One of the most common and well-known side effects of chemotherapy drugs--medications used to treat cancer--is hair loss. Most people experience hair loss during treatment and regrowth of their locks after they have completed chemotherapy and radiation. According to a 2003 issue of the "Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings," scientists are studying the use of other drugs to block the activity of genes that contribute to chemo-induced hair loss, but a solution has not yet been found. Current treatments to prevent chemo-induced hair loss vary in effectiveness, according to ChemoCare.com, and may cause uncomfortable side effects of their own.
Step 1
Limit your use of hair dyes and color treatments before you begin preventative treatment for chemo-induced hair loss. MayoClinic.com explains that overuse of chemicals on your hair weakens the shafts. Healthier hair and scalp could be more receptive to treatment.
Step 2
Undergo a treatment called cryotherapy or scalp hypothermia to help save your hair. MayoClinic.com explains that bringing your scalp down to sub-zero temperatures limits the extent to which the chemotherapy medications penetrate your scalp and hair follicles. You will probably not be a candidate for scalp hypothermia if you have cancerous growth on your head.
Step 3
Schedule cryotherapy treatments at the same time as your chemotherapy to save time and to maximize the possibility that you'll keep your hair. Because the chemicals in the cancer-fighting drugs also damage your hair follicles, undergoing preventative procedures concurrently with chemo may improve your chances of success.
Things You'll Need
- Cryotherapy treatments
- Hair loss medications
References
- MayoClinic.com: Chemotherapy and Hair Loss: What to Expect During Treatment
- ChemoCare.com: Hair Loss and Chemotherapy
- "Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings"; Molecular Mechanisms of Chemotherapy-Induced Hair Loss; Vladimir A Botchkarev; February 2003.
- SunSentinel.com: Repunzel Project Aims to Prevent Chemo Hair Loss
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