Freezing a gel hat to block light and sound

What the research says

Research is mixed

• Cryotherapy for headache. (1989)

  Among 45 patients with migraine or migraine plus chronic daily headache evaluating a coldwrap, 29% found it mildly effective, 26.5% moderately effective, and 9% completely effective, while 35.5% judged it not effective. This study directly tested a coldwrap delivery method for headache relief.

• Adverse effects of scalp cooling for the reduction of chemotherapy-induced alopecia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (2025)

  In a systematic review and meta-analysis of scalp cooling for chemotherapy-induced alopecia rather than headache relief, headache occurred as an adverse event in 30% of patients and led to discontinuation in 4%. This provides indirect evidence showing that scalp cooling caps can induce headaches.

• Registry study to assess hair loss prevention with the Penguin Cold Cap in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. (2018)

  In breast cancer patients using Penguin Cold Caps for hair loss prevention rather than migraine treatment, headache was the most common adverse effect, reported by 78.5% of patients with a mean pain score of 37 out of 100. This provides indirect evidence regarding head cooling cap tolerability.

• Head cooling for exercise-induced headache. (2006)

  Three children with exercise-induced headache were advised to apply head cooling methods such as cold wet towels or ice packs at headache onset, but the abstract does not report the resulting efficacy or safety data. This study addressed exertional headache rather than predictable monthly migraine attacks and reported no outcome findings.