For many people with cancer, the reality of their diagnosis truly sets in when they start losing their hair during chemotherapy. At WellSpan Health, a cooling cap program is helping patients prevent this visible reminder of their illness. It's about more than appearance: Keeping their hair helps people preserve their sense of identity and hope.
"Just a few years ago, hair loss with chemotherapy was expected," says Pooja Sahni, MD, medical director of WellSpan Health's medical oncology and hematology practice in Chambersburg. "Now we have a tool that helps patients maintain some normalcy during treatment."
Pooja Sahni, MD
How cooling caps protect hair during chemotherapy
Cooling caps work by lowering the scalp's temperature, temporarily restricting blood flow to hair follicles. The reduced blood flow decreases the amount of chemotherapy that reaches follicle cells, protecting them from damage. Patients wear the cap for about 30 minutes before their infusion, during the infusion, and for about two hours afterward.
The FDA-approved automated system circulates cooled liquid through a custom-fitted cap. The process takes commitment, and patients describe the cold as intense. But the results can be significant. "We've seen hair loss reduced by 50% or more in patients who use the caps consistently," says Dr. Sahni. "Some even retain their full head of hair."
Cooling cap technology is FDA-approved for chemotherapy-induced hair loss related to solid tumor cancers. Eligible patients include those receiving certain chemotherapy drugs for head and neck, breast, lung, pancreatic, bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma) and ovarian cancers, among others.
Who's eligible and how to access the program
- The cooling cap program is available at all WellSpan Health oncology locations: York, Chambersburg, Ephrata, Gettysburg, Hanover and Lebanon.
- The therapy is FDA-approved for patients with solid tumor cancers receiving certain chemotherapy regimens.
- Health insurance typically covers the therapy for patients who meet the FDA criteria.
- Medicare covers FDA-approved cooling cap systems in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, as of January 1, 2026.
Cancer support that goes beyond treatment
According to Dr. Sahni, the benefits extend far beyond physical appearance. "It's a novel tool that maintains the integrity of patients who are truly keen on preserving their hair," she explains. "It helps patients feel more like themselves when so much feels out of their control."
WellSpan Health is committed to offering leading-edge cancer treatments along with advanced supportive therapies, and the cooling cap program is one example. "We want to help patients keep living their lives," says Dr. Sahni. "Going to work, running errands, spending time with family, without feeling like everyone knows they're sick. That's what tools like the cooling cap can do."
How the cooling cap helped one patient keep life normal
Kimberlee Steckman, 59, wore the cooling cap throughout four months of chemotherapy for breast cancer. Although her hair thinned slightly, she kept enough that people had no idea she was going through cancer treatment.
"I just felt like myself," says Kimberlee. "So many people said, 'Wow, you look great.' They thought it was a new and improved me, as opposed to someone going through chemotherapy."
For Kimberlee, the cooling cap also served a deeply personal purpose: protecting her mother, who is in memory care, from worry. "She still recognizes me," Kimberlee explains. "I didn't want Mom to see me with no hair and have to tell her about the cancer."
The process required seven to eight hours per chemotherapy session, including wearing the cap before and after the infusion. But for Kimberlee, the tradeoff was clear. "It helped me keep my life normal," she says.
