A practitioner's guide to cancer-related alopecia.

Alopecia due to the side effects of the treatment of cancer is one of the most common and emotionally troublesome effects of cancer therapy. Preventive measures, primarily scalp hypothermia, can be effective in some cases, but the worry of subsequent scalp metastasis remains. Investigative studies in animals are hindered by a poor animal alopecia model. Several promising agents require translation into clinical practice. Until then, disguising the alopecia with wigs, hats, or turbans remains the mainstay of treatment.