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Beating Breast Cancer
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items I have been cancer-free now for 3 years. This is my list of things that helped make treatment and recovery a little easier. I hope they help you in your journey.
I tried all sorts of head coverings when I lost my hair, but these were by far the most comfortable and well-fitting. Her bamboo beanies, are butter soft, warm when you need them to be, without making you sweat. And…when you have those dreaded inevit...
AllThingsBlooming - Etsy
A major side effect of Taxol is painful neuropathy in your hands and feet. Icing down your hands and feet during an infusion prevents the chemo from reaching your extremities and thus prevents the neuropathy. It's not pleasant to have your tootsies packed in ice, but in the long term, the minimal discomfort is worth preserving the feeling in your hands and feet. I used this brand of mittens and they worked like a champ. We bought an extra set of ice packs and took them in a little cooler to the infusion center. When one set warmed up too much to still be effective, we'd just switch out the cold packs.
The exact ones I used on my feet aren't available anymore, but there are lots of other options to choose from.
The exact ones I used on my feet aren't available anymore, but there are lots of other options to choose from.
Healthy Hands Ice Pack Wrap - Cold Therapy
My husband's coworkers got me a care package when I was diagnosed that included a blanket that was very similar to this, some warm fuzzy socks, and an eye mask. I used the set every time I went for an infusion, both during and on the way home. They pump you full of fluids once the infusion is finished which makes you very chilly. It was much appreciated.
Afterprints Warm Hugs Healing Blanket 50"x60"
After chemo, I had a double mastectomy with immediate diep flap reconstruction. After a mastectomy and or reconstruction, expect to have multiple drains in for several weeks. I pretty much lived in a either the robe I bought from this seller or pajam...
BabyBeMineAndGownies - Etsy
After chemo and reconstruction, because pathology showed a micro met, I had to have 6 weeks of dense dose radiation. Radiation is a piece of cake compared to to everything else one goes through during treatment. However, it’s not without its side eff...
Rejuvaskin Skin Recovery Cream, 100 ml
Whether it’s the port scar or the mastectomy scar or the hip to hip incision from the diep flap reconstruction, I was a mess of ugly scars. Two products in tandem helped me reduce their appearance. The first is this scar tape. You wear it for 12 hour...
MED PRIDE Silicone Wound Tape 1.5in x 1.6yd
The second product I used on my scars is something that I still treat myself to today. This Lavish body butter is amazing. It reduces inflammation, does wonders for stretch marks, helps heal sunburns quickly, helps heal eczema, and it smells delici...
LAVISH Ultra Rich Body Butter
Besides the fact that your scalp will be tender while your hair is falling out, a lot of us get something akin to cradle cap during chemo. These soft little newborn brushes were great for massaging my head and exfoliating.
Scalp Scrubbie Loofah Cradle Cap Brush 3-pk
Another breast cancer survivor recommended this trick to me. Until all of your hair falls out, you will be annoyed that it is constantly shedding. Every time I was in the bathroom, I would take a sheet off the lint roller and use it on my head to col...
Extra Sticky Lint Roller
Once your hair starts to grow back, it will most likely come back in curly even if your hair was stuck straight before chemo. Divacurl was my favorite styling aide while my hair was short and curly. Just wash, apply a small amount to wet hair, scrunc...
Super Curl Definer | Ultra Defining Gel - DevaCurl
When it’s humid, those curls can and do get frizzy. So my hair dresser recommended that I also apply a pea sized amount of the Redkin leave-in cream. Even though I blow dry those curls straight now that my hair is shoulder length, I still use this cr...
Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame Heat Protectant Leave In-Cream - Redken | Ulta Beauty
After surgery, especially after reconstruction, you'll need to figure out how you are going to navigate sleep for 6-8 weeks. If you have a hip to hip incision like I did, it's near impossible to get up from a horizontal position unassisted. Some people rent an electric recliner for a few weeks. Some people buy a wedge pillow set like this to make it a little easier to sit up. I bought this wedge pillow set, and if I had only had a mastectomy, it probably would have worked well. However, my abdominal incision made it too difficult to get up even from an inclined position, so I ended up sleeping on the couch sitting up for the first 2 weeks before transitioning to the bed with the wedge pillow.
Bedluxe 3PCS Wedge Pillow Set for Relief
After a mastectomy or lumpectomy, the surgeon will want you to wear a surgical bra for a while. Essentially a bra with no underwires that provides ample support. They will likely give you some from the hospital, however, the hospital bras are very thin, and if your incision is not underboob, you will be able to see it through the bra and thus, through light colored or thinner shirts. I found these and love them. Supper soft, plenty of support, and the padded straps were a bonus. Plus, a front closure is a must because your ability to reach behind you will be strained for the first several months of your recovery since muscles and tendons have to be cut during the surgery.
CYDREAM Women Post-Surgical Zip Front Bra
I didn't have nausea with the taxol, but I did have extreme nausea with the AC. I had to have these ginger chews at the ready during infusions.
Prince of Peace Ginger Chews, 4 oz. - 2 Pack
Coffee tasted like dirt to me all through chemo. It does something to your taste buds. I got my caffeine fix with peppermint tea.
Bigelow Peppermint Herbal Tea, 120 Bags
If your treatment included chemo or radiation or surgery (or all of the above!) this ladies channel is a must to check out. She has pt videos specific to the areas affected by mastectomy surgeries, pt for lymphedema, and just in general gentle worko...
