Approximately 65% of people undergoing chemotherapy experience hair loss. It is one of the most feared side effects of chemotherapy among patients.
Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University, in partnership with the Paxman Scalp Cooling Research Centre, have found that combining scalp cooling treatment with antioxidants can significantly reduce or even prevent the damage to hair follicles caused by chemotherapy drugs.
The discovery, published in Frontiers of Pharmacology, has the potential to enhance and standardize scalp cooling efficacy levels, potentially transforming it into a more consistent and universally reliable method for preventing chemotherapy-induced hair loss.
Boosting scalp cooling with antioxidants
Led by Dr. Nik Georgopoulos, associate professor in cell biology and Transforming Lives fellow at Sheffield Hallam University, the team of researchers used human keratinocytes and hair follicle cultures to explore how cooling and antioxidants can protect chemotherapy-treated cells.
The research demonstrates for the first time that cooling human hair follicles to an optimal temperature of 18°C can effectively prevent chemotherapy-induced damage. In contrast, sub-optimal cooling (measured at 26°C) failed to provide sufficient protection, offering a potential explanation for why scalp cooling does not work for some patients.
However, the study also found that combining sub-optimal cooling with antioxidants such as N-acetylcysteine or resveratrol significantly enhances protection, delivering results comparable to those achieved with optimal cooling alone.
“Our findings suggest that the combination of cooling and antioxidants could be a game-changer in preventing chemotherapy-induced hair loss and could make a real difference to the lives of cancer patients worldwide,” said Georgopoulos.
This combined approach was shown to reduce levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) – harmful molecules generated during chemotherapy that contribute to hair follicle damage. By counteracting the effects of inefficient cooling, the antioxidant-cooling combination offers a powerful strategy to improve the clinical effectiveness of scalp cooling treatments.
“It highlights the potential for a more effective and accessible solution to a common and highly distressing side effect of cancer treatment. By improving the quality of life for these patients, this method represents a significant advancement in supportive cancer care,” Georgopoulos added.
Decoding how scalp cooling protects hair
This research, developed over several years in collaboration with the Paxman Scalp Cooling Research Centre, represents a major step forward in understanding and improving scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients.
Through nearly 15 years of research, Georgopoulos’ team has demonstrated that by reducing the temperature of the scalp before, during and after chemotherapy treatment, scalp cooling triggers multiple beneficial biological effects that help protect hair follicles from the toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs.
Cooling causes blood vessel narrowing (vasoconstriction) to preserve heat, which reduces blood flow to as little as 20%, meaning less chemotherapy drug reaches the hair follicles.
In addition, scalp cooling causes hair cells to become dormant and stop dividing so that the chemotherapy treatment, which targets rapidly dividing cells, will bypass them.
To build on this understanding, the new publication demonstrates that cooling lowers cellular metabolism and reduces toxic ROS production. By activating multiple protective mechanisms simultaneously, optimal scalp cooling can effectively help prevent hair loss.
Robyn Fink and Carmen Huff, both cancer patients who used scalp cooling during chemotherapy, shared their experiences, highlighting the varying effectiveness of the treatment. While both expressed gratitude, their stories reflect the individual differences in outcomes:
“Losing my hair was one of the most devastating parts of going through treatment – losing hair every time I showered was traumatizing and there were times I wanted to give up [scalp cooling], but I am so thankful I didn’t,” said Fink.
“I feel so happy and grateful. It allowed me to feel normal and enjoy normal things all summer. It gave me so much more confidence to have my hair. I was able to keep my cancer private when I wanted to and share when I felt comfortable,” said Huff.
“Our vision has always been to make our chemotherapy side effect management technology available to everyone, continually improving efficacy in the process,” said Richard Paxman OBE, chief executive officer of Paxman Scalp Cooling. “Our partnership with Sheffield Hallam University has been central to achieving this vision.”
“Led by Professor Georgopoulos and the team at SHU’s Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, this collaboration has delivered impactful findings which we hope will ultimately encourage further adoption worldwide. We are incredibly grateful for the team’s dedication and insight, and we are already working together on the next steps to translate this work into real-world solutions,” Paxman concluded.
Reference: Ibraheem K, Smith A, Collett A, Georgopoulos NT. Prevention of chemotherapy drug-mediated human hair follicle damage: combined use of cooling with antioxidant suppresses oxidative stress and prevents matrix keratinocyte cytotoxicity. Front Pharmacol. 2025;16. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1558593
This article is a rework of a press release issued by Sheffield Hallam University. Material has been edited for length and content.