Hair Care

Navigating Hair Care: Comprehensive Scalp Cooling Hair Care Tips

Cold capping offers a way to preserve your hair through the challenging journey of chemotherapy, but it requires a thoughtful and gentle approach to hair care.

This section provides detailed information and practical tips on various aspects of hair maintenance, from washing and styling to product recommendations and managing hair shedding. Whether you're looking for advice on how to protect your scalp, choose the right products, or maintain your overall hair health, our guide aims to support you every step of the way.

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Washing

Washing Tips & Guidelines

Washing Frequency:

Minimize Washing: Wash your hair no more than 2-3 times a week to avoid excessive drying and breakage.
Try not to wash in the 2 days leading up to treatment day, to give your hair a rest
Wash on the 3rd day after treatment, to cleanse the scalp of any chemo that may have been excreted through the skin on your scalp.

Products:

Shampoo: Use a gentle, sulfate and paraben free shampoo to cleanse your hair without stripping natural oils.
Conditioner: Apply a moisturizing conditioner to your hair, focusing on the ends rather than the scalp.

Washing Technique:

Water Temperature: Use lukewarm water to wash your hair, as hot water can further dry and damage your hair and scalp.
Gentle Handling: Gently massage the shampoo into your scalp with your fingertips. Avoid vigorous scrubbing.
Rinsing: Rinse thoroughly to remove all shampoo and conditioner residues.
Avoid washing your hair by turning upside down over the sink as this will result in hard to remove tangles.

Drying:

Air-Dry: Let your hair air-dry naturally whenever possible.
Towel Drying: Use a soft towel to gently pat your hair dry. Avoid rubbing or wringing your hair.
Hair Dryer: If you must use a hair dryer, use it on the coolest setting and keep it at a safe distance from your hair.

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Styling

Styling Tips & Guidelines

Combing and Brushing:

Wide-Tooth Comb: Use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair gently, starting from the ends and working your way up.
Soft-Bristle Brush: If you prefer using a brush, choose one with soft bristles to minimize breakage.

Styling Products:

Minimal Use: Limit the use of styling products such as gels, hairsprays, and mousses.
Natural Ingredients: Opt for products with natural ingredients that are free from alcohol and harsh chemicals.

Heat Styling:

Avoid Heat: Refrain from using heat-styling tools like hair dryers, straighteners, and curling irons.
Low-Heat Setting: If you must use a hair dryer, use it on the coolest setting and keep it at a safe distance from your hair.

Hairstyles:

Loose Styles: Wear your hair in loose styles such as low ponytails, loose braids, or simply down.
Avoid Tight Styles: Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on the hair, such as tight braids, ponytails, or buns.

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Hair Colouring

Hair Colouring Guidelines

Pre-Treatment Coloring:

Avoid if Possible: Avoid colouring before chemotherapy starts if possible, but if you must, have your stylist use hair color products that are ammonia-free and designed for sensitive hair.

Avoid During Treatment:

No Coloring: It’s best to avoid colouring your hair during chemotherapy and the cold capping process as the chemicals can be harsh on already fragile hair.

Post-Treatment Coloring:

Wait Period: Wait at least 3-6 months after completing chemotherapy before considering hair colouring that uses bleach or ammonia. Gentle, 'deposit-only' colour can be used after treatment finishes and any daily shedding has returned to normal amounts.
Professional Advice: Consult with a professional hairstylist who has experience with post-chemotherapy hair.
Gentle Products: Use hair color products that are ammonia-free and designed for sensitive hair.

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Haircuts

Haircut Guidelines

Regular Trims:

Frequency: Schedule regular trims every 6-8 weeks to keep your hair healthy and manage split ends.
Gentle Handling: Choose a stylist who understands your situation and can handle your hair with care.

Hair Length:

Maintain Manageable Length: Keep your hair at a manageable length that is easy to maintain without too much brushing and/or tangling.

Style Choices:

Simple Styles: Opt for simple and low-maintenance haircuts that don’t require extensive styling.

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Products

Hair Product Recommendations

Shampoos and Conditioners:

Paraben and Sulfate-Free: Brands like Aveeno, Davines, and Olaplex offer gentle, paraben and sulfate-free options.
Moisturizing: Look for products that emphasize hydration and moisture.

