Meet Audrey, a cancer patient who discovered scalp cooling after her oncologist mentioned the process during a consultation. She had also heard of people using scalp cooling before beginning her own journey. Despite having some initial anxiety about whether scalp cooling would work for her, Audrey says the process was exactly as she had expected. Upon her first treatment, Audrey says that she “wanted to rip it off (the cold cap), but I stuck with it and every time after was easy”. 

Often, when patients are going through chemotherapy treatment, many can feel the need to wear a head covering to maintain their identity. However, due to her hair retention, Audrey didn’t feel the need to do this. 

Asked whether she has any scalp cooling haircare tips for other cap users, Audrey says that it is vital to “only wash hair once a week”, as well as refraining from using any heated styling tools. While colouring hair can be a real treat for many women, Audrey says that it is important to not go for a colour “for 6 months” after treatment. Finally, Audrey suggests that it is important to use hair products that are free of sulfates and parabens. As well as haircare tips, Audrey goes on to say that a positive mental mindset is essential when going through scalp cooling, offering this advice to potential users; “believe it will work and don’t stress.” 

When we asked Audrey how she feels about her scalp cooling experience, she explained, “I am beyond grateful. I feel that it helped my mental health during treatment.”  Audrey also reflects on the positive mental health impact scalp cooling can have on a patients’ family and friends when she says, “My kids were also so grateful because I never looked sick.” Asked if she would recommend scalp cooling to others, Audrey gives a definitive response of: “Absolutely, 100%”. Audrey even goes on to say that she would be happy to teach others how to use the cold cap and encourage its use on a broader basis.