Meet Claire, a breast cancer patient who discovered scalp cooling after members of staff at her hospital mentioned it to her. Claire had been unable to access scalp cooling when she first underwent chemotherapy treatment in 2023, as she had been “started as an emergency on the inpatient ward”. At that time. her medical team couldn’t use the cold cap machine on her ward, so unfortunately Claire didn’t retain her hair.  However, when she needed chemotherapy again in May 2024, Claire explains that she was determined to keep her hair, since it had only just started growing back. Because of her desire to keep her hair this time around, Claire asked about the cold cap straight away, having it in place for her treatment. 

Claire also reflects that her scalp cooling experience was better than she had expected. She had heard that there “was a 50% of success, and even if it did work, you could still lose 40% of your hair”. However, Claire was relieved when this didn’t happen, saying “my hair stayed, and I’m so happy”. 

Often when patients are undergoing chemotherapy, they can feel the need to wear a wig or head covering to maintain their identity. However, due to her hair retention with the cold cap, Claire didn’t feel the need to do this. 

Asked whether she has any scalp cooling haircare tips for other cap users, Claire has several suggestions that proved really useful during her treatment journey. Using silk pillowcases and gentle haircare products with no sulphates or parabens are among her top tips. Many women use heated styling tools on their hair as a way of putting the finishing touches to their appearance. However, Claire says that it is important to refrain from this, not even using a hairdryer.  Overall, Claire says that it is vital to be as “gentle as possible” with your hair. 

When we asked Claire how she feels about her scalp cooling experience, she told us “it was amazing.” She explains that she was “desperate” not to lose her hair so soon after her treatment in 2023. When she began scalp cooling, Claire says she was “hopeful but realistic” about the process. Ultimately, Claire reflects that she will be “forever grateful for this technology”, as she managed to retain all of her hair.  Asked if she would recommend scalp cooling to others, Claire enthusiastically says “Absolutely yes!!”.