Rashes and other skin conditions can be devastating to your confidence. I remember when my father went through chemotherapy and broke out in an acne-like rash all over his face. He seriously didn’t want to leave the house. It broke my heart, as isolating oneself from people doesn’t do any good, especially if you’re fighting an illness like cancer. I remember applying some concealer on his face and how that profoundly changed how he felt about his appearance. If you’ve got a rash causing you embarrassment, try some of my makeup tips to camouflage it so you can feel more like yourself again.

1. Clean & moisturize. First you need to prepare your skin. Gently clean skin in lukewarm water with a safe product (free of toxic ingredients), then pat dry and apply a hydrating but light moisturizer that will help your skin heal as you go about your day. Consider soothing ingredients like aloe, calendula, oat extract and licorice root to relieve itchiness so you won’t be tempted to rub and touch your makeup later in the day. Be sure to clean gently so you don’t further aggravate your rash, and no rubbing!

2. Make sure you don’t forget sunscreen. While your skin is trying to heal from a rash, sun exposure can be especially damaging. Make sure to apply your safe sunscreen before your makeup. Even if your foundation has SPF, it’s usually not enough. Look for formulas that are oil-free, chemical-free, and non-comedogenic.

3. Use light and hypoallergenic makeup. Sometimes your makeup may be the cause of your rash—or at the very least, it may make it worse. Make sure your makeup is non-comedogenic (free of clogging ingredients like mineral oil), fragrance-free, and is made without toxic ingredients (use my Ingredients to Avoid list). Make sure it feels light and comfortable on your face (not like a mask). It’s up to you whether you choose liquid formulas or powder ones. However, liquids will be more hydrating. Also consider whether or not it can be easily removed, as you don’t want to have to rub and pull at your irritated skin just to get it clean.

Step 1: Start with concealer. Choose a color that matches your skin tone (or a little lighter—don’t go darker), then apply with a small concealer brush over red and raised areas or over broken capillaries. For areas that are really red, you may want to try a green concealer, as it will help neutralize the redness. Test the color by applying some to the red areas and see if it helps them disappear. Use concealer only on the areas you want to cover—using too much can make your skin look cakey, which will make the rash more obvious. If you have acne-like pustules, a yellow-based concealer is best, applied from the center out and blended will at the edges.

Step 2: Choose foundation based on coverage you need. If you have just a mild rash, a light foundation may be enough, but if yours is more severe, feel free to experiment with cream foundations that provide more coverage. Match your natural skin tone as closely as possible, and use a brush or sponge rather than your fingers to avoid adding oil or bacteria to your already sensitive skin. Many rosacea sufferers love mineral powder foundations because they’re oil-free and feel less irritating to skin rashes.

Step 3: Skip the blush. Your skin is already red, so most likely you don’t need blush. If you do want a little color on your cheeks, use a sheer color.

Step 4: Dab of powder. Using a loose face powder lightly over the red areas can help to further camouflage them. Just be careful not to use too much so it doesn’t look cakey and dry.

Step 5: Less is more. Keep your eye makeup light so that you don’t look over done. Also, choose a neutral lip color. A bright red lipstick can bring attention to the redness of your skin. Choose instead a softer, neutral color or light gloss.

Have you had to camouflage a rash? Let us know if you have any tips.

Photo courtesy Brixton Street via Flickr.com.

This includes most (if not all) of the products that may now grace your medicine cabinet, bathtub, and shower. It’s time to put them in a bag and stash them out of sight, at least until you’re finished with treatment. Most contain ingredients that are way too harsh for sensitive skin. And we’re not just talking about skin-care products. Shampoos, body washes, lotions, shave creams, and perfumes can all add to the problem. If you want happier, more comfortable skin, scan your products for these ingredients, and restock your supplies with organic, chemical-free, and sensitive items.

Acids (retinol, salicylic, glycolic): This one may seem self-explanatory. After all, just the word “acid” is enough to make skin shrink away. However, because these ingredients have proven so effective at exfoliation and acne-control, they’re found in all kinds of products, including lotions, creams, body washes, gels, even foundations. Check every product you apply to your skin, and use alternatives for now.

Acne Products: Speaking of salicylic acid, put aside your acne products. They usually contain salicylic acid, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and other harsh ingredients that further dry and irritate skin. Acne lotions are often drying, as they’re formulated to reduce skin oils. Right now, you need those oils! If you have acne during treatment, try more natural solutions like clay pastes—Nature’s Supplements suggests Bentonite, which naturally absorbs toxins. LoveLula.com offers several more suggestions, including Burt’s Bees Herbal Blemish Stick and an organic detox face mask.

High-Potency Vitamin C Products: Studies have shown vitamin C to be very effective against fine lines and wrinkles. However, vitamin C solutions are easily oxidized when exposed to air, and can encourage the formation of free radicals—something your sensitive skin definitely doesn’t need right now. In addition, high-potency vitamin C products are acidic and natural exfoliators. When you’re going through chemo, your skin is too fragile for this type of exfoliation. Wait until it recovers.

