Your scalp temperature needs to be kept down the whole time the drugs are circulating in your blood. If you are having your chemotherapy as an outpatient, you may need to spend up to 1 hours longer at the hospital. Some people have found that the ice pack and gel filled hats can feel heavy to wear. When using this type of hat you are usually free to walk about once your chemotherapy has been given. Your hat will need to be changed every 20-40 minutes to keep your scalp cool, so you cannot go too far from the chemotherapy unit.
Caps attached to the cooling machines generally feel lighter than the frozen caps.
You will need to sit by the machine while the cap is in place, you cannot walk about freely, however the cap can be removed for short periods if necessary. These caps do not need to be changed as the machine is continuously cooling the liquid circulating round your scalp. You will probably feel chilly when having scalp cooling and may need a jumper to wear. Hot drinks will help you feel warmer. You may get a headache from scalp cooling, especially in hot weather.