3 Ways To Reduce Hair Loss During Chemotherapy Treatments

All the radiation and chemicals you are exposed to during chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer take a toll on your body. Not only do you become weak, but you are likely to lose your hair. Luckily, there are a few things you can try to reduce the amount of hair you lose during chemotherapy and radiation treatments, such as:

Hair-Loss Creams

There are many creams, lotions, and shampoos that claim to thicken hair, regrow hair or stop hair from falling out, but most of them don't work well or at all. However, minoxidil (Rogaine) is proven to help stop hair loss in healthy patients when used as directed. However, with cancer patients undergoing treatment, minoxidil can slow the hair loss, so you keep your hair longer. After you've finished chemotherapy and radiation therapy, continuing to use minoxidil may help you regrow your hair faster. Make sure to talk with your doctor to ensure you are healthy enough to try minoxidil.

Natural Hair-Loss Therapy

Natural hair-loss therapy is basically about caring for your hair. While it won't stop your hair from falling out, it may ensure your hair stays thicker longer. One example is to ensure you get enough of the right vitamins for healthy hair and hair follicles. You should also ensure you are eating right and exercising (if possible) enough. When washing your hair, be delicate, and use a gentle shampoo. Try to avoid styling your hair, which includes blow-drying. Heat and styling products can destroy anyone's hair, but if you are undergoing chemotherapy, you must baby your hair.

Hypothermia

While it may sound scary, using intense cold is a great way to help preserve your hair during treatment. During chemotherapy and radiation treatments, you wear a frozen gel cap. This reduces the blood flow to your head. As a result, your hair follicles receive fewer chemicals and less radiation. There is no disadvantage to using hypothermia except that it can be extremely uncomfortable or even painful for some patients to wear the cold cap for so long. Talk with your doctor to see if you are a candidate for this type of treatment.

If you are worried about losing all your hair during cancer treatment, you should consider one of these three options. They may not prevent you from losing your hair completely, but they can slow the process and possibly help hair regrow faster after you are healthy again. For more information, contact an office that provides radiation therapy in your area.

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