Understanding chemotherapy - Macmillan Cancer

Understanding chemotherapyYour hairYour doctor or specialist nurse will tell you if the chemotherapyis likely to cause hair loss. Knowing what to expect gives youtime to prepare and find ways of coping.Some drugs don’t make your hair fall out but can make itthinner. You might notice your hair becomes dry and brittleand breaks easily. Looking after the condition of your haircan make it less likely to break off.Helpful hints – looking after your hair• Use gentle hair products, pat hair dry after washing itand gently brush with a wide-toothed comb.• Avoid using hairdryers, straighteners, tongs or curlers.• Don’t perm or colour your hair if it’s brittle or your scalpis dry – if you do want to do this, make sure you getprofessional advice first.• If you want to colour your hair, use a mild vegetable-basedcolourant (do a strand test first), and ask your hairdresserfor advice.Scalp coolingSome people having certain types of chemotherapy may beable to prevent hair loss by using a ‘cold cap’. This works bytemporarily reducing the blood flow and the amount of thedrug reaching the scalp. But the cold cap only works withcertain drugs and doesn’t always prevent hair loss. You canask your doctor or nurse whether one would be useful for you.48