Scalp Cooling

Scalp cooling is a technique we use during chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer to help prevent hair loss, known as chemotherapy-induced alopecia. It works by limiting blood flow to the scalp. Scalp cooling involves placing a silicone wrap under a tight-fitting cap on your head for each chemotherapy treatment. The silicone wrap cools your scalp, which helps prevent hair follicles from absorbing chemotherapy and may reduce hair loss.

How does scalp cooling work?

The FDA-approved, portable scalp cooling system cools a water mixture to a specific temperature and cycles it through the silicone cap on your head. You wear the cap for 30 minutes before your chemotherapy treatment, during treatment and for up to 2 hours after each treatment.

What should I expect from scalp cooling?

Everyone responds to scalp cooling differently. Talk with your physician or a member of your care team about the risk of hair loss. Even with scalp cooling some hair thinning can be expected, but successful scalp cooling may limit your hair loss.

Scalp cooling lowers a circulating water mixture temperature to about 0 degrees Celsius. You may feel cold while wearing the cap, so we recommend dressing in warm clothing, such as a jacket, socks and shoes and bringing a blanket. We will show you how to prepare for scalp cooling and how to care for your hair to achieve the best results.

Cooler Heads is The University of Kansas Health System’s scalp-cooling company. The company’s customer care department supports eligible patients by providing required accessories, education and resources. This includes a digital resource library and virtual support during treatments. As a patient, you are responsible for purchasing your cap kit from Cooler Heads and bringing it to each chemotherapy treatment.

How much does scalp cooling cost?

While scalp cooling treatments can be billed to Medicare and other insurance providers, coverage may vary. The health system does not bill payers for these services, so it is the patient’s responsibility to submit a claim to their insurance provider.

The health system is committed to ensuring our patients have access to scalp cooling. Eligible patients receiving treatment at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, who enroll in scalp cooling, will be charged a discounted rate of $1,500 by Cooler Heads for their cap kit. You may apply for financial support through Hair to Stay, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income cancer patients afford scalp cooling.

To learn more, visit Cooler Heads.