Oncologist and skin care expert Dr Fiona McCarthy talks to Liz about the importance of skincare during treatment, why it’s ok to look after yourself, and what actually works.
It’s important to be gentle to your skin during chemotherapy. Use non-perfumed products and avoid soap. You don’t have to spend a lot of money and you don’t need cancer-specific products. If you did want to spend a bit more, Fiona works with and recommends La Roche Posay who have tested their products on people living with cancer. Instead of being confused by serums and toners and drops, Fiona swears by CPM - Cleanse, Moisturise and Protect
Cleanse - Try to avoid soap and look for products with syndets (synthetic detergents - this sounds horrible but it’s just soap alternatives which are nice for the skin)
Moisturise- Humectants are key as they draw moisture into the skin - Urea, Hyaluronic acid, glycerin and shea butter are key ingredients which actually work for moisturising the skin (look for them in first 4 or 5 listed, and you don’t have to spend loads on it).
Protect - A good spf is really important for looking after your skin. It doesn’t need to be expensive but it shouldn’t be in your moisturiser - buy it separate. And it should be SPF 30 or over. Fiona loves Altruist https://altruistsun.com/ that you can get in Boots.
If you suffer from dry, flaky heels, or your hands and feet are sore during treatment, she recommends Udderly cream and Flexitol heel balm - for heels and hands
And don’t bother buying collagen.
There's some great advice on the Macmillan website - https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/changes-to-your-appearance-and-body-image/skin-and-nail-changes-from-cancer-treatment
And you can find out more about Fiona's clinic here - www.thebronteclinic.com
You can also watch this episode! Head to my Youtube channel @DrLizORiordan to see this season’s episodes as they are released and lots of other useful videos full of reliable information.
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