AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Body
GOALS
Good Health & Well-being
KEYWORDS
hair loss prevention, patient esteem, 3D printed tooling
COUNTRY
United Kingdom
DESIGNED BY
Patrick Burke, Richard Paxman- Paxman Coolers Limited
Dr Ertu Unver, Dr David Swann, Chris Howard- University of Huddersfield
WEBSITE
http://www.paxman-coolers.co.uk
Embracing Life
A scalp cooling cap system that prevents hair loss as a side effect of cancer chemotherapy treatment
Hair loss is the most feared side effect of cancer chemotherapy treatment as it a constant reminder of the disease it is often perceived by patients as a source of shame and stigma typically marked by withdrawal from social and personal relationships. This patented scalp-cooling cap system is designed to prevent hair loss. The system works by circulating a cooled liquid to through a a series of channels within a silicone cap immediately before, after and during the delivery of chemotherapy. This in turn reduces the blood flow to the hair follicles thus minimising loss/ damage so improving patients’ self esteem and confidence. This innovative cap is designed to optimize heat transfer performance, user comfort and accommodate anthropometric factors: ethnicity, skull shape and density of hair. The clever use rapid-prototype tooling technologies supports the manufacture a cost-effective cap. The Paxman cooling system is now used in 32 countries around the world to help prevent hair loss.