Cancer: the essential gestures to pamper your skin

Top Santé: What are the main skin problems encountered by women treated for cancer?

Carine Larchet, professional make-up artist and manager of the corrective make-up workshop at La Roche-Posay: Treatments like chemotherapy and the radiotherapy shake the immune system, the skin then becomes unpredictable and can show various reactions from one patient to another. In general, the treatments cause a skin dryness. The skin becomes uncomfortable, loses its luster and gets tired. May also appear small redness larger and daily or even rosacea, struggleand irritation. These manifestations are accentuated in the most sensitive people who may present with hypersensitivity or greater cutaneous intolerance.

In some cases, this can give more serious side effects with dermatological conditions such as xerosis (severe dryness of the skin marked by painful flaking) or even folliculitis (inflammatory pimples).

Top Santé: What is the impact of treatments on hair and nails?

Carine Larchet: The general weakening of the metabolism is reflected to the appendages, that is to say the hair and the nails. Some molecules used in treatments lead to Hair loss, eyelashes and eyebrows. The nails also become fragile, they can become brittle, split or even fall. In question, the matrix (base of the nail which produces keratin) which dries out, is altered and atrophied.

Care must therefore be taken to maintain the water and nutritional status of the skin through beauty rituals adapted to skin fragility.

Top Santé: What are the first good gestures to have in the morning for the face?

Carine Larchet: In the morning and in the evening, we think of cleaning and remove make-up from your skinwith dermon-cleansing products or surgras soaps (paraben-free, soap-free, alcohol-free, preservative-free), which gently cleanse without drying out the skin. Abrasive make-up remover wipes should be avoided because the gestures and the contact with the fibrous tissue can cause redness accompanied by pain. We opt for dermo-cleansing products.

On the gestural side, we banish friction, which is too irritating. They are replaced by softer gestures such as smoothing and circular movements. We use a makeup remover specific for sensitive eyes. And you can use a mild, alcohol-free tonic to properly remove all impurities. I even advise during treatments to avoid contact of the face with hard tap water. You can rinse the dermonettoyant treatment with thermal water with a mist rich in minerals and selenium before blending with a tissue.

the eye areashould be given special attention. When you lose your eyelashes and eyebrows, the eye dries out and the area around the eye becomes very painful. It becomes dry and/or very irritated and may blush or even cry in the absence of eyelashes. from that of the face. Avoid putting the product on the mobile eyelid because it is very sensitive in the absence of eyelashes.

the lip linerwhose mucous membranes also tend to dry out, also needs to be well hydrated.

Top Santé: What are the good gestures for the body?

Carine Larchet: Cleanse your skin in the shower with soap-free or surgras products or lipid-replenishing cleansing oils.

When you get out of the bath, you sponge your face and body without waiting. Do not leave the wet skin in contact with the air because the water on the skin surface amplifies dehydration and gives feelings of tightness. Dry your body without rubbing, letting the towel sponge absorb the water. Then rehydrate with a moisturizing balm and soothing (fragrance-free and alcohol-free) to prevent itching and keep the skin supple.

Top Santé: Can we keep the same cosmetic treatments?

Carine Larchet: It is important to listen to your skin and see how it reacts. Very often, this no longer supports the active ingredients of the treatments used before the treatment. This is seen because there are contact dermatitis (skin allergy).

I therefore recommend moisturizing and nourishing your skin by choosing suitable products that do not aggravate the side effects of treatments. Exit too chemical products: too complex in the formulation, with a lot of perfumes, parabens, preservatives and alcoholic bases, they amplify the drying out or even induce allergic reactions.

Conversely, very natural treatments can be risky: the essential oils in the products can be too strong and make the skin reactive.

Dermocosmetics presents a good compromise because it offers extremely simplified formulations, with white fragrances devoid of coloring agents, limited in odors (without alcohol which dries out) and in preservatives (irritants). If in doubt, it is best to seek advice from a aromatherapist.

Top Health: In addition to hydration, photoprotection of the face is also important…

Carine Larchet: Yes, in contact with outside light, the skin becomes photosensitized, even in the absence of sunlight. spots similar to a pregnancy mask may eventually appear. We therefore protect our skin on a daily basis with a photoprotection index. Today some simple products can moisturize and protect at the same time, such as BB creams Where CC creamswhich include a protection factor (still from dermocosmetics). Also discover the tips from Carine Larchet to take care of your complexionduring and after cancer.

Thanks to Carine Larchet, professional make-up artist and manager of the corrective make-up workshop at La Roche-Posay. Discover more tips and video tutorials on on space My skin during cancer on the La Roche-Posay website.

Discover La Roche Posay’s video on the daily routine for the face: