ONCE YOU START TREATMENT

  • Use Clean Beauty products

  • You my experience that your hair, skin, nails, mouth may be more sensitive and your old products may not work for you

  • Patch test products before use

  • Products and their use are suggestions and may not work for everyone

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HAIR LOSS CHANGES

How it can make you feel (and what you can do about it!) Chemotherapy-induced Alopecia.


Low dose Chemotherapy, Dystrophic anagen:
Hair shaft is shed
Incomplete follicle recovery
Slow recovery to a normal hair shaft


High dose Chemotherapy, Dystrophic catagen:
Immediate catagen
Short telagen phase
Rapid secondary recovery
Faster recovery overall

SCALP HAIR OPTIONS

Hair growth options
Minoxidil, laser cap, biotin, emu oil.

Camouflage options
Scarf, Wig, Henna Crown, Shave or cut hair short.

Scalp Cooling
Penguin, Dignicap Paxman
Cooling the scalp constricts the blood vessels and keeps the chemotherapy from injuring the hair follicles
Data says only 50-60% have the benefit
Downside very cumbersome

EYEBROWS OPTIONS

Did you know you would lose them too? Take a photo of yourself prior to the start of treatment.

Sparse eyebrow
Use a pencil brush on brow shadow one shade lighter than your hair color. Brush through with brow filler.

If dry: add some hair conditioner to them.

Complete loss
Use the pencil to create the line of the eyebrow
Using the brow brush apply the shadow over the pencil and brush through

Latisse Treatment
False eyelashes
Caring for eyelashes
Avoid curling
Remove mascara daily
Apply oil to lashes once a week to soften
Do not rub your eyes
Create an illusion of fuller lashes with concealers all around the eye area

EYELASHES OPTIONS

Cleanser
Try to be sulfate-free


Moisturizer
With SPF if possible


Lip Balm
Contain beeswax, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E


Sunscreen
Mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide

FACE & SCALP OPTIONS

Most of the time returns to normal within 6 months

Tips 
Nail hardener to keep brittle nails from breaking
Polybalm for the cuticles
Emu oil or emollient to keep the skin hydrated


Problems
Separation of the nail from the nail bed, bleeding underneath the nails
Discoloration
Skin infection around the nails
Redness and swelling around nails


Why can’t I have a manicure?
Too much trimming and cutting of the cuticles leading to skin breaks in already compromised skin can result in infection. Sometimes the chemotherapy dose has to be reduced in the face of nail infections.

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NAILS OPTIONS

BODY OPTIONS

Wash
Sulfate-free


Moisturizer
Humectants, emollients, and anti-irritants as ingredients


Oil
Body oil


Dry Skin
Am-Lactin 12%, urea cream 10-40%

 

PHOTOSENSITIVITY OPTIONS

Chemotherapy drugs increase the sensitivity of the skin to UV light leading to faster damage.


Sunscreen:
Traditional contains oxybenxone. Should use mineral sunscreen, and don’t forget to reapply.

Tips
Stay out of the sun between 10-2
Apply sunscreen
Avoid tanning booths
Cover up exposed areas
Radiation and Skin
Wash the area with a gentle non soap cleanser
Pat dry
Emollients, moisturizers can be used to decrease discomfort

ORAL CARE OPTIONS

Mouth Troubles
- Ulcers
- Bleeding gums
- Sensitivity to hot and cold
- Change in taste

Avoid
Commercial mouthwashes. These contain alcohol which will dry the mouth out and increase pain
Tobacco, including cigarettes, pipes, and chewing tobacco. These are very irritating to the mouth
Irritating or acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruits & juices (orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime)

Oral care tips
10 grams of glutamine powder, dissolved in water, taken three times per day. Glutamine and water solution should be swished around the mouth and gargled for 30 to 60 seconds before swallowing. 

For best results, glutamine should be used both as a preventive treatment before mucositis has developed, as well as after mucositis has developed, to promote healing of mouth sores.

Tips beside magic mouthwash
- For thick saliva, try sipping on 100% papaya juice. Papaya contains natural substances that will help thin out your saliva


- Unflavored, non-mint toothpaste


- Honey for Mucositis: Take 1 tablespoon of honey by mouth 3 times per day: 1 tablespoon 15 minutes before radiation. 1 tablespoon 15 minutes after radiation. 1 tablespoon six hours after radiation. Allow the honey to dissolve completely in your mouth, then swallow it.

SKIN CARE OPTIONS

Chemotherapy and Skin
Xerosis- Dry skin
Red bumps and flaking
Acne-like rash
Skin bumps or growths
Hand-foot syndrome
Allergic reaction’s

Tips
Short lukewarm showers
Avoid scrubbing skin, pat dry
Fragrance-free moisturizer twice a day
Fragrance-free detergents
Humidifier
Loose cloths

Grading
Mild: less than 10% no redness, irritation, or itching
Moderate: Between 10-30% with redness, irritation, and itching which affect ADL
Severe: Greater than 30% with redness, irritation, and itching compromising ability to do ADL

Function of Skin
Protection first line of defense against toxins. Contains immune cells that protect against infection
Absorption absorbs vitamins, acids, water, and oxygen to provide moisture
Excretion largest waste system
Secretion secretes sebum that keeps the skin slightly acidic and a mixture of oils to keep the skin supple
Regulation temperature 
Sensation heat cold pain and pressure

Read more here

CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCT

INGREDIENTS:

Emollient: Adds smoothness to dry, rough skin, and help to hold in moisture

Examples: Aquafor, petrolatum, lanolin, mineral oil, and silicones

Humectant: Water-soluble compounds that keep moisture in the skin

Examples: Hyaluronic acid, glyceryl, honey, pantethol, and urea

Anti Irritant: Sooth and calm irritated skin

Examples: Oatmeal, calendula

Ceramides: Fats that form a layered structure that reinforces the lipid layer in the skin and holds on to moisture

Examples: Ceramide-1, Ceramide-3