Cold caps are tight-fitting caps that are filled with gel. These hats are chilled to extremely low temperatures ranging from -15 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit and placed on the head to prevent or reduce hair loss from chemotherapy. Cold caps claim to be both effective and safe, but the research shows conflicting reports.

While I am definitely not a doctor, I wanted to write the opinion of someone who works with people who have alopecia, and has seen cold caps in action.

"All I do is work with people that have hair loss, especially cancer. We looked into this very hard and havee talked to many of our doctor friends and we've decided, No No No!

Cold caps freeze the hair cells and hair follicles in your scalp to protect them from the negative effects of the chemo.

The reason you are losing your hair in the first place is because the chemo is targeting the fastest growing cells in your body, your hair. Who's to say you are not freezing cancer cells that may also be in your scalp?

Many people are coming back soon after chemo with cancer in their scalp areas.

Worse yet, it rarely keeps the whole head of hair. Many patients find that they wasted $2,000.00 to keep patchy hair. Many of them still need a Wig or a Cranial prosthesis to cover the rest, and they possibly protected some of their cancer. Scary!

I have helped cancer patients with their medically induced hair loss for the past 40 years. I've seen the emotional state of someone about to lose all their hair due to chemo or radiation treatments too many times. I would love nothing more to see some advances in medical technology that would safely prevent hair loss for patients.

But until then I will continue to provide the best and the highest quality hair replacement systems, chemo wigs and cranial prosthesis."