New cooling cap may prevent chemotherapy hair loss

LONDON: A revolutionary new scalp-cooling cap being rolled out in parts of London may prevent hair loss in chemotherapy patients during therapy.


The special cap when worn by patients cools their scalp, which in turn reduces hair loss.

The system continuously monitors temperature to ensure consistent application of the cooling treatment.

The caps are specifically designed so that the ears remain uncovered during the process.

The DigniCap system has been adopted by Imperial College Healthcare National Health Service (NHS) Trust for use in its chemotherapy day units at Charing Cross and Hammersmith Hospitals, the Daily Express reported.

"We are honoured that Imperial College Healthcare has chosen to offer their patients the DigniCap system," Martin Waleij, chief executive of Swedish company Dignitana, which makes the DigniCap, said.

A spokesman for the company said clinical results show that eight out of ten patients in Europe and Asia who used the DigniCap System during chemotherapy retained their hair.

He added that additional trials at leading medical centres around the world had proved the system to be a viable alternative for both women and men of diverse ethnicities.