Meet Cassie, a breast cancer patient who discovered scalp cooling after her oncologist mentioned the process during a consultation. Despite having some initial anxiety about whether scalp cooling would work for her, Cassie says that she need not have been worried. Even though she had expected to lose “a good portion” of her hair, she was pleasantly surprised to keep over 90% of her hair during treatment.  

Cassie also reflects that the scalp cooling process wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as she had been warned to expect. Like many people, cold can make Cassie feel uncomfortable, but she says wearing the cold cap “wasn’t bad at all”. 

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, Cassie didn’t feel the need to do this.  

Asked whether she has any scalp cooling haircare tips for other cap users, Cassie says that it is vital that patients spend time getting the correct cap fit. Also, she says that it is important to not wash your hair too often while using a cold cap. It can take some time to get used to a new hair care routine, but it’s worth it to try and protect your hair.  

When we asked Cassie how she feels about her scalp cooling experience, she explains that her breast cancer diagnosis “took so much away from her”. Like many patients who choose to scalp cool, she had a strong desire to try and maintain a sense of normality for her family. When asked if she would recommend scalp cooling to others, Cassie gave an emphatic reply of “Yes, absolutely,” saying that she is now an active advocate for scalp cooling in online breast cancer forums.