A cooling device designed by researchers for use on the scalp has been found to be capable of preventing hair loss in women. The device was found to be effective on women undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

According to a Reuters, scientists revealed during a media briefing recently that scalp cooling devices have been found to be effective in the prevention of hair loss.

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"Scalp cooling devices are highly effective and should become available to women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy," Dr. Julie Rani Nangia, Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, said.

The temperature of the scalp is lowered by wearing the scalp cooling device, which in turn increases the blood flow to hair follicles. The increased circulation prevents the loss of hair.

The study was carried out under the Scalp Cooling Alopecia Prevention (SCALP) Trial. The trial included more than 200 women from seven medical centers across the United States. The women, who participated in the study, had breast cancer and were to receive four sessions of chemotherapy. Each of the chemo sessions included drugs such as anthracycline or taxane, which are known to cause hair loss.

Patients in the study were randomly assigned to a scalp-cooling cap and others were not. The device features a cold cap that is worn by patients during the chemotherapy sessions. Cooling of the cap was done 30 minutes before, during, and after the chemotherapy session for 90 minutes.

Of the 90 patients in the group that wore the cooling cap, 48 patients in the group retained their hair. According to CBC Boston, the two layered cap includes refrigerated fluid and an insulating layer, which circulates through the cap.

The side effects of the cooling cap were reportedly mild and included symptoms such as headache, nausea, and dizziness. However, most patients rated the cooling device as "reasonably comfortable," with few finding the scalp cooling device uncomfortable to wear.

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