Health professionals

Information and tools to support your patients

Bring new hope to your patients by letting them know that they can save their hair. The paradigm shift starts now. As healthcare professionals, informing your patients of all available options is essential to providing an optimal and personalized patient experience, and to allow informed consent to care.

Advantages of cold caps

They provide a solution

Informing your patient that they will lose their hair while you are explaining their treatment plan can be a delicate task. Now there’s an alternative to hair loss that you can, or even must, propose to your patient.

They improve quality of life

A patient who keeps their hair will have greater self-esteem, which can improve their emotional well-being and quality of life during treatment. The privacy of the patient’s medical condition is protected, thus preventing stigmatization.

They promote treatment adherence

Chemotherapy-induced hair loss can have major traumatic and psychological impacts. Being part of the action and becoming re-empowered helps reduce stress, improve general emotional well-being and strengthen a patient’s treatment engagement.

They help maintain normalcy

Not having to deal with hair loss helps a patient feel less sick and more “normal”. This can result in a more positive attitude, which can facilitate the patient’s participation in social, work-related and/or family activities.

Training sessions at your healthcare facility

The Garde tes cheveux team trains clinicians throughout Quebec. These practical workshops will provide you with answers to all your questions.

Studies

Many studies have been conducted on cold caps. For example, in May 2010, the University of Sherbrooke Hospital Centre published a report supporting the use of the caps in Quebec. The Francophone Supportive Cancer Care Association (Association Francophone des Soins Oncologiques de Support/AFSOS) also recommends this method.

See the studies

Why ?

Approximately 8% of women refuse chemotherapy out of fear of losing their hair.<i class="fa-sharp fa-solid fa-circle-info" onclick="toggleRef()"></i><div class="reference" id="info-ref">Kadakia, K.C. et al., « Supportive cryotherapy : A review from head to toe », Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, vol. 47, no 6, 2014, p. 1100-1115. Roe, H., « Scalp cooling : Management option for chemotherapy-induced alopecia », British Journal of Nursing, vol. 23, no 16, 2014, S4-S8.</div> Offering an alternative promotes adherence to conventional treatments. We provide information and tools for informed decision-making and aim to debunk the idea that losing one’s hair is the only option.

Frequently asked questions

At every follow-up appointment, I am always surprised to see the results that have emerged. Each time, I’m stunned to see the patient arrive with their hair. It’s a tangible example of the appropriateness of the method and the determination of our patients.

Erica Patocskai,
Oncology Surgeon, Chief of Surgical Oncology Department and Associate clinical professor at the University of Montreal Health Center (CHUM)

In my practice, some patients want to avoid chemotherapy to prevent hair loss and maintain their identity. Scalp-cooling devices are essential in minimizing this loss and, for eligible women, they also enable faster hair growth once their treatment is over, facilitating their return to normalcy.

Stephanie Wong,
Breast Surgical Oncology, Jewish General Hospital Segal Cancer Centre

A cancer patient’s journey is marked by hardship, anxiety, new developments and uncertainty. Unfortunately, hair loss often represents the most noticeable aspect of cancer treatment. The patients I have followed in my practice who have opted for the cold cap have all expressed their satisfaction with its efficacy and the results achieved. It allows them to get through their treatments feeling slightly less vulnerable.

Dominique Morency,
Oncology surgeon at the Lanaudière Hospital Center

I’m convinced that there is no age limit for maintaining your body image, where possible.

Christine Truesdell,
retired lawyer, administrator of *Garde tes cheveux*

For me, keeping my hair was a stimulating and reassuring experience that made me forget the unpleasant aspects of cancer.

Priscille Martel,
AC + Taxol, Thetford Mines Hospital

The process was sometimes uncomfortable, long and complicated, but so very satisfying for my morale! I would have lost all my hair without the caps.

Marie-Ève Bryant,
AC + Carbo/Taxol, Royal Victoria Hospital

The use of cold caps to save hair during chemotherapy goes further than physical maintenance. Patients who make this choice display a positive and resilient attitude that transcends challenges. Not only do the caps save a patient’s hair, but they also maintain their self-esteem and state of mind. This speaks to the fact that a person’s attitude can be a powerful catalyst in overcoming adversity.

Joseph S. Bou-Merhi,
Plastic Surgeon, Head of the CHUM Breast Reconstruction Unit

Download our digital brochure to share with your patients

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