As if the concerns of cancer itself were not enough, a cancer patient may feel as if they are looking at a completely different person in the mirror. Changes in appearance such as losing too much weight, loss of hair, eyelashes or eyebrows, and changes in skin such as pock marks, gray pallor, red botches, and even radiation burns can be especially daunting to a cancer patient. Recently, some in the cosmetic industry have taken an interest in this aspect of taking care of cancer patients’ appearance to help with their overall well being.
If you are a cancer patient or know a cancer patient, you likely face the very unfamiliar waters of cancer’s affects on one’s appearance. While ones’ appearance may seem trivial in this timing, the friends and family and co-workers of a cancer patient may gauge the health prospects of the person based on a temporary aesthetic matter. One’s appearance also deeply affects ones’ morale – while a patient realizes the hair loss is temporary, it is always something that quickly comes to mind as a fear of radiation treatment.
It is very important to remember that cancer and the radiation treatment often make the patient very vulnerable to infection, so old mascaras and skin products and crème foundations and blushes – especially those that you apply by sticking your finger in them can harbor lots of bacteria, especially if you have been using the product for years. For a guide on how long to keep cosmetics and skin care products before they go bad, read “How To Tell If Your Shampoo, Anti-aging Creams and Lotions Have Gone Bad” and the article How to Know If Your Cosmetics Are Expired to find out the expiration dates of many common beauty products.
The loss of eyelashes is especially traumatic for a cancer patient and drastically changes the appearance of the eye. Many cancer patients’ use mascara to enhance their lash line. Make sure to use hypoallergenic mascara and do not keep mascara for longer than three to six months to limit the risk of infection. It is also important not to share mascara with others. A few good hypoallergenic mascara lines include Almay, found at most drug stores, and Clinique. Another option is to smudge eyeliner along the lower lash line to accent the eyes. Use a very gentle eye makeup remover so as not to risk losing lashes. A tip is to take a cotton pad soaked in your eye makeup remover and hold it against your closed eye for 30 seconds without rubbing in order to melt and break down the makeup so that it wipes off clean without excessive rubbing that can damage your delicate lashes.
Revitalash is a lash growth product that works wonders on growing back eyelashes and eyebrows on cancer survivors. It is expensive – around $149, but makes lashes look better than ever within about two months. You can find it at Revitalash.com and skinstore.com.
It is also important to use skin care products that will not further irritate skin that is being affected by radiation. A good soothing moisturizer like Clinique Dramatically Different moisturizing lotion or Philosophy brand creams will keep skin moist.
If you are red and blotchy, consider a moisturizing concealer or a mineral powder like Bare Minerals that will moisturize, conceal and protect the skin. You likely do not need to add color to your face if you are red, but you do need to conceal. Philosophy “The Present” helps seal off the skin and protects it – it was designed for after cosmetic surgery procedures. Clinique City Block foundation also keeps out environmental toxins. This will help keep environmental factors like smoke and pollutants away from your skin and pores. Zirh makes a good concealer for a man that is not detectable when applied sparingly.
