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Chemotherapy And Radiation: How Should I Moisturize My Skin Before Treatment?

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Isabel Calleros discusses ways to moisturize your skin before beginning chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Isabel Calleros:
Before you go into treatment for your cancer you are looking at your skin, and I personally, when I speak with cancer patients and they have already been diagnosed and they already know that they are going to go into chemotherapy and/or radiation together, some of the things that I recommend for them in their skincare are very simple but yet necessary.

For instance, exfoliation of the skin. The top layers of the skin naturally exfoliate off every 28 to 30 days. As we age it takes longer for that exfoliation process.

So when we look at the skin we are also looking at the age of the skin chronologically. We are looking at the environment of what the skin is accustomed to and that’s how we determine the care of the skin prior.

So if our client or if our patient is in their 30s, there’s natural exfoliation that’s taking place naturally so there’s not a lot that she really needs to do.

She just needs to keep it well-hydrated and moisturized because that’s where you are going to see the biggest difference.

But if our patient is in their 50s and 60s they are not naturally exfoliating so they are probably using a type of exfoliant that has Retin-A, glycolic acid, chemical peels.

They can do those things prior to their first chemo or radiation but we are going to talk about the effects of those ingredients if they are on chemotherapy or during the treatment process. Those are things we would not want to do.

So yes, exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate, prior and hydrate. Facials are great. Keep them up before you go into chemotherapy and then we are going to talk about how you maintain it.

About Isabel Calleros:
Isabel Calleros has dedicated over 30 years to education in aesthetics and permanent makeup for both cosmetic and breast repigmentation for breast cancer recovery. As a voice for the breast cancer survivor, Mrs. Calleros wants to provide each and every woman the opportunity to know and understand their choices as they regain their femininity, womanhood and self beauty.

Isabel is a facilitator for the Look Good…Feel Better program through the American Cancer Society. She has volunteered her time at the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, Arizona, through the Women’s Cancer Support Group, along with participating on in the 2009 Breast Cancer Wellness Cruise for breast cancer survivors.

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