STATE-OF-THE-ART technology will help stop the "devastating" hair loss suffered by many cancer patients during chemotherapy.

Using a £52,000 charitable donation, Royal Derby Hospital has bought five machines which can prevent baldness by cooling patients' scalps.

It is the first hospital in the East Midlands to be included in a scheme by national charity Walk the Walk to extend the technology across the country.

Each machine consists of a refrigeration unit attached to a cap, which is worn by the patient during and after chemotherapy.

When the temperature of the scalp falls, the amount of blood which reaching the hair follicles is restricted.

As a result, the hair is protected from the effects of chemotherapy drugs, which are carried in the blood stream.

Sister Suzanne Reynolds said: "Loss of hair during chemotherapy can have a devastating impact on a patient.

"The scalp coolers help keep hair loss to a minimum, which means patients feel better in themselves and helps maintain a sense of normality during chemotherapy."

Scalp coolers have been used in the past at the hospital but they have been less effective than this latest technology. That is because the caps were not attached to machines but were instead put in the fridge.

A hospital spokeswoman said: "The caps did not stay cool for a long period so this meant they had to be swapped for cooler ones to ensure the treatment continued."

The new machines, made by UK company Paxman, have been paid for by Walk the Walk following its pledge four years ago to put the technology into every hospital in the UK within five years.

To date, it has placed 200 coolers in 63 hospitals. A spokeswoman for Walk The Walk said the charity had not given machines to any other East Midlands hospitals.

The donation includes five years' maintenance, staff training and a parts guarantee.

Sister Reynolds said: "I would like to say a big thank-you to Walk the Walk for this. Feedback from our patients who have used both the new and old systems have shown they prefer the new one.

"They have said they feel more comfortable as the temperature is constant and doesn't need to be so cold and the caps fit better, so they are more effective."

The total time the cap is worn ranges from one-and-a-half hours up to five hours, with the average time being two-to-two-and-a-half hours.

The treatment is not suitable for all patients, so they will be assessed by staff.

Julie Chapman, manager of Derby Hospitals Charity, which was given the cash to spend, said: "Derby Hospitals Charity exists to make patients' lives better and we are thrilled that, thanks to this donation, we have been able to make a real difference."