Taking care of our skin after a cancer diagnosis

by SATCC Advisory Board member and Functional Medicine Health Coach, Marian Hook

Marian is an experienced spa and skincare specialist who has nearly 40 years of experience in the wellness sector including 23 years at ESPA. She is also a qualified Functional Medicine Health Coach, a member of the SATCC Advisory Board, and has her own wellbeing consultancy business. Marian is passionate about skincare and the power of supporting skin health, especially during and after cancer treatment. Here, she talks about looking after our skin, including how to take care of it after a cancer diagnosis. 

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and while we probably don’t think about it all that often, it works hard all the time, protecting us against pollution, the elements and often acting as a bit of a barometer for what’s going on inside our bodies as well. 

Lots of us will be familiar with the irritation and discomfort of issues ranging from acne to psoriasis, eczema, sensitivities or very dry skin, and it can have a real impact on how we feel each day. By contrast, when our skin feels good and looks healthy, it can help us feel more confident in ourselves. 

Those feelings can be even more pronounced during and after cancer treatment, where therapies, especially chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can have a profound impact on how skin looks and feels. The sensitivities caused by such cancer treatments can often make it difficult to know how to address skin changes as people worry about what to put on it without wishing to antagonise it further. 

There are some things you can do however, to help support skin health both generally and during and after a cancer diagnosis. 

Lifestyle tips for skin health 

I am a firm believer that skin health starts from within, and core lifestyle advice for skin health is very much aligned with wider wellbeing. I find that these are helpful tips to live by as much as possible, whether or not you’re going through a cancer journey:

• Drink enough water to keep hydrated and try to make sure the quality of the water is good 
• Have a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg (variety is important)
• Wash these thoroughly to help reduce toxins 
• Eat organic and free range wherever you can
• Sufficient good quality sleep is vital to help the body regenerate and heal
• Daily fresh air, movement and relaxation are all equally important

What to put on your skin

Treating your skin externally is not only a good thing to do, but can be an enjoyable ritual as well. Beginning with what are perhaps the obvious basics is really the foundation of good topical skincare. Cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day to help remove dirt and make-up, as well as oil residue or dust that may have accumulated overnight. My personal recommendation would be to use products that are as natural and simple as possible, but everyone’s skin is different so it’s key to find what suits you.  

Topical skincare and cancer treatment 

The impact that cancer treatment has depends on the individual, the cancer and the treatment that they’re having, but a lot of the time the impact isn’t really talked about, and I have found that a lot of patients are taken by surprise. 

While doctors are busy treating the disease, as they should, this kind of side effect and its impact can often get forgotten. However, it can have a real impact on an individual’s quality of life if you don’t feel comfortable in your own skin, so I think it’s important to do what we can to make people feel as confident as possible. It’s also a deeply positive thing to feel as though you’re nurturing your body during a challenging time.

One of the big issues is that cancer treatment can make skin very sensitive, which impacts which products you use and whether you are more likely to have a reaction to them. That’s why the products often vary in spa treatments for cancer patients, and why dedicated therapist training is so important. That way, they have the knowledge to provide the best experience for the individual. You can find an SATCC approved spa, salon or therapist with our Therapist Finder.

When it comes to home skin care during cancer treatment, these guidelines should help:

• Choose products that are as natural as possible, avoiding alcohol and preservatives. If you don’t recognise ingredients on the label always look them up – they might just be using the Latin name.
• Use simple products with the fewest ingredients possible.
• If you can use a skincare line that’s designed for use during cancer treatment, that helps to keep choices easy.
• Websites like Skin Deep are really useful for understanding products and what’s in them or finding products suitable for different diagnoses.
• You may wish to avoid essential oils in skincare products when you’re having cancer treatment as they can be irritating. Basic but beautiful ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, calendula, jojoba oil and vitamin E are all really nourishing.
• Often oil based products are better than creams which contain a higher percentage of water to give them that emollient quality. That requires preservatives, which can be irritating for sensitive skin. 
• Protect your skin from the sun, and not just when it’s sunny. Use an SPF of at least 30, if not 50, reapply it throughout the day, and if possible, use a natural one where the active ingredient is zinc. Make sure you also wear a hat and sunglasses if you’re in direct sunlight.
• Avoid exfoliants, scrubs or rubbing the skin (face or body) as this can irritate and sensitise it.
• If the skin is hot or itching, keeping products in the fridge so they are cool upon application can help, as can cool jade rollers or smooth rose quartz crystal tools.
• Take short lukewarm showers rather than hot baths, then pat skin dry and apply an oil.
• Add a lip balm into the skin routine, as when going through treatment the lips can get very dry and cracked.  
• For surgical scars, once your medical practitioner agrees (which is usually about two weeks after the stitches are removed) it is beneficial to very gently massage around the scar with calendula oil, which will help to soothe and heal. 
• There is also now scientific evidence that infrared light can help accelerate healing, so it can be good to help damaged skin after radiation treatment and for scars.

Read more expert advice from Marian here