Here’s a quick glance at what you’ll find in this chapter.

What Do You Know About Skin?

You wash it, you slap on moisturizer, and you do your best to protect it from the sun. But how much do you know about your skin? For example, does it really “breathe” like they say it does? And does it keep bacteria and toxins out of your body, or allow them in? When Cancer Hits answers these questions and more.

Your Current Routine—How Dangerous?

So you have a few department-store brands of moisturizer and cleanser in your cabinet. No big deal, right? Wrong. On page 33, I take you through all your products so you can see exactly how many chemicals you’re exposing yourself to on a daily basis. Trust me—you’ll be surprised.

Chemo Skin is Fragile Skin

I recommend you always choose your skin-care products carefully, but if you’re going through cancer treatments, your skin is especially fragile and really needs your gentle care. My father’s skin was extremely dry during his treatments, and it took forever to heal. Plus it could no longer tolerate alcohols, synthetic fragrances, and harsh preservatives in conventional skin care products. In this chapter, I explain exactly what treatments do to the skin, and what you can do to counteract these negative effects. Plus, I tell you where to find safer products.

Look Now—the FDA is Not Watching

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in charge of regulating the safety of our products, but unfortunately, when it comes to cosmetics, the FDA doesn’t have much to do with it. In general, companies can use any ingredient they choose in their formulations, so it’s up to us to read the ingredient lists and do our best to avoid those things that are too harsh for fragile skin.

The good news is that there are several companies out there right now that are responding to the demand for safer, more nutritious products. I help you find these companies and become familiar with the brands of skin care that are better for you.

What You’ll Get from This Chapter

Chapter 2 gives you what you need to take better care of your skin during cancer and beyond. Just imagine how much better you’ll feel with softer, more resilient skin on your face, hands, and body. Besides feeling more confident about your appearance, you’ll be helping yourself to avoid infections, wounds, rashes, and reactions that could make your experience more difficult.

You owe it to yourself to feel as good as you can during cancer and in the years after treatments are over. Choose today to lovingly protect yourself and your body.

(When Cancer Hits is available now—click here.)

Are you experiencing difficult skin conditions because of cancer or cancer treatments? Have you tried some of the tips in my book? Let me know what you think!

Let’s face it: cancer and cancer treatments change your body, skin, hair, and nails, and that means you need to alter your daily habits. Those long, luxurious soaks in hot water may have felt good before, but now—since your skin is probably dry, irritated, fragile, and delicate—they’re likely to make things worse. Hot water robs the skin of its own moisture, breaking down the natural oils and increasing dryness.

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little luxury. If bathing is your thing, make sure the tub is clean before you step in. You’re more prone to infection, so take the extra time to disinfect, and use toxic-free, eco-friendly cleaners.

(You don’t want to soak in a toxic brew.) Tone down the temperature to lukewarm and add about a cup of ground oatmeal, which will soothe skin and relieve itching. (Other beneficial soaks: San Francisco Bath Salts, Bokek’s Dead Sea Salt, or Sheba’s Secrets natural bath teas.) Other patients enjoy the moisturizing effects of almond or jojoba oils—even pure honey and evaporated milk. Light a few naturally scented candles or release homemade scents by placing rose, mint, or lavender leaves in a fabric bag and hanging it under the faucet. Play some soothing music, drink a cup of chamomile tea, and as you relax your tired body and calm your senses, you may find you don’t miss the steam at all.

For everyday showering, short, tepid sprays are better than long, hot ones—again, to keep your skin from drying out. If you use soap (which is too drying), switch to a moisturizing, chemical-free shower gel like Living Nature for dry and itchy skin, or California Baby Wash for sensitive skin. Avoid aggressive shower puffs and gently wash with your hands instead.

Whether you take a shower or a bath, use a soft towel afterward (try extra-soft, organic Bamboo bath towels) and go easy on your skin. Make sure your towels were washed with toxin-free, mild and unscented detergents to reduce allergies and irritation. Pat, don’t rub or tug yourself dry, and leave your skin a little damp—it will be more likely to retain moisturizer. Use products that are a little richer than lotions and moisturize well every day. We like toxic-free formulas from Nature’s Paradise Organics, or Burt’s Bees Honey and Shea body cream.

Sometimes, standing in the shower or sitting up in the bath is just too much. A helpful gizmo is the shower chair—which you can also use in the bath. These come in many styles. Choose one that’s right for you and take a load off while rinsing. If there comes a day you just can’t get out of bed, you can still enjoy the comfort of a clean head of hair by enlisting the help of a friend or loved one and employing a shampoo basin, which allows you to have your hair washed without having to toss off the blankets.

However you bathe, if you’re going through treatment, care for yourself enough to alter your habits for awhile. When it’s over, you can go back to the steam—and you may just take some of your new, healthier products with you.

Know some helpful bathing tips for tender, irritated skin? Let us know!

Photo courtesy of Snap Village