Detanglers and Leave-In Conditioners:

Natural Ingredients: Choose products with natural, nourishing ingredients like argan oil or coconut oil. Unite 7 Seconds detangler is a popular option.

Styling Products:

Alcohol-Free: Opt for alcohol-free styling gels, mousses, and sprays to avoid drying out your hair. Use sparingly.

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Shedding

Dealing With Shedding

Understanding Shedding:

Normal Process: Some shedding is normal during and after chemotherapy, even with cold capping. On many chemotherapy regimens there is an expected period of heavy shedding 14 to 21 days after the first treatment that lasts 1-2 weeks before returning to near normal levels.
Patience: Be patient with your hair’s shedding and regrowth process. Cold capping will protect the follicles of even the hairs that shed, allowing them to start to regrow hair much faster when treatment is complete.

Minimizing Shedding:

Gentle Handling: Handle your hair gently when washing, combing, and styling.
Healthy Diet: Maintain a nutritious diet to support hair health and regrowth.
Reduce Stress: Even without chemotherapy or cold capping, stress can contribute to hair loss. Manage stress through relaxation techniques, a healthy lifestyle, and through professional support can help minimize this impact on hair health.
Supplements: Consider biotin and/or silica supplements to help keep your follicles strong. Always consult your doctor before taking any supplements.

Scalp Care:

Moisturize: Keep your scalp moisturized with gentle oils like coconut or olive oil.
Massage: Gently massage your scalp to stimulate blood flow and promote hair growth.
Gently remove loose hairs so they do not tangle with the rest of your hair

Camouflaging Thin Areas:

Strategic Styling: Change the location of your part to cover up thinner areas. A side part can often make thinning less noticeable.

Headbands and Scarves: Use stylish headbands, scarves, or hair clips to draw attention away from thinner areas and add a fashionable touch.
Root Cover Sprays: Root touch-up sprays or powders, available in different shades, can help cover thinning areas and blend them with the rest of your hair.
Keratin Hair Fibers: Apply keratin-based hair fibers (eg Toppik) to conceal thinning spots. These fibers bind to your natural hair, making it look fuller and thicker.

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Hats

Hats & Head Coverings

Protection from Elements:

Sun Protection: Wear hats or scarves to protect your hair and scalp from the sun’s UV rays. Choose looser fitting hats to minimize friction around your temples.
Cold Weather: Use head coverings to shield your scalp from cold and dry air. Choose looser fitting hats to minimize friction around your temples.

Comfort and Style:

Soft Fabrics: Choose head coverings made from soft, breathable fabrics like cotton.
Variety: Experiment with different styles and colors to match your outfits and boost your confidence.

Sleep Caps:

Night Protection: You may choose to wear a soft, breathable sleep cap at night to protect your hair from friction against the pillow or alternatively you can use the satin pillowcase provided.

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Exercise

Exercising During Treatment

Sweat Management:

Headbands: Wear a soft, moisture-wicking headband to keep sweat away from your scalp.
Post-Exercise Care: Gently rinse your hair and scalp with lukewarm water after intense workouts.

Hair Handling:

Loose Styles: Wear your hair in loose, comfortable styles during exercise.
Avoid Tight Accessories: Avoid tight hair ties or clips that can pull on your hair.

Hydration:

Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.

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Eyelashes & Eyebrows

Eyelashes & Eyebrow Tips

Eyelash Care:

Gentle Cleansing: Clean your eyelashes with a gentle, oil-free makeup remover.
Mascara Use: Avoid using mascara if your eyelashes are very sparse or fragile.

Eyelash Growth Products:

Serums: Consider using eyelash growth serums that are safe and recommended for sensitive skin. Latisse is a product that works very well to stimulate eyelash growth (and can also be used on eyebrows), but its best to avoid in the early days of treatment as the increased growth rate may attract the chemotherapy to target this area moreso.

Eyebrow Care:

Essential Eyebrow Solution is a product that may help to retain eyebrows during chemotherapy.
Filling In: Use a soft, natural-looking eyebrow pencil to fill in sparse areas.
Brow Gels: Choose brow gels that are free from harsh chemicals and can help define your brows.
Temporary Eyebrow Tattoos can be a good semi permanent option.

Eyebrow Growth:

Castor Oil: Apply a small amount of castor oil to your eyebrows to promote growth.
Patience: Be patient with the regrowth process, as it can take time.