help you keep eyelashes and eyebrows.

Eligibility

Most patients can use cold caps. However, you'll need your oncologist's approval if you have:

• Cancer of the blood, skin or brain
• A condition that causes significant sensitivity to cold
• Received radiation to the skull

For a list of conditions that can make cold caps less effective, visit the DigniCap website.

Deciding on cold caps

Different patients have different reasons for using cold caps, such as:

• They want to keep their diagnosis private.
• 他们希望尽量减少脱发会让他们的孩子或其他家庭成员更容易应对癌症诊断.
• 他们觉得在治疗期间保持控制的元素或他们身份的一部分可以增强他们的心理健康.

如果你正在考虑使用冷帽，回答这些问题可能会对你的决定有所帮助:

• Is keeping my hair during treatment important to me?
• The post-cooling time requires patients to sit for several hours. Is there any reason this would be difficult for me?
• How will longer days at the infusion center impact me?
• Can I follow the hair care recommendations for patients using cold caps?

Choosing a product

如果你决定使用冷帽，你需要选择一种最适合你的产品. At UCSF, we support two types: Penguin and DigniCap. When deciding between them, ask yourself:

• Is one of the cold cap products more affordable for me?
• Do I want to complete my post-cooling sessions at home or in the infusion center?
• 如果我选择企鹅公司，我是否有一个护理人员可以来我的预约执行封顶过程? If not, can I afford its white-glove service?

To compare the processes for using Penguin and DigniCap, see the table in the "Procedure" section below. Also, please consider which infusion center you'll be visiting. We can accommodate patients using Penguin at all of our infusion locations. 我们可以在Mission Bay、Mount Zion和Berkeley输液中心为DigniCap患者提供支持. Learn more about DigniCap at UCSF.

Preparation

如果你想用冷帽，你的头发应该在你到达输液中心时清洁干净. 这意味着在治疗前一天或治疗当天用不含对羟基苯甲酸酯的洗发水清洗, silicones, and sodium laurel sulfate. The day of your treatment, your hair must also be free of all products.

You can expect a longer infusion day when you have a cold cap session. If you plan to listen to music or watch videos while you wait, bring over-the-ear headphones instead of earbuds.

Be prepared to get cold! Wear layers. The infusion center will have warm blankets for you to use. (由于消防法规的限制，我们不能使用电热毯或加热器.如果你没有因为化疗而口腔疼痛，那就带一杯热饮料来喝.

You may experience some discomfort from the coldness. Ask your infusion center nurse whether you can take a low-dose pain medication, such as ibuprophen or acetomenaphin before you start the cooling process.

If you plan to use DigniCap, please check these additional instructions.

If you plan to use Penguin, please inform the infusion staff before your first session, 这样他们就可以为企鹅冰帽所需的额外设备和冷却时间做好准备.

Procedure

The general procedure for your session depends on which cold cap product you use. 但无论使用哪一种产品，在化疗输注之前、期间和之后都要戴冷帽.

这顶帽子会持续“预冷却”一段时间，为你的头皮做化疗准备. It stays on after your infusion for a "post-cooling" period. 因为化疗药物的浓度在你完成输注后会立即达到峰值, 在治疗后的几个小时内，持续收缩头皮的血液流动是保护毛囊的最好方法. 后冷却期的长短取决于你接受的化疗类型，可能包括你接受不会导致脱发的药物的时间.

Side effects

Common side effects from cold caps include:

• Feeling chilled
• Mild to moderate headaches
• Scalp pain (similar to a brain freeze)

低剂量的非处方止痛药，如泰诺或阿维，可以限制这些症状. For best results, take it 30 minutes before the cold cap goes on your head. 如果你在预约时没有带止痛药，可以随时向输液护士要.

如果裸露的皮肤直接接触到冷帽，它会导致皮肤变黑和起泡. These gradually go away on their own. Protecting your bare skin can prevent this, and we will provide headbands or other shields for your skin, based on the device you use.

Hair care tips

Even with a cold cap, 你很可能会经历一些头发脱落或稀疏，因为你的毛囊会被化疗削弱. To minimize hair loss during chemotherapy, 在你的治疗过程中，在完成最后一个化疗周期后的两到三个月里，尽量温柔地对待你的头发. The following recommendations can help protect your hair:

• Wash your hair only once a week or less and use lukewarm water. Avoid hot water. Shampoo less often if your hair feels dry.
• Use only sulfate-, silicone- and paraben-free shampoos. (If you have dyed or overprocessed hair, continue using your usual products.)
• Avoid hair-styling products, such as gels and creams.
• Refrain from dyeing, heat-styling and blow-drying your hair.
• Limit combing to once a day day and use a wide tooth comb. 洗头前先梳理头发，去除多余的松散头发，防止洗头后打结.
• Don't put your hair in tight ponytails or buns. Scrunchies that let you tie your hair back loosely are preferable to rubber bands.
• 避免接发(包括缝纫、编织、蕾丝假发、编发和钩编). 它们会给你的头发造成压力，加剧脱落或阻止头皮接触冷帽.
• Braids, cornrows, plaits, 拧的时候要松松，尽量分几部分，以免拉扯头发，造成更多的脱落. Thick braids/plaits may prevent optimal contact between the cap and the scalp.
• If you have textured hair that you wear naturally, 护发前用热风把头发拉直，只在发梢涂上发油，然后轻轻润湿头皮. Small twists or braids (without extensions) are permissible.
• 如果你的头发是用化学方法拉直的，可以像往常一样湿润头皮. Small twists or braids (without extensions) are permissible.
• 避免触摸头发，否则会挤压发根，并限制与粗糙材料的接触. 为了在晚上保护它，使用柔软、低摩擦的材料制成的枕套，比如绸缎或丝绸.
• If you want to wear a hair covering, look for hats that are loose and light-weight. Avoid swimming caps and wigs; they can be too tight or too heavy and pull on your hair.

More hair care tips are available on the DigniCap and Penguin websites.