Before beginning scalp cooling treatment, the patient’s hair needs to be wet to improve thermal contact. Using a no-rinse or leave-in hair conditioning spray can also improve the thermal contact between the scalp and the cooling cap.

You will need to try various sizes of the inner silicon cap on the patient to ensure the right fit. It is important to have the right sized cap and to ensure that the cooling cap is truly sealed to the patient’s head. This inner cap is equipped with temperature sensors to monitor and regulate the temperature on the front and back of the patient’s scalp throughout the treatment. In addition, a third sensor on the cap ensures that the cap temperature will never go below 0°C to avoid feelings of being chilled. The cap is then attached to the cooling system which pumps in liquid coolant to circulate in special channels molded within the cap.

Once the inner cap is properly fitted so that both ears are left free, an insulating outer cap made of neoprene is applied over the inner cap and fixed under the patient’s chin to ensure that both caps are in place. The cap should fit like a second skin around the patient’s scalp. If it feels as if there is air between the scalp and the cooling cap, then the cap needs extra pressure applied to ensure tightness. Place, for example, a roll of gauze or a similar item between the silicon cap and the outer cap to make sure there is better contact with the scalp.

The patient will need to sit or lie by the machine while the cap in place. The length of the tubes connected to the machine permits a degree of mobility for the patient. If the patient experiences a lot of discomfort during the cooling process, choose a longer start-up time than the pre-programmed 20 minutes.

Disconnections from the machine for short periods are possible if the patient needs to use the restroom. Restroom visits are not recommended during the first 20–30 minutes. If a restroom visit is necessary, the start-up process must be repeated.
When the cap is reconnected to the machine after a pause period, a valve will automatically regulate the amount of liquid coolant to the cap to compensate for any differences in temperature. The cap does not need to be changed during treatment as the machine is continuously cooling the liquid circulating round the patient’s scalp.

During the entire treatment, the temperature of the scalp area is maintained between 3°C and 7°C. The patient may probably feel chilled when having scalp cooling and may need to wear a neck or leg warmers or be covered with a blanket. Hot drinks usually help patient to feel warmer. As our caps do not cover the ears, the patient can also listen to music or chat with others.

When the cooling treatment is finished, the patient may keep the cap on for approximately 15 minutes to diminish any discomfort. Let the hair dry naturally after the cooling treatment. Do not use hair dryer for the next few hours.

Please note that the success of this hair loss prevention treatment depends on a number of factors including the kind of drug, the concentration of the drug and the way the drug is applied. In addition, each patient is unique and could experience a different side effect. Most patients tolerate scalp cooling well though some discomfort such as cold sensation, headaches, and transient light-headedness after cap removal can happen. In general, less than 2% of patients discontinue treatment due to discomfort.