Carle Health - West Region
10/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/27/2026 11:53
New cold cap technology available to cancer patients about to undergo chemotherapy
Megan Wood, RN, Carle Cancer Institute Urbana clearly remembers in her first years as a nurse how important hair loss was to a particular patient being treated for cancer.
"Because of the obvious change in appearance she knew people would ask why a 50-something woman did not have hair and she wanted to maintain the option of who she did or did not talk to about her cancer diagnosis," Wood said. "I have cared for the youngest of adults and some of the oldest. Each holds something close during their cancer treatment journey. Sometimes it's a token. Sometimes it's a family member or support person. Sometimes it's even a fuzzy blanket. For some women, it's their hair."
Women or any patient wanting to keep their hair through chemotherapy treatments, may consider a new option at Carle Health infusion locations in Urbana, Normal, Mattoon and Danville. It is an FDA-approved portable scalp cooling therapy to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy. Cooling the scalp does not reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy, but it helps reduce the amount of blood flow and chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles on the head. The cap is worn 30 minutes before the chemotherapy treatment, during the treatment and an additional two or three hours after the chemotherapy infusion is complete.
Maria Grosse Perdekamp, MD, Medical Oncology/Hematology, Carle Cancer Institute, said, "When a patient keeps their hair, they retain a vital connection to who they were before cancer. Scalp cooling isn't just about aesthetics; it's a therapeutic tool that safeguards emotional well-being, and self-esteem when patients need it most."
Custom-fitted to the head, the cap connects to a tube that links into a small cart on wheels, allowing the patient mobility while the tap water, ice and alcohol cools to 65 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cart container before moving up into the cap. Wood said the new cap is more comfortable than previous cold capping using dry ice and ice packs at 25 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the scalp cool.
"It's much more comfortable to the patient," Wood said. "If patients get cold during their infusions, we love warming them up with blankets."
Before using the cold cap, patients must first complete online video training and it is beneficial for them if they have a support person go through the training as well, she said.
Dr. Perdekamp said, "When a patient brings a "Cap Captain" to chemotherapy, the cold cap becomes more than a hair-preservation tool - it becomes a tangible bond of partnership, shared purpose, and emotional resilience."
For the patient, there are also some lifestyle changes such as no hair dye and no swimming close to the treatment, she said. Any gender with any type of hair may use the cap approved by Medicaid and Medicare as well as some commercial insurance.
The cold cap cannot be used for patients with skin, head or neck cancer, nor for patients with blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma solid tumors, she said.
"The goal is to keep 50 Percent of your hair," she said. "It is one less change in a patient's life. I love that it's available for those who want it. I think about the teacher who doesn't want to explain her condition to a class of young children or even the doctor who is being strong for patients."
Patients about to be treated for chemotherapy who want to use the cap should first consult with their physician and their insurance carrier.
"Because of the obvious change in appearance she knew people would ask why a 50-something woman did not have hair and she wanted to maintain the option of who she did or did not talk to about her cancer diagnosis," Wood said. "I have cared for the youngest of adults and some of the oldest. Each holds something close during their cancer treatment journey. Sometimes it's a token. Sometimes it's a family member or support person. Sometimes it's even a fuzzy blanket. For some women, it's their hair."
Women or any patient wanting to keep their hair through chemotherapy treatments, may consider a new option at Carle Health infusion locations in Urbana, Normal, Mattoon and Danville. It is an FDA-approved portable scalp cooling therapy to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy. Cooling the scalp does not reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy, but it helps reduce the amount of blood flow and chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles on the head. The cap is worn 30 minutes before the chemotherapy treatment, during the treatment and an additional two or three hours after the chemotherapy infusion is complete.
Maria Grosse Perdekamp, MD, Medical Oncology/Hematology, Carle Cancer Institute, said, "When a patient keeps their hair, they retain a vital connection to who they were before cancer. Scalp cooling isn't just about aesthetics; it's a therapeutic tool that safeguards emotional well-being, and self-esteem when patients need it most."
Custom-fitted to the head, the cap connects to a tube that links into a small cart on wheels, allowing the patient mobility while the tap water, ice and alcohol cools to 65 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cart container before moving up into the cap. Wood said the new cap is more comfortable than previous cold capping using dry ice and ice packs at 25 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit to keep the scalp cool.
"It's much more comfortable to the patient," Wood said. "If patients get cold during their infusions, we love warming them up with blankets."
Before using the cold cap, patients must first complete online video training and it is beneficial for them if they have a support person go through the training as well, she said.
Dr. Perdekamp said, "When a patient brings a "Cap Captain" to chemotherapy, the cold cap becomes more than a hair-preservation tool - it becomes a tangible bond of partnership, shared purpose, and emotional resilience."
For the patient, there are also some lifestyle changes such as no hair dye and no swimming close to the treatment, she said. Any gender with any type of hair may use the cap approved by Medicaid and Medicare as well as some commercial insurance.
The cold cap cannot be used for patients with skin, head or neck cancer, nor for patients with blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma solid tumors, she said.
"The goal is to keep 50 Percent of your hair," she said. "It is one less change in a patient's life. I love that it's available for those who want it. I think about the teacher who doesn't want to explain her condition to a class of young children or even the doctor who is being strong for patients."
Patients about to be treated for chemotherapy who want to use the cap should first consult with their physician and their insurance carrier.
Categories: Redefining Healthcare, Community
Tags: cancer, Carle Cancer Institute, Carle Cancer Institute Normal, Danville, Mattoon, Normal, Urbana
Carle Health - West Region published this content on October 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 27, 2026 at 17:53 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]