wrinkles

Eil4186

I was 42 at diagnosis and
I was 42 at diagnosis and looked younger according to others. Weirdly, during chemo my skin looked super clear and soft. People kept commenting about it.

I haven't noticed a big difference since treatment but I do take good care of my skin in an effort to make up for lots of neglect in my teens and 20s.

I use Obagi 20% C professional serum every day to fight free radicals. I also use prescription retin A cream 3 nights a week to exfoliate and stimulate collagen growth.

I use Olay total effects night cream and Aveeno daily moisturizer. I use Neutrogena 100% SPF sun block 365 days a year on my face and neck as per my dermatologist. Sun is responsible for 80% of wrinkling and is damaging all year round.

sea60

Eil4186 said:

I was 42 at diagnosis and
I was 42 at diagnosis and looked younger according to others. Weirdly, during chemo my skin looked super clear and soft. People kept commenting about it.

I haven't noticed a big difference since treatment but I do take good care of my skin in an effort to make up for lots of neglect in my teens and 20s.

I use Obagi 20% C professional serum every day to fight free radicals. I also use prescription retin A cream 3 nights a week to exfoliate and stimulate collagen growth.

I use Olay total effects night cream and Aveeno daily moisturizer. I use Neutrogena 100% SPF sun block 365 days a year on my face and neck as per my dermatologist. Sun is responsible for 80% of wrinkling and is damaging all year round.

Yes, during Chemo
my skin was also super clear. Chemo kills off any bacteria and that includes your face that can harbor acne and any bacterial skin condition. It was about a year after Chemo that I really started seeing my overall skin change.

Hopefully, you won't see a difference!

vipinseo

MAJW said:

Wrinkles and Chemo
I have to say, I noticed just the opposite!! I was 58 going through treatment last year.....I actually saw a DECREASE in the small wrinkles around my eyes.....At first I thought it was just my imagination, but honestly it wasn't........what I did notice after chemo is that every freckle, mole, age spot became much darker and they have stayed this way 15 months after all treatment has ended. Also I found that chemo seemed to affect the left side of my body (they could only use my left arm) more than the right.......the veins they used darkened in that arm, I lost all my eyelashes on the left eye, not the right and my left eyebrow thinned more than the right...I lost my hair on the left side of my head first......go figure!

wrinkles

Its amazing, looking at the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you provide. I'll bookmark your blog and visit it weekly for your new posts.  /

kamcat1962

Skin problems

I was diagnosed at 47 and had always battled with oily skin and even occasional bouts of acne. During my first chemo my skin and nails were better than they had ever been in my life. I even started getting manicures and pedicures. My hair even grew back so nice. I reoccurred June 2012, 3 1/2 years after dx and boy I did it good. I went from TN to HER2 positive, I was resistant to all the estrogen positive chemo's and my skin was terrible. I also had a pain pump implanted and it flipped over 2x, plus my cancer mets to my skin and it was too close to the pump site so they had to take it out and reinsert it at another site. I also had radiation at the same site as the first time so the skin on my breast was toast. All they kept telling me to use was Aquaphor, Aquaphor, Aquaphor.  I ruined so many clothes and bed linens. I had to wear men's t-shirts under all my clothes.  I was very, very uncomfortable and extremely frustrated. I didn't want to buy alot of products and then have to throw them away because of irritation or infection. (the skin lesions sometimes rupture and ooze, yeah it's a real blast) However, I was lucky enough to find an all natural product that is homemade by a woman in MN. I can only tell you what it has done for me. This is not a promotion but I can tell you how to get some if you want it.  It has olive oil (moisterizer), calendula petals (healing property), lavender oil (anti-bacterial, antiseptic, natural fragrance-very subtle), bees wax (sealer).  I saw a difference in my poor radiated, cancer infested, sore, ugly skin in 2 days!  Within two weeks the redness and tightness from being dry was pretty much gone. I love the stuff. I use it on my feet, hands, incision sites, belly button(no kidding).  I however will not give up my Oil of Olay for my face.  Been using it since I was 19, that and Dove bar soap.  If you have really bad calloused skin build-up on your feet(heels)here's a tip from my foot dr.  Rub shortening all over your feet, put a plastic bag over your foot (I use Baggies brand but some dollar stores carry them too)and then a pair of fleece socks (the type they have with the aloe vera in them). Then go to sleep and let the magic begiN!!!! He claims you should do it at least once a week. When I was on Xeloda I had to do it 2x a week.  That chemo dried my skin out so bad and it didn't do a thing for my cancer except let it spread. Well that's all the beauty tips I have except that it is beautiful to be alive! Prayers and hugs to all. Bless you, Cathy K.

