Alleviating Side Effects: Daily Habits
Daily Habits for Skin Health
Cancer treatment, medications and illness can cause changes to your skin that weaken your skin’s protective barrier. Without an optimally functioning barrier, your skin becomes more susceptible to side effects from cancer treatment such as severe dryness, irritation, itching, burning and rash.
Additionally, environmental and lifestyle factors like living in a dry climate, washing in hot water, soap residue from hard water and irritating ingredients in skincare can make things worse. Follow these daily habits to protect your skin.
Start with the Right Cleanser
Why does the soap or cleanser I use matter? Using the wrong cleanser can disrupt your skin barrier and skin microbiome by stripping your natural protective oils and exposing already sensitive skin to irritating ingredients.
Properties of incorrect cleaners during cancer treatment include:
Wrong pH - cleansers that are closer to the mildly acidic pH of our skin helps to maintain this important balance.
Contains skin irritants - ie: Fragrance
Uses strong surfactants - ie: Sulfates/SLS. Strong surfactants (cleansing agents) generally create a lot of foam and have a greater ability to strip away oils.
Protect your skin by starting with the right cleanser. Choose a creamy, pH balanced cleanser that doesn’t make a lot of foam and is fragrance-free.
Why not soap? In areas with hard water such as Northern Nevada, soap can’t be properly washed away and will leave a residue. Soap scum is annoying on showers and bathroom fixtures, but can be irritating and drying to sensitive skin. Additionally the pH of soap is much more alkaline than our skin.
Seal in Moisture
Protect your skin from dryness, irritation and other side effects of cancer treatment by sealing in moisture and preventing skin dehydration.
Apply emollient-rich lotions, plant oils and butters while your skin is slightly damp. Some plant oils like jojoba oil are high in naturally occurring ceramides that can reinforce your skin barrier. Other very beneficial plant oils include shea butter, grape seed oil, hemp seed oil and argan oil. Choose organic, cold-pressed oils that are packaged in glass whenever possible.
Prevent Infection
Avoid soaking in water or using loofahs and sponges. Wear gloves during housework, gardening, etc. Scrubbing and exfoliating should be avoided when the skin is irritated or its barrier is damaged. Do not peel off flaking skin.
Protect from UV Damage
Unprotected sun exposure creates inflammation that can accelerate signs of aging and damage already sensitive skin. Additionally, some cancer treatments can cause the skin to be very sensitive and more prone to damage from sunlight and UV radiation.
Practice good sun habits like seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and staying indoors during the middle of the day when the UV index is highest. Use a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen with SPF 30 or more everyday and remember to reapply every two hours when going outdoors.
Calm & Soothe
Antioxidants in your skincare and diet helps to fight inflammation and prevents skin damage. Some topical oils that are high in antioxidants and have healing properties include: jojoba, grapeseed, rosehip, sea buckthorn & tamanu oils. Additionally, look for soothing ingredients like Niacinamide, Green Tea, Aloe, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Chamomile, Panthenol in skincare products.
Reduce Irritants, Toxins & Carcinogens
Reduce your exposure to ingredients known to be irritating, toxic or carcinogenic. Learn more about these ingredients at Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. www.safecosmetics.org.
Following these daily habits can promote the quality and health of your skin and protect against side effects during cancer treatment.