Anyone used anything that helps with chemo hair loss?

I'm afraid to put anything on my chemo-damaged hair follicles. My thick mane was colored, and when I found out that coloring my roots too soon could further damage the follicles, I went ahead and shaved off what hadn't already fallen out all over the place. I could not envision sporting inches of gray on top of whatever might be left of the previous fake color, which is also why I didn't cold cap. I'm sick of coloring my hair and roots, anyway.

I used cold capping and it saved most of my hair just some thinning at the top. Insurance doesn’t cover but I thought it was worth a try.

Besides my high-contrast 2-color issue, and the chemo drugs I was prescribed, I really dislike being cold. I was told that the latest cold-capping technology would add 2 hours both before and after my infusion, for a total of 6 hours. Many report frozen hair. Chemo is torture enough as it is. Had I been younger and not 63, I might have made a different choice.

@djewison, can you describe how cold capping feels? How long do you keep it on? Was it uncomfortable? What do you wish you had known?

Colleen
It really wasn't bad. The first time I thought no way as it is really really cold but after awhile your head adapts and it actually felt good during treatment. I only had to wear 30 minutes before taxol and 90 minutes after. Hope that helps.

Donna

A few weeks ago my friends gently shaved my head. Love the feel of it and love wearing wigs. This week I started to get pimples on top my head that are tender. What can I put on my head to get rid of them?

"Don't shave your head" is advice I got from a hair dresser with a lot of experience with cancer patients. Get a buzz cut instead. I started chemo March 2, 2020 just as hair dressers were being shut down by covid. My hair fell out slowly, and I couldn't bring myself to hack it off myself. Instead I wore a wig cap made to look like fish net. I wore it full time to keep the hair from ending up all over. I brushed my hair thoroughly and put the wig cap back on before showering. I squeezed shampoo and rinsed right through the cap. Yes, I was anal about losing my hair. But whatever works for you is what's best for you.

your oncology team could prescribe a topical antibiotic gel clindamycin 1%

Caveat emptor: There are a number of high priced products on the market that mix rosemary oil with carrier oil or whatever. $27 for 2 ounces? Doing your own rosemary and carrier oil mix is so much less expensive.

I didn't like wigs or scarves though I wore them when I was bald, My hair started coming back in after about 4 months. It was the best I have ever had and curly. I loved those few months I spent loving my new hair vs. the same old stuff I have always had my whole life. I color it with no problems. It is fine, but not sparce.