TLDR Chemotherapy-induced hair loss significantly affects patients' well-being, and nurses are key in helping them cope, but more research is needed to find effective treatments.
The document from 2001 examines the psychological and social effects of chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA) on cancer patients and the role of nursing care in managing this side effect. It highlights the distress caused by hair loss due to its association with personal identity and social interactions. Various methods to prevent CIA, such as scalp hypothermia and the use of minoxidil, are discussed, but their effectiveness is uncertain and dependent on multiple factors. Treatments like immunosuppressive immunophilin ligands and immunomodulators show potential in animal studies, but human testing is needed. The document emphasizes the importance of nursing care in providing information, emotional support, and self-care strategies to help patients cope with hair loss. It concludes that more research is needed to determine effective interventions for CIA and that nurses play a crucial role in supporting patients through this challenging experience.
Cited in this study
5 / 5 results
118 citations
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April 1998 in “Dermatologic Clinics” Finasteride and minoxidil are effective for hair regrowth, while treatments for alopecia areata have varying success and continuous treatment is necessary.
39 citations
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January 1994 in “European Journal of Cancer” Scalp cooling is largely ineffective in preventing hair loss from breast cancer chemotherapy.
23 citations
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July 1993 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Certain chemicals and peptides can promote hair growth or prevent baldness.
12 citations
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December 1987 in “Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology” Vitamin E in the diet might help protect against hair loss caused by the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin in rabbits.
53 citations
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June 1982 in “The BMJ” Cooling the scalp below 22°C before and during chemotherapy can help prevent hair loss.
6 citations
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January 2019 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology” About 12% of children in Kota, Rajasthan, experience hair loss, mainly due to fungal infections, with early treatment advised to prevent worsening.
44 citations
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December 2010 in “Current Opinion in Supportive and Palliative Care” Many patients find hair loss from chemotherapy very distressing, and while treatments like minoxidil and scalp cooling may help, there is no sure way to prevent it.
1 citations
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April 1992 in “PubMed” The document describes the signs of different common types of hair loss.
