Baptist Health Madisonville offers new tool for chemotherapy patients

Baptist Health Madisonville offers new tool for chemotherapy patients

Baptist Health Madisonville offers new tool for chemotherapy patients

 

(Madisonville, Ky.)  Oct. 26, 2018 — Hair loss is a real concern for chemotherapy patients. Now, it may be less of a worry for some patients with the Paxman® Scalp Cooling System, which recently became available at Baptist Health Madisonville’s Merle M. Mahr Cancer Center.

 

The system uses a “cold cap” to reduce the scalp temperature immediately before, during and after a chemotherapy treatment. The cooling reduces the blood flow to hair follicles which helps to prevent or minimize the loss of hair. The cap lowers the temperature of the scalp to between 64 and 71 degrees.

 

Use of the system is a pre-paid, self-pay service, although the Hair to Stay non-profit group is offering a subsidy program for eligible patients. Also, the hospital has limited grant funds available for those who qualify.

 

“Losing their hair can be a devastating side effect of chemotherapy for some cancer patients,” said Oncology director Diana Jackson, MSN, RN, OCN. “We are excited to be offering the Paxman system at Baptist Health Madisonville to help some patients avoid hair loss. It’s just one way we can eliminate some of their stress.”

 

###