Before I detail out how I prevented side effects from radiation I have to make one thing clear: I am a skin care snob. I am a licensed esthetician who has spent her twenty year career in medical aesthetics, so how could I not be? And in full disclosure, the majority of the products I used to prevent side effects are from a company called Avene. I used to recommend these products to patients when I was in practice and I worked for the company itself for nearly six years. I have been to Avene, France to witness first hand what makes these products so unique. The picture featured with this post is of me drinking Avene Thermal Spring Water straight from the spring at the hydrotherapy center in May of 2018. I am passionate about these products because they work; I have witnessed them make a huge impact on many people with various skin conditions. These products are primarily dispensed in dermatology offices here in the US and in pharmacies all over Europe. You can find some of them at Walgreen’s or Ultra, but I have put links to them here.
At home care:
I washed my body with XeraCalm AD Lipid Replenishing Cleansing Oil and moisturized with XeraCalm AD Lipid-Replenishing Balm. These products help nourish, soothe and calm dry, itchy skin. The Balm is a sterile product, meaning, there are no preservatives, parabens, fragrances, alcohols and when product is extruded from the container, no back contaminants get in.
Every evening I applied Cicalfate Hand Restorative Hand Cream to my hands and feet to prevent peeling and cracking from the capecitabine. (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is a paid link. https://amzn.to/41NzzkL)
I also applied Lena Rose Beauty Nourishing Nail Oil to my cuticles on both my hands and feet at bedtime. I fell in love with this product long before I was diagnosed with cancer. It keeps my cuticles from peeling and getting dry. I used it religiously during radiation and chemo to ensure healthy nails.
Throughout the day I applied Cicalfate Lips Restorative Lip Cream. It nourishes and helps maintain healthy lips while defending against environmental aggressors. Ideal for dry, chapped lips, medication induced dryness.
I did not develop any issues with the skin of my hands, feet or my lips.
Both morning and evening, I proactively rinsed my mouth with a baking soda and salt solution. In a 28 ounce Blender Bottle. I mixed filtered water with 1 tbsp of baking soda and 1 tbsp of sea salt. I made a new solution every Sunday to last the week. I never developed any mouth sores..
Immediately post radiation:
I sprayed my entire lower abdomen, hips, buttocks and entire gluteal cleft (aka, your butt crack and everything that is in there), with Avene Thermal Spring Water. It pulls out heat from the skin and calms the area.
I then applied a small amount of mometasone cream to my entire gluteal cleft.
I then applied a small amount of Avene Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream to my entire gluteal cleft. Cicalfate helps to restore the skin barrier.
Everyone will respond differently to their treatments. And I cannot say that without a doubt my proactive use of these products or doing the mouth rinse was the reason why I did not experience strong side effects. I also can’t imagine that being proactive didn’t do anything at all to keep side effects to a minimum. I will say that my oncology team was amazed that my hands, feet, mouth and yes, my gluteal cleft and all its parts, remained unscathed.
If you are looking for more information on skin care during cancer treatment, this book is great: Dr. Lacouture's Skin Care Guide for People Living With Cancer, a quick reference for all the changes one may see during treatment I was given this book as a corporate gift over 5 years ago, never thinking I would actually need it for my own use. It was a helpful reference when things went awry with my skin.
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