New Cap Helps Cancer Patients Restore Their Hair

One of the most challenging effects of dealing with chemotherapy is hair loss. Chemotherapy medications powerfully attack growing cells, including hair follicles on your head, leaving bald spots and in come cases, your entire head. Most of the hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary, but what if there were a way to prevent hair loss during the entire treatment?

A Swedish-based company developed DigniCap to help cancer patients restore their hair while taking chemotherapy. “It’s a big deal,” says Hope S. Rugo, a professor of medicine at UCSF Medical School and the lead investigator on a study of the DigniCap’s efficacy to Allure. “I’ve had women who are trying to decide whether to do chemo or not because it’s going to adversely affect them at work when they lose their hair.” The application process is easy: Put on the cap while your hair is wet and allow for it to slowly releases collants that gradually help hair follicles with cell turnover. The cold gives reduced perfusion, delivery of blood, and metabolism. The reduced blood flow gives a smaller amount of chemotherapy available for uptake in the cells and the decreased temperature results in less absorption and reduced effects of chemotherapy.

According to clinical trails, 70 percent of patients kept at least half the hair. How’s that for ending breast cancer awareness month?