Cold caps reduce blood flow to the hair follicles during chemotherapy treatment. This minimizes the amount of chemotherapy that reaches the hair follicles, thereby reducing the risk of hair loss.

According to studies at the National Library of Medicine, controlled and randomized studies show that the use of a cold cap significantly reduces the risk of hair loss during chemotherapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5410200/. At least 8 out of 10 people retain their hair satisfactorily. The result depends on the type of chemotherapy, the combination of chemotherapy and other individual factors. For those who retain their hair, almost everyone will experience a varying degree of shedding. The most common is to shed 30-35% of the hair, but evenly distributed. Although 35% sounds like a lot, those around them will usually not notice any change in appearance and the individual will not need a wig or other headgear.

Within 1.5-2 months you will know if the cold caps are having the desired effect on your hair.

The cold cap technology has been known since 1970 and is approved by health authorities worldwide, and in 2015 the method received the prestigious A++ FDA approval in the USA, which is an international testament to the quality and safety of the method.

Cold caps cannot be used for all types of cancer. As a rule, it must be a solid tumor. For example breast cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and cancer that is treated with chemotherapy that causes hair loss. If you are in doubt whether you can use cooling caps, you are welcome to contact us for individual clarification.

The cold caps are applied approximately 30 minutes before, during and up to 120 minutes after the chemotherapy treatment has finished. The cold caps are applied according to a specific schedule, which you will be informed about when we know your treatment plan.

You can prepare in the waiting room or other suitable places in the hospital. You can either continue the post-cooling in the waiting room or drive home with the caps on if you do not live too far from the hospital. The cold caps are mobile, which means you are also mobile and therefore do not take up time from other patients in the treatment room.

Some experience a slight headache or become drowsy during use. Others experience "brain freeze" like when we eat our ice cream too quickly on a hot summer day. Brain freeze passes after a few minutes and can be prevented by taking 1 gram of Panodil or similar (2 x tablets/500 mg.) 1 hour before the first cold cap is to be applied.

Yes. Using a cold cap is a safe and proven hair preservation method that has been known since the 1970s. Every day, cold caps are a widely used aid in both private and public hospitals around the world to prevent hair loss in connection with chemotherapy treatments. Research is ongoing into the effect of using cold caps and controlled, randomized studies show that using a cold cap significantly reduces the risk of hair loss during chemotherapy, and that its use is not associated with an increased risk of metastases in the scalp. The method is approved by health authorities worldwide and Rapunzel ApS is registered with the Danish Medicines Agency.

Cold caps work regardless of hair type, including thick hair. If you have asian hair, afro hair, or thick red hair, the pre-treatment is slightly different, but you will be informed about this when renting.

No! It is an old myth that cold caps cause brain metastases. International, controlled and randomized studies have rejected this hypothesis. The caps only cool the very outer layers of the hair-bearing part of the scalp. The brain is not frozen - that is simply not possible. Cold caps work in exactly the same way as cold gloves and cold socks, which many people are offered in hospitals to protect their hands and feet during certain chemotherapy treatments. If you encounter healthcare professionals who are not up to date on this knowledge, we recommend that you seek insight yourself. Check out the latest studies at the National Library of Medicine https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5410200/, which the Danish National Board of Health has also reviewed.

Cooling hoods have been offered at some Danish hospitals in the period 2003-2020. At that time, the hoods were
stationary machines that patients were connected to, and nurses spent time booking appointments, arranging and adjusting the cooling hoods. A resource-intensive process that took up a lot of staff time and even though many patients benefited from the offer, it was saved.

So when today there is still a false reference to an extension of the treatment time, it is the old method/machine that is being referred to. Today, the hoods are mobile and are handled exclusively by the patient and their companion. So no healthcare personnel are burdened and patients who use cooling hoods do not take up more time in the chemo chair than patients who do not use cooling hoods.

From January 2026, breast cancer patients will again be offered cooling hoods (mobile) in connection with chemotherapy. The scheme is a pilot project in Cancer Package V, which aims to assess how the offer can be handled in practice, before possibly spreading to other cancer areas.

Yes, you have the right to bring any assistive device, including cooling caps, into the hospital as long as you are self-sufficient. Some hospitals are not aware of the mobile version and are afraid of getting “extra” work. It is always a good idea to let the nurse who will be treating you know in advance that you will be using cooling caps.