Potions

I have been researching face and skin care stuff you need to survive chemo, and it occurs to me that a lot of this stuff is useful whether you have cancer or not.

Use non-irritating ingredients. Don’t put anything active on the skin.
Avoid:
Anything irritating or aggressive things like acids; like amino acids
Parabens, and ingredients that have a component that has a phyto-estrogen, especially if you have estrogen-positive breast cancer.
Fragrances
Harsh dyes
Essential oils – be very cautious.
Lanolins
Triclosan
Nano particles
BHA/BHT (BUTYLATED HYDROXYANISOLE /BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE)
Products containing alcohol (fatty alcohols like cetyl and stearyl alcohol are fine).

1. Face

One of the most common skin-related side effects from chemotherapy are face rashes.

Pevonia Hydrating Cleanser

(As a current user of Cetaphil, I’ve had a major rethink after reading this review).

Facial cleanser wipes

Doctor D Schwab Rescue Cream Moisturiser

2. Body

One of the most common skin-related side effects from chemotherapy is dry & itchy skin.

Aveeno Dry Relief Body Cleanser – oatmeal is great for soothing dry skin.
Goat’s Milk Soap

Aloe vera gel

The Aloe gel itself contains glycoproteins and polysaccahrides. Glycoproteins are known to help in healing by reducing inflammation and stopping pain. Polysaccahrides help with skin growth and repair. It’s also believed that these two substances help stimulate the immune system

Wheat germ oil

Wheat-germ oil is readily absorbed by your skin, which makes it an effective moisturizer and an appropriate topical treatment. When applied to your skin, wheat-germ oil delivers a healthy infusion of vitamin A, vitamin D, B vitamins, antioxidants and fatty acids. These nutrients not only moisturize and heal dry or cracked skin, they also help prevent scarring. In particular, wheat-germ oil is a rich source of vitamin E, which helps reduce skin damage, fight free radicals, support healthy collagen formation and maintain even skin tone.

Coconut oil

, virgin coconut oil can speed up wound healing, and a human study found it to be effective in increasing hydration and reducing water loss in seriously dry skin…. coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, antifungal, moisturizing and, according to research, great for atopic dermatitis, many women swear by its use as a nighttime moisturizer for their face, too.

3. Suntan Lotion

Some chemotherapy drugs make skin more susceptible to sunburn. Use a sunscreen with at least an SPF 30, and make sure that it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.