Beyond illness: combating alopecia during cancer treatment

Alopecia caused by cancer treatments is not just an aesthetic issue; it deeply affects the emotional and psychological well-being of patients. Hair loss is a significant side effect for women undergoing chemotherapy, especially for those battling breast cancer. According to Dr. Valentina Visintini Cividin, a plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgeon at the CRO Oncology Hospital in Aviano.

«Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and as a result, a large portion of the female population is, unfortunately, affected by it – explains Dr. Visintini -. Treatments have a significant impact both medically and psychologically, as women lose their identity, femininity, and consequently, their self-esteem».

Tackling alopecia with cooling caps

Facing hair loss is often challenging because it makes the illness visible.

Patients are compelled to conceal their condition with wigs, scarves, or bandanas, increasing discomfort and embarrassment.
«Fortunately, alopecia caused by chemotherapy is reversible. About three to six months after the end of cancer treatments, hair begins to regrow. However, during the long course of treatments, hair is subject to severe thinning and loss», says Visintini Cividin.

One innovative solution to counter hair loss during chemotherapy is the use of cooling caps, a technique that dates back to the 1970s. Back then, ice packs were applied to the hair. Today, thanks to technological advances, we have cooling caps with circulating coolant that maintains a temperature of three to five degrees throughout the treatment. «The cap is applied about fifteen to thirty minutes before starting and remains in place for up to an hour after the chemotherapy infusion ends – the doctor notes -. By reducing blood flow to the scalp with cold-induced vasoconstriction, the amount of chemotherapy drugs reaching the hair follicles is lowered, thus preserving the hair».

More than medical care: humanising treatment

The use of cooling caps goes beyond aesthetics. It’s a tool that enhances patients’ quality of life, helping them maintain their image and, consequently, their psychological well-being. Battling cancer has a significant impact on femininity, with treatments leading to many temporary changes that affect a patient’s mental health. «There’s a woman looking in the mirror who clearly doesn’t recognize herself anymore because she no longer has hair, has a reconstructed breast with a prosthesis, and perhaps has gained ten kilos», says Visintini Cividin.

In this context, cooling caps can be a practical relief for patients, helping them manage the emotional and psychological aspects of their journey. «Sometimes we forget that behind cancer, there is a person with emotions, with their ability to handle difficulties well or not so well. Thus, supporting quality of life helps them better overcome the significant challenges of the illness», the doctor emphasises.

Hair loss, whether for women or men, even outside of cancer-related circumstances, is a source of embarrassment and loss of self-esteem. «We are addressing the psychological distress of a person who is not just made up of a body, disease, and organs, but also of feelings and fears. This person needs reassurance and to see that the situation they are facing is not causing such radical changes in their identity», concludes Visintini Cividin.