“Hair loss is one of the most devastating side effects of a cancer diagnosis, but having the opportunity to wear the cold cap during my chemotherapy and retain my hair made a huge impact on my overall well-being throughout my cancer journey.“ — Leah Eidson
Hair length, color and style can define personal expression just as much as clothes and accessories characterize an individual’s look. For people facing breast cancer or other forms of cancer, chemotherapy-induced hair loss can be devastating, increasing feelings of vulnerability, depression and loss.
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bon Secours is marking the fifth anniversary of offering cold cap therapy at no cost to help minimize hair loss in patients having chemotherapy. The cold cap technology, called the Paxman Scalp Cooling System, works by reducing the temperature of the scalp to between 64 and 71 degrees Fahrenheit. The cold cap is connected to a machine that cools the scalp before, during and after chemotherapy.
Reduced blood flow to the scalp means that less medication reaches hair follicles, helping to lessen hair loss. The therapy takes about an hour before and after each chemotherapy session.
Dr. Tracy Poling, a patient of Dr. Irvin, utilized cold caps while receiving treatment at Bon Secours for her breast cancer to maintain her hair.
A sense of control and normalcy
“Cold cap therapy gives people a choice and a sense of control over one side effect of chemotherapy,” said William Irvin Jr., M.D., medical director of oncology at Bon Secours Richmond. Dr. Irvin also serves as director of clinical research for the Bon Secours Cancer Institute and medical director of the outpatient infusion centers in Richmond.
“Hair loss can be sudden and quite distressing,” Dr. Irvin said. “Hair generally comes out all at once, which can be very shocking and upsetting.” Minimizing hair loss helps patients preserve their sense of self and maintain normalcy, he said.
For women and men with all types of cancer
Cold cap therapy is FDA approved to help lessen hair loss in women and men of any age with all types of cancer, with the exception of cancer in the scalp, Dr. Irvin said.
“The technology is not perfect,” he said. “I’m always transparent about the fact that patients can expect some hair loss, but they will have less with the cold caps. And it’s been proven that hair grows back faster in people who have had cold cap therapy.”
Available at no cost to patients
Insurance does not cover the cost of cold cap therapy, but Bon Secours makes the technology available to patients at no cost through the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation. “Generous gifts to the foundation make it possible to cover the cost of caps,” said Dr. Irvin. Otherwise, it would be an out-of-pocket cost for patients.
Covering the cost of cold cap therapy is part of Bon Secours’ aim to care for patients with cancer using not only the latest technology, advanced treatment protocols and highly skilled medical teams, but also sensitivity and compassion. “People really appreciate having a sense of control in what can seem like an uncontrollable situation,” Dr. Irvin said.
Learn more, donate to support cold cap therapy
The Paxman Scalp Cooling technology is available at several Bon Secours infusion centers and hospitals throughout the greater Richmond area. To donate to the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation to help support cold cap therapy and boost a patient’s confidence and well-being during a difficult time, visit givebsmh.org/cause/richmond-va-cancer.
