Photo courtesy: jeffreypaulblog.com Retrieved Dec 24, 2015 from http://jeffreypaulblog.com/cause-hair-loss-hair-system/
Hair loss used to be an inevitable process in Chemotherapy. Millions of breast cancer patients suffered from hair loss during cancer treatment. Fortunately, certain medical equipment can be used with Chemo to save patients’ hair and dignity.
掉髮一直是化療中不可避免過程。 上百萬個乳癌症患者為了化療引起的落髮所受苦。幸好現在有一種醫療器材能在化療中使用，幫病患維持髮量和尊嚴。
Photo courtesy: DIGNITATA Retrieved Dec 24, 2015 from DIGNITATA
For over a decade, DIGNITANA, a Sweden company had saved thousands of worldwide patients from hair loss during chemotherapy with DigniCap, the scalp cooling' system; however, it can’t be used in the United States for years because FDA hadn’t given clearance to it. Now, it had changed, DigniCap was-FDA cleared for use in the United States on December 8, 2015. Lots of breast cancer patients can save their hair and reduce hair loss with DigniCap during Chemotherapy.
掉髮一直是化療中不可避免過程。 上百萬個乳癌症患者為了化療引起的落髮所受苦。 一間瑞典公司DIGNITANA已經用他們的頭皮冷卻系統DigniCap來幫助世界上幾千名的乳癌病患超過十年。 但是這項產品因為未取得美國FDA批准，遲遲無法在美國上市。現在情況改變了，DigniCap在2015年12月8號時通過美國FDA審查批准上市。 很多的乳癌病患在進行化療時可以使用DigniCap來保留頭髮、減少掉髮。
Photo courtesy: Nbcnews.com Retrieved Dec 23, 2015 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyz-As1F3fM
How dose DigniCap works? According to Dignitana’s website, The DigniCap® system consists of a snug-fitting silicone cooling cap connected to a cooling and control unit. Patients wear cooling caps to reduced head temperature to 37°F. The reduced temperature results in a reduced blood flow to the scalp area so that less chemotherapy reaches the hair cells. In addition, cellular metabolism within the hair cells is slowed down. Hair cells are therefore not exposed to the full dose of chemotherapy and may be able to survive the chemotherapy treatment.
DigniCap有什麼作用呢？ 根據Dignitana 的網站，DigniCap®系統是由緊貼頭皮的矽膠冷卻帽和連接到帽子的降溫和監控裝置所組成。 患者戴上帽子後頭的溫度會降低到37度˚F。 降低頭皮的溫度可以讓血流減少到頭皮區域，讓較少的化療藥物到達毛囊細胞。 此外，毛囊細胞內細胞代謝減慢。 因此毛囊細胞不會暴露在完整劑量的化療藥物中，才能有辦法在化療中生存。
Photo courtesy: Nbcnews.com Retrieved Dec 23, 2015 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyz-As1F3fM
For Donna Tookes, her eye-catching silver hair had become her significant feature since she was 25. She, however, was diagnosed breastcancer at age 59 in 2014. She may lose her best feature because of chemotherapy for cancer. During her chemo, her husband found a clinical trial for DigniCap to help her keep her hair while she underwent chemotherapy. Later, Donna took the trial with her treatment, hoping to win the battle against cancer and hair loss. The chemotherapy and trial worked fine for her. Now, Donna was healthy and had fully recovered from breast cancer. The most important thing was that she didn’t loseany of her hair from undergoing chemo.
對於Donna Tookes而言，她醒目的銀髮在她25歲時已成為她的註冊商標。然而，在2014年，她59歲時，她被診斷出乳癌。癌症化療有可能會讓她失去她的註冊商標。在她的化療的過程中，她的丈夫發現了DigniCap臨床試驗，可以幫助她在化療中減少掉髮和保存頭髮。隨後Donna在化療中參與了試驗，化療跟試驗非常成功。現在Donna已經從癌症中康復，非常健康，更重要的是她沒有因為化療而損失任何一根頭髮。
Referrence:
http://www.dignicap.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyz-As1F3fM