Diagnosis: Stage 1A Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, grade 2, ER+, PR+, HER2+
Drug regimen: Taxol & Herceptin
Results: Saved 95% of her hair
Teresa says: “I couldn’t be happier with my results. I hope I never have to do it again, but I absolutely would if I needed to”
Teresa is a busy 52-year-old with a husband, three children, and a career as a physical therapist, living and working in Louisville, Kentucky.
She is also now one of Penguin Cold Cap’s newest reps. Teresa decided to join the Penguin team following her personal experience of cold capping, and successfully saving her hair on chemo.
Teresa’s diagnosis and treatment
Celebrating the half way point
“I have always been active and healthy, so it came as a complete shock to me and my family when I was diagnosed with breast cancer after a regular mammogram.”
Although unwelcome, Teresa was grateful she’d received her diagnosis at such an early stage.
“My doctors were amazing and thoroughly explained what I would need to do to beat this. They also assured me that my prognosis was excellent.”
Teresa was told she would need weekly treatments of Taxol and Herceptin over twelve months, with hair loss being one of the likely side effects.
“Finding out that I needed chemotherapy because I was HER2 + was very difficult to deal with, primarily because I knew I would lose my hair.”
Why was it important for you to save your hair?
“I was afraid of being treated differently. I wanted my life to stay as normal as possible, and I didn’t think that would be possible if I lost all my hair. Retaining my hair also made my cancer diagnosis easier for my family and friends to deal with – there was no outward sign that anything was wrong.”
As well as allowing Teresa to carry on with her day-to-day life, she felt that saving her hair helped her maintain a positive outlook.
“Once the chemo was over, saving my hair has allowed me to move forward faster than if I’d had to wait for my hair to grow back.”
How did you find out about cold capping?
Teresa says she stumbled across cold capping therapy while searching online for a wig.
“I’d never heard of cold capping before, and at first, I thought it was too good to be true. However, I continued researching and eventually connected with a woman who had used Penguin several years before. After I spoke to her, I dared to hope that I, too, wouldn’t lose my hair on chemo.”
Why did you choose Penguin Cold Caps?
Teresa said she chose Penguin because, based on customer testimonials, it offered her the best chance of success.
“Penguin is a manual cold capping system, which means you don’t need to rely on having access to a machine in the treatment clinic. I liked that I didn’t have to worry about scheduling conflicts at the center, and I could finish capping at home for a longer period to achieve the best results.”
What was your experience of using Penguin Cold Cap?
Teresa ordered the caps, and they arrived a week before her first chemo session.
“My husband, father, and a friend served as my cappers. Prior to starting the treatment, we did two trial sessions to ensure everyone was comfortable and adept at fitting the caps properly. We were also provided with a personalized timing schedule, for capping before, during and after each chemo session.
“I found capping to be very manageable. It was very cold but never intolerable. In fact, capping was more tolerable than the ice placed on my hands and feet to help prevent neuropathy!”
What were your results?
Before chemo
After chemo
“I kept 95% or more of my hair on my head but lost all the hair on my body.
Teresa explains that she did shed hair throughout treatment, but doesn’t believe anymore than usual.
“My shedding was consistent throughout my treatment. I never had a big shed.”
Teresa said of the experience: “I could not be happier with my results. I hope I never have to do it again, but I absolutely would if I needed to. Without a doubt, it helped preserve my mental health and move on with life after chemotherapy far more quickly than if I hadn’t cold capped.”
Do you have any tips to offer other people?
Teresa offers some tips she feels helped with her cold capping success.
“I was careful to be very gentle with my hair and followed all the hair rules to a tee. I also found it helpful to use ear bags – my ears were never cold. I also used a travel pillow, which helped with the weight of wearing a cap for so many hours.”
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.