At a Glance:
Diagnosis: Hormone Positive, HER2 Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Drug regimen: 4 rounds of Taxol/Carboplatin
Results: Kept around 80% of her hair – no wig needed
Annie says: “I’m so grateful to have kept so much hair! My regrowth is coming in fast, but when I see how short it is, I am so happy not to have to start from scratch with regrowing all of it.”
Through determination, meticulous preparation, and the unwavering support of her husband as her capper, Annie kept most of her hair during chemotherapy, allowing her to look like herself and preserve a sense of normalcy for her three daughters.
Annie before her chemotherapy treatments began.
When Annie, a 44-year-old photographer and mom of three teenage girls, was diagnosed with hormone-positive, HER2-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, she knew she wanted to do everything possible to stay healthy, and to keep life as normal as possible for her daughters.
“I was determined to do whatever I needed to do to be healthy for my family and to keep as much normalcy as possible for my family.”
For Annie, that included doing what she could to keep her hair.
Why keeping her hair mattered
Annie’s daughters were her main motivation.
“I wanted to maintain as much of my hair as possible, mainly for my daughters. I knew they ultimately didn’t care about my hair, but I wanted to look as much like myself as I could and avoid looking ‘sick’ to anyone that might not know my diagnosis.”
When Annie learned she would need chemotherapy, she immediately started researching cold capping. She’d seen videos of women using cold caps on social media and asked her doctor right away if it was an option for her.
Choosing Penguin Cold Caps
Because Annie’s hospital didn’t have a cold capping provider on site, she looked for options online and came across Penguin Cold Caps.
“After looking at their website, I knew it would be the best option for me with great success rates. I needed a very quick turnaround to get them in time for my first session and Penguin was able to provide that.”
Annie smiles while using Penguin Cold Caps during her Taxol/Carboplatin treatment.
Annie’s cold capping experience
- Getting started
“The ordering process was quick and easy,” Annie recalls. “The customer service was amazing, and they made sure I had everything I needed in time for my first chemo treatment. They were also very helpful with any questions I had before I started, during, and even after using them.” - On treatment days
Annie followed Penguin’s instructions closely.“It wasn’t always easy, but it was one thing I could try to control throughout the process of having no control over much else. Once we got the hang of changing the caps, it wasn’t difficult. After I saw it was actually working it became even easier.”Annie’s husband became her dedicated capper.“He was determined to help me keep my hair. He took his job very seriously, practiced changing the caps before my first chemo, and arranged to get the dry ice the day before each session.”
Coping with the cold
“Once I got past the initial cold, it was very manageable,” Annie says. “Each cap change following was uncomfortable, but I stayed distracted with a movie or show, and the time passed quickly.”
Annie kept 80% of her hair through chemotherapy and avoided the need for a wig.
Tips for others
Annie recommends cold capping with Penguin to anyone considering it.
“It makes for a long treatment day, but it was completely worth it to keep most of my hair and looking like myself.”
Her top tips include bringing a heated blanket to treatment, following Penguin’s haircare instructions carefully, and using a handheld shower head on wash days to minimize shedding.
The results
Annie has medium-length, thick, wavy hair. She did experience shedding, starting about three weeks after her first treatment and continuing through chemotherapy.
“It wasn’t easy to see any hair coming out, but I never lost big clumps. My hair thinned the most around my hairline, but no one could tell I was undergoing chemotherapy. I kept about 80% of my hair and the shedding was spread evenly throughout my head, so it wasn’t noticeable to anyone but me.”
Annie says she’s thrilled with the outcome.
“People can’t believe how well it worked, including my doctors and nurses. My goal was not to need to wear a wig and I was successful. It’s hard enough to deal with a cancer diagnosis, but I didn’t want to look like I was.”
Get in touch
If you’re about to undergo chemotherapy and want to find out more about cold capping, why not request a call back? Our reps can provide more information, and answer all of your questions. Just click here, complete the form and your local rep will be in touch.