Cooling caps reduce blood flow to the hair follicles during chemotherapy treatment. This minimizes the amount of chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles, thereby reducing the risk of hair loss.

According to studies by the National Library of Medicine, controlled and randomized trials show that the use of cooling caps significantly reduces the risk of hair loss during chemotherapy. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10762750/. At least 8 out of 10 people retain their hair satisfactorily. The result depends on the type of chemotherapy, the combination of chemotherapy, and other individual factors. For those who retain their hair, almost all will experience hair thinning to varying degrees. Most commonly, hair loss is 10-50%, but evenly distributed, in a successful course. Although 50% sounds like a lot, those around you will usually not notice a change in appearance, and the person will not need a wig or other head covering.

After 4-6 weeks, you will know if the cooling caps are having the desired effect on your hair.

Scalp cooling technology has been known since 1970 and is approved by health authorities worldwide. In 2015, the method received prestigious A++ FDA approval in the USA, which is an international testament to the quality and safety of the method. Rapunzel’s cooling caps are CE-marked and Rapunzel is registered with the Medicines Agency.

No! It's an old myth that cold caps cause brain metastases. International, controlled, and randomized studies have refuted this hypothesis. The caps only cool the outermost layers of the hair-bearing part of the scalp. The brain is not frozen – that's simply not possible. Cold caps work using the exact same method as cooling gloves and cooling socks, which are offered to many in hospitals to protect hands and feet during certain chemotherapies. If you encounter healthcare personnel who are not up-to-date on this knowledge, we recommend that you seek insight yourself. Check, among other things, the latest studies from the National Library of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5410200/, which the health authorities have also reviewed.

Cooling caps cannot be used for all types of cancer. It must fundamentally be a solid tumor. Examples include typically breast cancer, ovarian cancer, liver, lung, gastrointestinal cancers, and those treated with hair-loss-inducing chemotherapy types. If you are unsure whether you can use cooling caps, you are welcome to contact us for individual clarification.

Cooling caps work independently of hair type. If you have Asian hair, Afro hair or strong red hair, the pre-treatment is slightly different, but you will be informed about it when you rent.

Yes, you have the right to bring any aid, including cold caps, into the hospital, as long as you are independent (you will need the help of a companion to change the caps 1-2 times while you are having chemotherapy). We always recommend informing staff in good time that you wish to use cold caps.

If you have no one to help you, please contact us at Rapunzel. We have volunteers who support us – call us and we will check if we have a volunteer in your area.

If you are a long-term patient and have a continuous need for cooling caps, you pay the normal subscription price for the first 3 months. After that, you receive a 20% discount for up to 9 months, and after one year, the price is reduced by 60% with continued use.

• Some people experience mild headaches or become drowsy during use. Others experience brain freeze, similar to when we eat ice cream too quickly on a hot summer day. Brain freeze disappears after a few minutes and can be prevented by taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Always ask the ward staff before taking over-the-counter medications to ensure it is safe to take them during your chemotherapy.
• We recommend using Seabands or chewing gum if necessary. If necessary, discuss with the ward whether you can use anti-nausea medication.

The cooling caps are used for approximately 30–45 minutes before, during, and up to 120 minutes after the chemotherapy treatment. This means you should expect to wear the cooling caps for about 4–5 hours on the days you receive chemotherapy.

You can prepare in the waiting room or other suitable locations in the hospital. You can either continue post-cooling in the waiting room, in cancer counseling, or drive home with the cap on, with any planned changes en route. The cooling caps are portable, making you portable too, so you won't take up time from other patients in the outpatient clinic.

We recommend always pre-cooling in the hospital, among other things, to ensure that treatment is not delayed or similar issues arise.

The caps cool the forehead and ears even if no hair needs to be preserved there. It is advantageous to attach cotton pads, panty liners or crocheted/knitted pads to the forehead and ears. However, it is very important that what is used is not too thick so that the caps are not unnecessarily lifted.

It's not uncommon for your scalp to feel dry and a little itchy. Don't scratch! Some people use antihistamines to help with the itching. Always ask ward staff before taking any over-the-counter medications to be sure it's okay to take them during your chemotherapy treatment.

We do not recommend using hair serum on the scalp to avoid unnecessary additional burden on the scalp.

Yes, you can use leave-in products during the treatment, but only on your lengths. It is important to saturate your hair with moisture.

Unfortunately not. It is strenuous and wearing on the hair if you use these styling methods – you will easily pull the hair unnecessarily. We recommend only using these methods once you have stopped shedding after completing chemotherapy.

We recommend waiting 6 months after completing chemotherapy before dyeing your hair again.

You may go to the hairdresser – but go to a hairdresser you know and trust. Wash your hair at home and ask the hairdresser to ONLY cut the ends. No shampooing, no hairbrush, no heat treatment, no products, and no comb in the hair.

During the cold cap process, most people will experience significantly more hair shedding than normal. Hair loss depends on the type of chemotherapy and its sequence. If the cold caps work for you, you will experience consistent hair shedding, which you can assess after about 6 weeks.

• It's completely normal to experience increased hair shedding during the period you're receiving chemotherapy, even when using cooling caps. We normally lose 100-200 hairs daily – something few people realize.
• The international success rate for cooling caps states that they work for 8 out of 10 people, with hair loss between 0-50%. Among users who experience more than 50% hair loss, many are still glad they used the method because they did not experience total hair loss.

This varies greatly. Some people experience hair loss stagnation even while still receiving chemotherapy, towards the end of the treatment. For others, it's not until weeks later. Approximately 1.5 months after completing chemotherapy, you will stop losing more hair than normal.

• If the bonnets are visibly soiled, you can wipe them with a wrung-out cloth – it is important that the bonnets are not placed in water, as they cannot tolerate this. If the bonnets are not visibly soiled, simply refreeze them.
• The bonnets are cleaned by Rapunzel between each new user.