Hair loss is a common side effect that affects more than 75% of patients who undergo chemotherapy treatment, due to the presence of cytotoxic agents that are commonly used in the treatment of various
cancers - including breast, lung, gastrointestinal and gynaecological cancers.
Chemotherapy
aims to remove,
kill and damage cancer cells by targeting the rapidly dividing and growing cells and that include hair cells which are the second fastest
dividing cells in the body, resulting in hair loss. Depending on the type of chemotherapy drug used,
the patient's hair will become thinner and starts to fall out gradually in clumps two to three
weeks upon commencement of the treatment or after a few cycles. The hair usually grows
back in six to twelve months after completion of the chemotherapy
treatment.
While losing hair may be distressing and stressful, scalp cooling therapy can now help patients undergoing certain types of chemotherapy to prevent hair loss and boost their morale.