Hair Loss and Radiation You might lose some hair after radiation therapy to the skull or brain. This may be total and permanent, but if lower doses are used the hair comes back within two to three months.
Preparing for Hair Loss This is one side effect you can plan for well in advance. There are several things you can do before you begin treatment that will make losing your hair not quite as upsetting.
• Get a short haircut so that the hair loss won't be as noticeable either to others or to you when you look in the
mirror.
• Treat your hair and your scalp gently by avoiding hairsprays, perms and dyes.
• Select hair covers that you'll need during the period of hair loss—turbans, scarves, hats, wigs and scarves with
hair fringes that look like your own hair. Many insurance companies will pay for a hair piece or wig since they
are a "part" of treatment, so ask your doctor for a prescription. To get the best possible match, buy a wig
before you lose your hair.
Tourniquets and Ice Caps Scalp tourniquets and ice caps can be used to prevent or reduce hair loss. But they are not very useful when the chemotherapy drugs tend to stay in the bloodstream for several hours or if the drugs are taken orally, which leads to the same time effect. Even so, using caps and tourniquets during therapy might make you feel better by reducing anxiety.
