Losing hair during chemotherapy is no longer inevitable. An innovative helmet could soon improve the comfort of thousands of cancer patients. Developed in Ireland, this device promises to significantly reduce hair loss. An innovation that intrigues and generates much hope.
Each year, thousands of patients endure the side effects of chemotherapy, including hair loss. This loss, which can be traumatic, impacts their self-esteem. A start-up now offers a non-invasive solution to limit this phenomenon.
The helmet, named Lily, was designed by the company Luminate Medical. This device applies pressure to the scalp, preventing the cancer medication from damaging the hair follicles responsible for hair growth. According to early clinical tests, the device reduces hair loss by 75%. Patients who tested the helmet retained a full head of hair after several chemotherapy sessions.
This technique could significantly improve patients' quality of life. For many, preserving their hair would help them cope better with their treatment and feel less stigmatized by the disease.
Luminate Medical's goal is to commercialize the helmet in the United States after obtaining approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company also hopes to make the device usable at home. In parallel, Luminate is developing another device to treat chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. This new development could help alleviate the pain patients experience during treatment.
The future looks promising for these technologies, which give patients a little more control. Their impact on psychological well-being is undeniable.
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a medical treatment used to fight cancer. It involves the administration of drugs called anticancer agents. These substances aim to destroy cancer cells by disrupting their division and proliferation.
Chemotherapy drugs do not exclusively target cancer cells. They also attack other rapidly dividing cells, such as hair follicles. As a result, patients often lose their hair during treatment.
The Lily helmet works by applying pressure to the scalp, thus blocking the chemotherapy drugs from reaching the hair follicles. This protects the follicles and reduces hair loss by up to 75%.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND