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<\/p>\nHundreds more cancer patients are being given access to a technique which helps tackle hair loss after two new scalp cooling machines were donated to two hospitals in the South East.<\/p>\n
The machines at East Surrey Hospital and Crawley Hospital, in West Sussex, have doubled capacity in their chemotherapy units.<\/p>\n
Scalp cooling works by lowering the temperature of the scalp during chemotherapy, helping patients retain more of their hair during treatment.<\/p>\n
Chemotherapy patient Lara Smith from Reigate said “It has helped me maintain my sense of identity and meant I have been able to continue working for longer.”<\/p>\n
According to Macmillan Cancer Support, while scalp cooling is a way of reducing or preventing hair loss from chemotherapy, after treatment is over, it can also help hair grow back faster. It is often called a cold cap or cool cap.<\/p>\n
Smith, a current chemotherapy patient at East Surrey Hospital, said: “I have been using the cold cap alongside my treatment since April and still have all my hair.”<\/p>\n
Another patient, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I was scared to try it as I thought it would be painful, but I would recommend it. Hair is a massive part of your identity.”<\/p>\n
The new machines were funded by a donation of \u00a322,000 to Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Charity’s cancer fund, given by an anonymous volunteer who had seen the difference scalp cooling can make to patients.<\/p>\n
Crawley hospital has 300 cold cap uses each year while East Surrey Hospital has around 620 cold cap uses each year.<\/p>\n
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NHS staff say the new scalp cooling machines ‘really make a difference’ [Surrey and Sussex NHS Trust]<\/p>\n
Sarah Burton, chief nurse at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said the new equipment “really does make a difference to our patients”.<\/p>\n
She added: “Being able to reduce hair loss during what is quite a difficult treatment can make the experience just that little bit easier.”<\/p>\n
Amelia Ling, Lead SACT (Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy) nurse and matron at East Surrey Hospital, said: “When a patient has chemotherapy and loses their hair, it’s a visible sign of sickness or of someone being unwell.<\/p>\n
“Scalp cooling therapy works to reduce this, meaning patients don’t lose as much of their hair, which is often a huge part of their identity and body image.<\/p>\n
“Anything we can do to reduce that helps them feel more ‘normal’ again.”<\/p>\n
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