'Cool cap' may help prevent chemo hair loss

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Hair loss can be an unpleasant side effect for women undergoing chemotherapy. Now there may be a "cool" new way to avoid it.

It's called a scalp-cooling cap. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine tested the device. he cap cools the scalp and restricts blood flow.

Less blood flow means less of the hair-destroying chemo reaches the follicles. It's a relatively pain-free step that can lower and sometimes even eliminate hair loss.

While cancer treatment will never be free of side effects, keeping their hair can make it less stressful for women.