Westbury, C., Hines, F., Hawkes, E., Ashley, S., & Brada, M. (2000). Advice on hair and scalp care during cranial radiotherapy: A prospective randomized trial. Radiotherapy and Oncology, 54, 109–116.
To establish whether standard scalp care, as usually practiced by the patient, affects severity and course of acute skin radiation side effects, and to what extent advice on changing normal routine of hygiene causes distress
Patients receiving cranial radiation therapy were randomized to two groups. Group 1 patients were advised to continue normal scalp care. Group 2 patients were advised to avoid washing the irradiated area. Hair washing was not prohibited, but patients were advised to avoid it. Patients were assessed weekly over 10 weeks from the start of treatment, with recording of symptoms by patients and clinical assessment by an observer.
The study took place at The Royal Marsden NHS Trust in London, England.
The study used a randomized controlled trial design.
No differences were reported between scores of skin reaction in the two groups. Itching was the main local symptom experienced by both groups, with no significant differences. A marginal difference occurred between patient groups at six weeks, with the patients in group 2 having more severe symptoms.
The practice of normal hair washing is not associated with increased severity of adverse skin reaction caused by megavoltage cranial radiation therapy. The time course of skin reaction was also not affected by the different practice of hair washing. Mild-to-moderate skin reaction is not exacerbated in patients continuing their usually regimen of hair care.