Synthetic Perfumes and Fragrances: If a product lists “fragrance” on its ingredient deck, avoid it. Most synthetic fragrances are actually mixtures of many (sometimes over 100) chemicals that can irritate and dry sensitive skin. Choose products that are lightly scented with essential oils and other natural ingredients to create lively scents.

Chemical Peels: Chemical peels use powerful acids to remove dead skin cells and stimulate collagen. No matter how you may feel about how your skin looks during treatment, do not make an appointment for a peel! Your skin is far too sensitive to withstand the assault—even of so-called “mild” peels—and you could end up with burns and permanent scarring.

Microdermabrasion: Though considered gentler than a peel, microdermabrasion still assaults the skin to exfoliate it, using air-blown, sand-type crystals. It can do wonders to liven up your complexion under normal circumstances, but remember—your skin is not “normal” during treatment. Treat it like a baby’s skin. You wouldn’t blast sand on a baby’s skin, right?

Alcohol, Menthol and Peppermint (or any product with a high content of essential oils): Products with any of these three ingredients can further irritate and dry your skin. Alcohol, because of its fast-evaporation rate, has a reputation for encouraging dryness, so stay away from rubbing alcohol, ethyl alcohol, and SD-alcohol 40.  Menthol is found in a lot of shaving creams and is known to be harsh on sensitive skin. As for peppermint, it’s natural, but it’s also powerful. According to Dr. Baumann of Yahoo Health, peppermint can cause flushing and irritation when used on sensitive skin. As for essential oils, they too can be very irritating. Be sure to use organic products that are made for sensitive skin or choose fragrance–free products to avoid any irritation.

If you’ve got a favorite sensitive-skin product, please let us know about it!

Photo courtesy of Snap Village.

“My wife has been on Tarceva for 45 days,” says a caregiver, also on Cancer Compass. “Rash developed on her face and abdomen [sic].”

Tarceva is a non-chemo drug used to treat lung and pancreatic cancers. It works by targeting certain proteins that can contribute to tumor-cell growth, and has been proven to prolong survival in patients. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that the most common side effect is a rash, which usually develops about 8–10 days after the start of treatment, and typically affects skin above the waist. (Chemotherapy drugs like Paclitaxel, Bleomycin, L-Asparaginase, Iressa, Erbitux, and Docetaxel can cause a similar rash.) It shows up as red spots or tiny “pimple-like” blotches, and can cause severe dryness and redness, resembling sunburn. Studies of patients taking Tarceva show that about 75% develop the rash. It can come and go, and is commonly referred to as “acneiform,” but it isn’t acne and shouldn’t be treated like acne.

It’s devastating for men and women who have supposedly outgrown teenage pimples to have to deal with this “acne-like” rash on top of everything else. Healthcare professionals advise patients to change habits before it shows up. If you haven’t already, switch to natural, sensitive-skin cleansers and moisturizers (baby formulas and organics are great because of their low-to-negligible chemical content), get your hands on a non-chemical sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 (look for zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), and if you’re a woman, switch to moisturizing, toxic-free mineral foundations and cover-ups. (Good ones: Jane Iredale’s mineral foundations or chemical-free RMS Beauty cover-ups.)

Nurses recommend spraying baby oil on your back, scalp, and other out-of-reach areas. Since we know the dangers of mineral oil (main ingredient in baby oil), we suggest you choose toxin-free, mineral-oil-free formulas. We love fragrance-free Earth Mama’s baby oil with calming calendula and chamomile specially formulated for sensitive skin. It costs the same as baby oil from the drug store—which shows that switching to healthy formulas is not necessarily more expensive! (Click here to read our post on why organic is beneficial, and go to Pristine Planet for more organic baby oils.)

Once you have the rash, try natural remedies first. MotherNature.com recommends washing with soothing dried chamomile and water, adding ground oatmeal in the bath, drinking apple and dark grape juices, and increasing your intake of vitamins A and C and zinc. There’s some research supporting the idea that the anti-inflammatory action of omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce rash, so try increasing your intake of fatty fish (salmon, sardines), nuts, and herbs like evening primrose. Clay pastes can reduce symptoms—try Nature’s Supplements Bentonite. Other patients recommend you slather the area with almond oil and a moisturizer from Origins (Never Say Dry Face Moisturizer), apply sunscreen everyday, choose creamy makeup, get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (in the form of cod liver oil, or fish oil), and repeatedly apply moisturizer throughout the day. A cancer fighter from Lung Cancer Alliance suggested applying plain old honey (natural antibacterial) and washing it off an hour later: “Sounds weird but it worked for me.”

If natural remedies are ineffective or in severe cases, medical options are available. Dwight of Tarcevarash.com had good luck using Silvadene crème, which helps prevent bacteria from spreading. Doctors also recommend creams with hydrocortisone or clindamyacin. Rashes that don’t respond to creams may be treated with antibiotics, such as tetracycline or doxycycline. If your rash becomes severe, talk to your doctor about reducing your dosage, or stop treatment temporarily. You may also seek out a skilled dermatologist in your area.

The silver lining: If you get the rash, that’s a sign the medication is working! Remember that when you finish the treatment, the rash will most likely disappear, so hang in there.

Have you had an experience with Tarceva rash? Have any great recommendations? Please pass them along!