If you're about to begin chemotherapy, you might be concerned about hair loss. While hair loss can be a common side effect of chemotherapy, it doesn't have to be. In fact, with cold cap technology, you can reduce your chances of facing hair loss during your cancer treatment. Cold caps work by cooling your head to a point where your blood vessels are constricted. When that happens, the chemo drugs don't reach your hair follicles until they're diluted enough to reduce the damage to your hair. If you're going to use cold caps as part of your cancer treatment, here are some tips that will help you through the process.

Keep Your Cool

When using cold caps, it's important that your scalp remain as cold as possible. That's why you'll need to have the caps switched several times during each chemo treatment. For best results, you should put your first cold cap on at least 30 minutes before your chemo session begins. Leave the cap in place, switching to a new one whenever the previous one gets warm. Once your session is over, leave the cap in place for several minutes. If you're going to have chemo treatment at home, be sure to be prepared with several cold caps. That way you can maintain the proper scalp temperature during each treatment.

Bring on the Warmth

While you're using your cold caps, your body is going to get cold. That's because the cap temperature will reach freezing. To keep yourself warm, be sure to keep plenty of blankets nearby. It's also a good idea to dress in layers. This will allow to warm up, and cool down, whenever your temperature fluctuates.

Care for Your Hair

If you're going to be using cold caps during your chemotherapy, you'll need to take tender-loving-care of your hair. Too much processing can damage your already delicate hair. To protect your hair from damage, you should avoid using blow dryers or hair straighteners. You should also avoid washing your hair more than a couple of times a week. If you want to curl your hair, use foam rollers instead of curling irons. It's also important that you use a soft-bristled brush when brushing your hair.

You don't have to lose your hair to chemotherapy. Cold caps can help you keep your natural hair throughout your treatment. Use the tips provided here to get the most out of your cold caps.