Recognized by NCCN as Standard of Care

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and Cancer Australia recognize scalp cooling as a treatment recommendation to reduce the incidence of chemotherapy-induced alopecia for breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

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What is Scalp Cooling

Scalp cooling is a proven approach to reduce chemotherapy-induced alopecia that has been used successfully by thousands of patients worldwide for decades. Reduced temperature results in a decreased blood flow to the scalp area so that less chemotherapy reaches the hair cells. Therefore, hair cells are not exposed to the full dose of chemotherapy and may be able to survive the chemotherapy treatment. As a result, hair is less likely to fall out.

How Scalp Cooling Works

Four physiologic reactions occur during scalp cooling: 

1. Vasoconstriction 

• Scalp cooling induces vasoconstriction 

• Cutaneous drug perfusion reduces to 20-40% of normal levels 

• Chemotherapy drug perfusion reduces through the hair follicle 

2. Reduced drug uptake into the hair follicle cell 

The rate of drug uptake across the plasma membrane is reduced at low temperature, due to: 

• Reduction of active transport or reduced diffusion of cytotoxic drug 

As a result of: 

• Lower hair follicle cellular activity 

• Reduced kinetic energy and membrane fluidity 

3. Reduced rate of hair follicle cell division 

• Cell division is an energy-dependent process 

• Cooling may slow the rate of this division, thus making these cells less susceptible to being targeted by the chemotherapy drugs 

4. Reduced metabolic activity 

In addition to mitosis, cooling reduces the metabolic rate of cells, and therefore a range of cellular processes decelerate – such as oxidisation  

Scalp Cooling Treatment Cycle

Scalp cooling requires a 30-minute pre-infusion cooling time. Following a patient’s infusion, the chemotherapy agent is still active in the patient’s bloodstream. Therefore, the scalp cooling treatment continues for a cycle of post-infusion cooling. Depending on drug and dose, this is typically 60 – 180 minutes.

Why Scalp Cooling Matters

A patient’s hair can be a major part of their identity, and many patients rate hair loss as one of the most devastating side effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy-induced alopecia is an unwelcome reminder of disease, one that can negatively affect self-image, confidence, overall sense of well-being and a patient’s attitude toward treatment.

Hair loss is no longer inevitable. The DigniCap Scalp Cooling System is a proven approach to reduce chemotherapy-induced alopecia, used successfully by thousands of patients worldwide to maintain privacy, self-esteem and control during a critical period of treatment.