NEW DUAL-PROTECTION BREAKTHROUGH PREVENTS CHEMOTHERAPY HAIR LOSS

Sun 13 July 2025:

Scientists have announced the development of a “powerful method offering double protection” to prevent hair loss in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The study, conducted by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University, is being hailed as a groundbreaking discovery in the protection of hair follicles.

The new method combines the currently used “cooling cap” technique with a new lotion enriched with powerful antioxidants found in sources like red grapes.

When these two treatments are used together, they provide much more effective protection against chemotherapy toxicity on hair follicles.

Ideal Cooling Temperature Determined

The study found that cooling the scalp to 18°C prevents damage to hair follicles. Cooling up to 26°C, on the other hand, was found to be insufficient for providing adequate protection.

The cooling process reduces blood flow to the scalp, thereby limiting the amount of chemotherapy drugs that reach the hair follicles.

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Hair Follicles Protected in Lab Conditions

Researchers examined the effects of chemotherapy by culturing follicles taken from the scalp in a lab environment. Dr. Nik Georgopoulos, Associate Professor of Cell Biology at Sheffield Hallam University, stated:

“Cooling not only protects the rapidly dividing cells responsible for hair production, but can also keep them fully alive. However, the ideal temperature must be used for this to happen.”

Antioxidant-Enriched Lotion Provides “Double Protection”

The study also found that a topical antioxidant lotion applied in addition to cooling significantly enhanced the protective effect. The lotion contains resveratrol, found in red grapes and peanuts, and N-Acetylcysteine, a dietary supplement.

Dr. Georgopoulos explained that the cooling method may be insufficient for some patients, saying:

“Some scalps — I call them stubborn scalps — don’t cool down enough. In these cases, the support provided by the topical product transforms the level of protection.”

Cooling Alone Also Provides Strong Protection

However, according to Georgopoulos, the antioxidant lotion alone isn’t powerful enough. The cooling method, on the other hand, provides multiple protective effects at once:

“Cold causes blood vessels to constrict, so less blood — and therefore less drug — reaches the scalp. Additionally, cell division slows down. This provides protection on both a physical and biochemical level.”

Clinical Trials on the Way

Georgopoulos has been working for over a decade with Paxman Scalp Cooling, a company based in Huddersfield. Paxman manufactures a specially designed cooling cap used before, during, and after chemotherapy. Thanks to this cap, cooling starts 30 minutes before drug administration and continues for up to 90 minutes after treatment.

Researchers now aim to test this new method on patients using the Paxman device. Work is ongoing to finalize the antioxidant content to be used.

Dr. Georgopoulos added:

“Thanks to our ongoing research, we hope the topical product will not only prevent hair loss but also accelerate the regrowth of hair after chemotherapy.”

Agencies and A News

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