Dawnie Girl

kamcat1962 said:

Skin problems

I was diagnosed at 47 and had always battled with oily skin and even occasional bouts of acne. During my first chemo my skin and nails were better than they had ever been in my life. I even started getting manicures and pedicures. My hair even grew back so nice. I reoccurred June 2012, 3 1/2 years after dx and boy I did it good. I went from TN to HER2 positive, I was resistant to all the estrogen positive chemo's and my skin was terrible. I also had a pain pump implanted and it flipped over 2x, plus my cancer mets to my skin and it was too close to the pump site so they had to take it out and reinsert it at another site. I also had radiation at the same site as the first time so the skin on my breast was toast. All they kept telling me to use was Aquaphor, Aquaphor, Aquaphor.  I ruined so many clothes and bed linens. I had to wear men's t-shirts under all my clothes.  I was very, very uncomfortable and extremely frustrated. I didn't want to buy alot of products and then have to throw them away because of irritation or infection. (the skin lesions sometimes rupture and ooze, yeah it's a real blast) However, I was lucky enough to find an all natural product that is homemade by a woman in MN. I can only tell you what it has done for me. This is not a promotion but I can tell you how to get some if you want it.  It has olive oil (moisterizer), calendula petals (healing property), lavender oil (anti-bacterial, antiseptic, natural fragrance-very subtle), bees wax (sealer).  I saw a difference in my poor radiated, cancer infested, sore, ugly skin in 2 days!  Within two weeks the redness and tightness from being dry was pretty much gone. I love the stuff. I use it on my feet, hands, incision sites, belly button(no kidding).  I however will not give up my Oil of Olay for my face.  Been using it since I was 19, that and Dove bar soap.  If you have really bad calloused skin build-up on your feet(heels)here's a tip from my foot dr.  Rub shortening all over your feet, put a plastic bag over your foot (I use Baggies brand but some dollar stores carry them too)and then a pair of fleece socks (the type they have with the aloe vera in them). Then go to sleep and let the magic begiN!!!! He claims you should do it at least once a week. When I was on Xeloda I had to do it 2x a week.  That chemo dried my skin out so bad and it didn't do a thing for my cancer except let it spread. Well that's all the beauty tips I have except that it is beautiful to be alive! Prayers and hugs to all. Bless you, Cathy K.

The cream you recommended that helps skin during radiation treat

Hi Kamcat,

I know it was a 2013 post you made that referred to an all natural skin cream made by a lady in MN you'd found to use that helped wit radiation burns, but am facing radiation after surgery this Friday, and two more chemo treatments.  If you've got any other updated preferences I'd greatly appreciate you sharing.  My enital search had been for insights for facial skin damage. I'm getting a strong combination every 3 weeks (for a total of 6) and the skin on my face as developed TONS of superfine lines between lower lid and cheeks... can't believe how much my face has aged in the last 2 months!  Thanks so much for any insights, I greatly appreciate your help!

Dawn

LouisaP

I'm 60. Was diagnosed 2 1/2

I'm 60. Was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago. I also had a hysterectomy this year. I'm on Tamoxifen. I'm the opposite. My face is very oily & greasy even. I use my regular moisturizer, L'Oreal, but my face gets so oily. Plus all these hot flashes make me sweaty all the time so my skin is always greasy looking. Coconut oil is what I used when my skin was so dry from chemo & radiation. My eyes are always puffy. I have aged a lot. I'm just more old & worn out looking. I used a cream that the radiation office gave us. It's not natural though. Has lubricating stuff in it. Medline Remedy Olivamine. You need something that's highly lubricating, this has dimethicone & something else. And aloe & other healing ingredients. Plus long lasting moisturinzers. I used this every few hours starting immediatly after radiation. I alternated it with coconut oil every few hours day & night even when I woke up in the middle of the night I'd put it on. You'll probably peel. If you have any open areas get Silvadene or generic & put on right away. Any open areas will get worse if you don't. It will be over before you know it lol. Probably not what you want to hear but you will get through it. I have super light, sun sensitive skin but it held up better than I thought. I only had a couple small open areas that healed well & didn't scar. I still have a semi permanent tan in the area but it's lightening.