During a battle with breast cancer there is so much that we have absolutely no control over, from medication, hormonal imbalances, physical health and appearances. This is why I was so grateful to discover cold capping to help preserve my hair, my “crown and glory.”

Hair is more than just what covers our head, especially in the African American community; it’s our connection to other women through regular salon visits filled with “girl talk.” It’s a part of our identity, culture and pride. It is sacred. I believe this to be true for not just women of color but all women.

You may be wondering what is cold capping and how does it work. First, there are two types of cold capping; manual and machine. Manual cold capping is a technique used to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatment, specifically by cooling the scalp to reduce blood flow to the hair follicles. The process involves wearing a series of cold caps, which are tightly fitted to the scalp, before, during and after chemotherapy sessions. The cold temperature helps to constrict blood vessels in the scalp, which in turn limits the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach the hair follicles, reducing hair damage and the risk of hair loss.

Machine cold capping is a more advanced and automated version of the cold capping process used during chemotherapy to prevent hair loss. Unlike manual cold capping, which involves the use of multiple cold caps that need to be manually swapped and adjusted, machine cold capping uses a specialized cooling device to continuously regulate the temperature of the scalp.

In this process, a machine is used to control the temperature and circulate cooling fluid through a cap that is worn on the scalp. The cooling system is typically more efficient and precise than manual cold capping, ensuring that the scalp is maintained at the optimal temperature throughout the chemotherapy session. The machine can automatically adjust the cooling process as needed, providing a more consistent and less labor-intensive experience compared to manual cold capping. One of the biggest differences to note is that machine cold capping is only available at certain facilities. However, manual cold capping is a system that is ordered by you from a company and you take it to each chemotherapy treatment.

Two of the main manual cold capping companies are Arctic and Penguin and range in price from $389 to $700 per month depending on the tier that you choose. Dignicap is the most well known machine called capping system and ranges in price from $350 to $1500 per month also depending on what tier you use.

At this time cold capping is not recognized by most insurers as a required medical need so you do have to pay the cost of the service up front. However I was successful in being reimbursed for cold capping through an insurance claim submitted after completing cold capping and chemotherapy. Success can vary from patient to patient.

I am an African American woman who had micro locs at the time of cold capping. There was no data that was able to assist me in how to be successful in cold capping with my hair texture. I chose to cold cap with Penguin and all of their instructions were tailored for white women. These are some of the steps that worked best for me. I washed my hair once per month instead of the weekly requirements that Penguin provided. When I washed my hair I used a squirt bottle with shampoo diluted it with water. I squirted that throughout my scalp and then used a wet and very soft T-shirt to blot out the shampoo and water. During cold capping sessions I very loosely twisted the bottom of my micro locs together in different sections and I made the temperature of the cold caps colder than what the company recommend because my hair was extremely thick. As a result I was able to save 80% of my hair and I never had to look like what I was going through. Although I cut my locs several months after chemotherapy, my hair grew back extremely fast and extremely thick and I have already restarted my micro loc journey.

I am more than happy to answer any questions or help anyone that needs a demonstration of manual cold capping prior to beginning chemotherapy.

Wishing you all the light, love and strength.

This post was contributed by breast cancer survivor and Forge client and volunteer Whitney Sanders. To contact Whitney, reach out to Forge volunteer coordinator Jinida Holt at [email protected].