Cold Cap Therapy

Spencer Cancer Center offers scalp cooling therapy for qualifying patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. It’s designed to help reduce hair loss during treatment.

What is cold cap therapy?

Scalp cooling therapy—often called cold capping—is a supplemental therapy option aimed at hair retention in patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. 

Patients at Spencer Cancer Center who undergo scalp cooling therapy wear a snug, FDA-approved cold cap that is connected to a cooling machine. 

How does scalp cooling therapy work?

Chemotherapy medicine travels through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells. Along the way, it can also reach the hair follicles, the tiny roots that grow hair, which can cause hair to thin or fall out.

A cold cap cools the scalp, which slows blood flow to the area. With less blood flow, less chemotherapy reaches the hair follicles, which may help patients keep more of their hair. 

Scalp cooling may not work for everyone. Each patient reacts differently to chemotherapy treatment, which may affect how well scalp cooling works. 

Who is eligible for this treatment option?

General eligibility requirements

• Patients with solid tumors
• Patients who are 18 or older
• Patients receiving taxane- or anthracycline-based chemotherapy treatments

Some solid tumor types may not be eligible for cold cap therapy, so your care team will review whether scalp cooling is right for you. Please ask your provider if you are eligible for this treatment option. 

Pricing and financial assistance options

Some commercial insurance plans may cover scalp cooling and related treatments, while others may not. 

Please contact your insurance provider to verify if the costs associated with scalp cooling therapy are covered under your plan. 

Financial assistance may be available for qualifying patients. 

Self-pay pricing

For patients who choose to self-pay for the treatment, the total cost for the scalp cooling cap and therapy treatments over a four-month course of treatment is $4,302.90. 

Financial assistance options

Certain patients may be eligible for financial assistance through the Patient Assistance Program from Paxman, the maker of the scalp cooling system, which may help reduce the cost of purchasing a scalp cooling cap. 

The social work team at Spencer Cancer Center works with patients throughout the financial assistance application process, including obtaining and submitting verification documents. 

Questions about scalp cooling therapy?

If you have questions about cold cap therapy, eligibility or costs, the team at Spencer Cancer Center is here to help. 

Call Spencer Cancer Center at (334) 528-1070, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

You can also talk with your oncology care team about whether scalp cooling is right for you.