Scalp Tourniquets for Chemotherapy-Induced Alopecia

The document from 1980 examined the efficacy of scalp tourniquets in preventing chemotherapy-induced hair loss. The study involved 9 patients undergoing chemotherapy with four epilating drugs at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. The patients were split into experimental and control groups, with the experimental group using scalp tourniquets. The results, assessed by photographs and an independent panel of judges, showed that the scalp tourniquet did not significantly reduce hair loss. The study suggested that the ineffectiveness might be due to the prolonged presence of drugs in the blood and tissues and the discomfort caused by the tourniquet, which limited its use. The study also noted that hair loss from chemotherapy varies in severity and pattern, with drugs like doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and vincristine commonly causing alopecia, and that hair loss can have a profound emotional impact on patients. However, the small sample size and the use of only one drug combination limit the study's conclusions.