| Do you have breast issues? Has breast cancer | | | | generous quantities. |
| nodded its ugly head toward you? As a two-time | | | | Fingernails |
| survivor, I'll share some of my musings on beauty | | | | Another beauty symbol rife with breast issues |
| and the breast. | | | | involves fingernails. Chemo caused permanent |
| Weight gain | | | | ridges to form on mine, and Herceptin gave them |
| Breast cancer patients often gain weight from | | | | the consistency of tissue paper until the drug left |
| treatment. This fact escaped me when I first | | | | my system. "Sally Hansen Hard as Nails" nail polish |
| underwent treatment with chemotherapy. One | | | | helped to strengthen them. At my dermatologist's |
| reason is chemo-induced fatigue, resulting in | | | | urging I also took biotin supplements to |
| decreased activity. Another is steroids contained | | | | counteract nail brittleness as Herceptin coursed |
| in pre-chemo medications. | | | | through my veins. I continue on biotin, as I believe |
| To combat these effects, patients should eat a | | | | it makes a difference. Before taking any |
| balanced diet of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits | | | | supplements, however, patients should consult |
| and vegetables, and healthful fats in moderate | | | | their oncologist. |
| amounts. In addition, cancer survivors should | | | | Makeup |
| invest in exercise if at all possible. Once chemo | | | | The program "Look Good ... Feel Better" offered |
| was through, I hit the gym. One study reveals | | | | by the ACS is well worth the time invested. This |
| that 150 minutes of aerobic exercise five times a | | | | free service is dedicated to educating cancer |
| week lowered a patient's risk of dying from | | | | survivors about beauty techniques to help restore |
| breast cancer. Any amount of exercise beats | | | | their appearance and self-image during treatments. |
| sitting around. | | | | Cosmetologists taught us the best way to apply |
| Hair | | | | makeup. We also received hundreds of dollars of |
| After the second round of chemotherapy, my | | | | free cosmetics as a favor bag from this "party." |
| hair seriously started to shed. I chose to shave | | | | My take-away message? Blush and lipstick work |
| my head so my hair wouldn't fall out in clumps. | | | | color magic on faces pale from chemo. And they |
| Then I headed to the local American Cancer | | | | take so little time to apply! |
| Society (ACS) office, which provided a plethora | | | | Reconstruction or Prosthesis |
| of nice-looking complimentary wigs from which I | | | | One of the largest breast issues is the decision |
| could choose. They also supplied me with wig | | | | whether to have reconstruction. For personal and |
| shampoo and styling advice. What a blessing to | | | | medical reasons I opted against this procedure |
| have these services available! | | | | after my double mastectomy. To many women |
| I asked my oncology nurses about taking a drug | | | | who undergo disfiguring surgery, however, |
| to grow my hair back more quickly. They weren't | | | | reconstruction is an image-saver. |
| enthusiastic about any medical remedies. Since I | | | | I discovered that my local ACS office offers a |
| had wigs and didn't desire to apply another topical | | | | large assortment of free prostheses and |
| treatment besides hair coloring, I scrapped the | | | | mastectomy bras. Governments may require |
| notion of a follicle-sprouting lotion. | | | | insurance companies to cover purchases of this |
| Eventually my hair did grow back. After yearly | | | | sort; the patient seeking faux breasts should |
| treatment with Herceptin, however, it did not | | | | investigate all possibilities so she can look and feel |
| return as thick as before. Further, the daily pill | | | | her best in public. |
| Arimidex I take to reduce chances of recurrence | | | | Jewelry |
| causes hair thinning. To counter this, my | | | | Since my cancer journey I have discovered |
| hairdresser advised using Nioxin hair-thinning | | | | jewelry of every style, color and shape. Each |
| system, consisting of shampoo, conditioner, and | | | | piece helps brighten my day. I found my |
| treatment spray. After three months of use we | | | | post-chemo short hair looks cool with dangly |
| noticed new hair sprouting. Mousses, volumizers, | | | | earrings. But rings provide a challenge for me, a |
| and thickening gels with wheat protein may also | | | | lymphedema patient. I have solved the dilemma |
| create the illusion of thicker manes. | | | | by wearing my wedding band on my unaffected |
| Skin Products | | | | hand and buying rings with elastic bands so I can |
| Cancer treatment can cause skin to dry out. Our | | | | still dress up fingers on my swollen hand. We |
| local dermatologist gives monthly free skin-care | | | | survivors are ever resourceful as we face each |
| advice to patients undergoing chemo or radiation. | | | | new trial. |
| At his sessions he not only talked about how and | | | | I pray that these musings on breast issues will |
| why cancer treatments affect the skin, hair, and | | | | help you sort through truths you can use when |
| nails, but also showed us how to use cosmetic | | | | dealing with the modern-day obsession with |
| products correctly. We learned that creams are | | | | beauty. Like objects in a side-view mirror, beauty |
| better than lotions in moisturizing the skin. Best of | | | | is closer than you think. |
| all, he handed out free samples of skin products in | | | | |