Only 15 Regions allocate funds to contribute to the purchase, although hair loss is one of the most feared effects of chemotherapy, which affects the psychological well-being of patients
“Will my hair fall out?” is one of the first questions that millions of people ask themselves when they discover what they will have to ask chemotherapy to treat a tumor. When the answer is yes, the option of having a wig for free is available only in some Italian regions: in fact, there is no legislation that regulates public interventions for the purchase in a uniform way throughout the country. The question is far from frivolous because if it is true that in the vast majority of cases the hair will then grow again, it has also been shown how much hair loss has an important impact on the lives of patients, on their psychological well-being, on life. affective, social, working. The consequences are heavy in the relationship with children, with colleagues, with all the “external” way because appearing in public bald or wearing a “turban” forces you to communicate the disease and increases the already onerous burden of cancer and its treatments.
Among the most feared side effects
To measure how burdensome one’s bald image can be reflected in the mirror have also been various researches, according to which 75% of cancer patients cite alopecia as one of the most feared side effects of therapies, so much so that for this reason 10% of them consider the option of refusing chemotherapy prescribed by doctors. “The quality of life, the return to work, the sociability of the cancer patient also depend on the wig, which must be considered a real necessary health device – he underlines Elisabetta Iannelli, Vice President of the Italian Association of Cancer Patients, Relatives and Friends (AIMaC) -. Only 15 Regions allocate funds to partial or total contribution for the purchase of the wig: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Molise, Piedmont, Puglia, Sardinia, Tuscany, Umbria, Trentino Alto-Adige and Veneto . With an obvious disparity between the north and south of the peninsula, aggravated byheterogeneity of the criteria applied for reimbursement which vary from region to region “.
A new prosthetic system
To make up for the many gaps, some voluntary associations provide wigs for cancer patients and various local initiatives help sufferers struggling with alopecia. For example, thanks to the Onco Hair project (promoted in Lombardy by the Associazione per il Policlinico Onlus, Fondazione Cariplo and CRLAB), in the last year 25 women with breast cancer were able to use, instead of the traditional wig, a new Italian prosthetic system very similar to real hair: the advantages, measured by a clinical study, were different because it allows the wearer a completely normal life (it becomes an integral part of the body, should not be taken off at night and allows for example to swim and tie your hair). But the price of this certified medical device (CNC, natural hair in contact) is definitely higher than the average for wigs, which in any case is around a few thousand euros.
Tax deductions
A high cost, difficult to bear for many patients. “In all of Italy, however, the expense for the purchase of the wig in case of alopecia for anticancer treatments it can be tax deducted from income – explains Iannelli -. Where there is no total coverage by the regional health system, at the time of submitting the tax return, the expense can be deducted by presenting the receipt (where the tax code of the person undergoing chemotherapy must be indicated) and the medical documentation that certifies the anticancer treatments to which the patient has been subjected. On the AIMaC website, then, in the section dedicated to the rights of the patient, it is possible to find the contributions provided by the various Regions and a list of voluntary associations which, in different areas of Italy, provide for support in the purchase of wigs “. It is estimated that around 65% of patients with cancer develop alopecia during or after chemotherapy. These are mainly people who suffer from a neoplasm of breast, colon, ovary and lungfor which certain chemotherapy drugs are used that also have an action on hair and hair follicles: anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin, epirubicin), microtubule antagonists (paclitaxel, docetaxel) and alkylating agents (cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, etoposide) are those which most frequently cause alopecia.
Difficult to prevent
It is impossible to predict how important the loss of hair and hair will be in the individual person (sometimes it is slight, others total) e there are currently no effective strategies to prevent it. With the exception of different types of cooling caps, at very low temperatures, which must be placed on the head before, during and after chemotherapy sessions. “The principle on which they are based is the vasoconstriction induced by hypothermia, which reduces the flow of blood to the hair follicles, resulting in a reduction in the concentration of chemotherapy in the scalp – clarifies Gabriella Fabbrocini, director of the dermatological clinic at the Federico II University of Naples -. However, it should be remembered that the “ice helmetIt is only effective for certain types of cancer and for certain types of drugs. Generally, the more you wear the headset the better, but there are a limit to its spread side effects (headache, feeling of cold, discomfort), which often cause the interruption of preventive treatment “. Thinning generally begins days or weeks after the start of chemotherapy and, by seeking the advice of a specialized dermatologist, you can follow treatments that help protect the shaved scalp, for better and faster regrowth of the hair. At the end of the treatments, almost all patients see their hair return. Depending on the type of tumor and therefore on the therapy carried out, the resumption of the life cycle of the hair varies: generally, regrowth is completed at 3-6 months maximum.
A strong cut and frequent washing
To avoid witnessing progressive hair loss a first suggestion is to cut them very short, in order to also cushion the psychological backlash, especially for those with long hairs. «Also it is better to use mild shampoos, not aggressive – says Gabriella Fabbrocini -. Especially if you wear a wig, you feel the need for frequent washing, which is not at all contraindicated if you use the right products. Another important thing is to consult a dermatologist before starting chemotherapy in order to use the strategies that allow you to counteract the complete fall, if you start early. Today, in fact, there are treatments (based on minoxidil) to be taken orally that can be combined with topical trichostimulating supplements and lotions that are able to protect hair and hair from toxic effects and to strengthen them “.
June 7, 2022 (change June 7, 2022 | 19:38)
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