Cancer is a scary word. And it comes with other scary words: chemotherapy, radiation, oncology… these words are clinical, scientific and loaded. A cancer diagnosis is often the worst moment of someone’s life. There’s the fear of an uncertain prognosis, the worry about how loved ones will cope, and the intimidating treatment options and confusing medical jargon to deal with all at once. It might seem that skincare is one of the least important things to consider and in many ways, it is. However, the side effects of cancer treatment as well as the disease itself can cause a considerable amount of discomfort and create noticeable changes to the skin on the face and the body.
The side effects of chemotherapy and radiation include fragile, itchy and very dry skin, rashes, radiation burns, and dermatitis. And, of course, cancer treatments, namely chemotherapy, and radiation, can interfere with your nervous system causing you to develop strange reactions to products and ingredients that never bothered you before. Everyone is aware that nausea and hair loss are part of the cancer treatment process, but most people are unaware of how their skin (especially the face) will change. While undergoing chemotherapy and radiation (and even afterward), the skin is extremely dry and dehydrated due to the barrier function being impaired by the treatment.