Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia

The 2010 document discusses the significant emotional impact of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) on patients, with 47% of female patients considering it the most traumatic aspect of chemotherapy and 8% potentially refusing treatment due to fear of hair loss. It reviews various methods to prevent or mitigate CIA, including topical minoxidil, which may lessen the severity or duration of hair loss but cannot prevent it, and scalp cooling, which has limited data supporting its effectiveness. Nutritional support is also mentioned as potentially beneficial. Experimental pharmacological approaches are being explored, but no approved treatment for CIA exists. The document notes that hair loss from chemotherapy is usually reversible and suggests that hair and scalp care, along with the use of wigs, may be the best current coping strategies. It also covers the psychological effects of CIA, the role of nutrition, cases of permanent alopecia, and the failure of hair regrowth after bone marrow transplantation, without providing specific study sizes or detailed results.