Cancer Rehab PT
Of course you need a shirt to mark the occasion when you finally get to ring the bell. The shop I got mine from isn't open anymore, but these are similar to the one I wore. #affiliate
Peace Out Chemo - Women With Cancer, Funny Chemo Gift, Funny Cancer Chemo Shirt, Cancer Survivor Shirt, Breast Cancer Awareness, Chemo Shirt
Now lets talk skincare. If you've been through chemo and radiation, you know how devastating it is to your skin. By the time I finished treatment, I looked like I had aged 10-15 years. I couldn't look at myself in a mirror without crying. Before cancer, my idea of skincare was washing my face in the morning with plain water, I didn't really ever wear makeup, and I was at a loss for what to do. Luckily, a friend came to my rescue with the recommendations I'm about to pass on to you.
My skin was extremely dry, it was greyish in complexion with red blotches in random places, fine lines had been replaced with wrinkles that were more like canyons, I had dark circles under my eyes that never went away, and my undereye bags had their ...
My friend suggested that I start with Flawless soft focus daytime moisturizer. Although it's meant to be part of a morning skincare routine, she advised me to use it in the morning and the evening until I was ready to add in an evening specific moisturizer. Flawless directly addressed three of my concerns right off the bat. It hydrates, evens out skin tone, and brightens. It took a few days, but I saw fairly immediate results. Those red blotches were gone and probably in large part to the hydration, my skin was less dull and grey looking. #affiliate
My skin was extremely dry, it was greyish in complexion with red blotches in random places, fine lines had been replaced with wrinkles that were more like canyons, I had dark circles under my eyes that never went away, and my undereye bags had their ...
My friend suggested that I start with Flawless soft focus daytime moisturizer. Although it's meant to be part of a morning skincare routine, she advised me to use it in the morning and the evening until I was ready to add in an evening specific moisturizer. Flawless directly addressed three of my concerns right off the bat. It hydrates, evens out skin tone, and brightens. It took a few days, but I saw fairly immediate results. Those red blotches were gone and probably in large part to the hydration, my skin was less dull and grey looking. #affiliate
FLAWLESS Soft Focus Daytime Moisturizer
Youthful is the next product I added into my skincare routine. People call it botox in a bottle because of how well it lifts and firms skin but there are no toxic ingredients. In fact, this entire line of products is clean which is extremely important to me as a cancer survivor.
I saw dramatic results within a few weeks. Probably because my wrinkles were so pronounced and my skin was so dry prior to starting all of this, but if I had to choose just one product to keep using, youthful would be it.
#affiliate
I saw dramatic results within a few weeks. Probably because my wrinkles were so pronounced and my skin was so dry prior to starting all of this, but if I had to choose just one product to keep using, youthful would be it.
#affiliate
YOUTHFUL Quattro Peptide Face & Eye Serum
From a health perspective, since I am BRCA2+, Daylight is probably the most important part of my skincare routine. It is a tinted moisturizer with broad spectrum SPF 32. Although most of the redness was gone from my skin, I still had some lingering redness around my nose and though the greyness was mostly gone, I didn't exactly have that healthy glow just yet. This moisturizer alleviated those concerns and gives me peace of mind on the skin cancer front. It comes in a variety of shades including clear and does NOT have the typical sunscreen smell. It has a very pleasant, very light scent as do most Ever products. #affiliate
DAYLIGHT Radiance Tinted Moisturizer SPF 32
Now what? After a couple weeks, my skin was looking and feeling better, but I was starting to get little breakouts because I was still only washing my face with warm water. I had increased cell turnover which meant clogged pores from not enough cleansing and exfoliation.
First things first, I added in a cleanser for my skin type. I have sensitive skin, so I opted for the Luminous balm cleanser which works for dry or sensitive skin, but you should choose the one that works for your specific skin type. I personally love luminous because it leaves my skin feeling clean and oh so soft, and it smells (to me) like key lime pie. Washing my face with luminous morning and evening is the highlight of my day. It's like my own mini spa experience. #affiliate
First things first, I added in a cleanser for my skin type. I have sensitive skin, so I opted for the Luminous balm cleanser which works for dry or sensitive skin, but you should choose the one that works for your specific skin type. I personally love luminous because it leaves my skin feeling clean and oh so soft, and it smells (to me) like key lime pie. Washing my face with luminous morning and evening is the highlight of my day. It's like my own mini spa experience. #affiliate
Ever Skincare cleansers
Exfoliation is a step that needs to go hand in hand with cleansing, especially if you are using products that increase cell turnover. More often than not, the dead cells don't efficiently slough off, which leads to clogged pores and breakouts.
Ever Reveal Peel Pads provide gentle natural chemical exfoliation through azelaic and lactic acid without being further damaging like some manual exfoliation methods such as brushes and rough wash clothes. They leave your skin looking bright and feeling soft.
#affiliate
Ever Reveal Peel Pads provide gentle natural chemical exfoliation through azelaic and lactic acid without being further damaging like some manual exfoliation methods such as brushes and rough wash clothes. They leave your skin looking bright and feeling soft.
#affiliate
REVEAL Biomimetic Peel Pads
The only thing I had still yet to correct was the puffy, dark undereye area. Although youthful had already greatly decreased the dark circles, they still persisted a bit and were still puffy most mornings.
The remedy was the Youthful eye concentrate. I found that if I applied it at night, I did not wake up with any puffiness, and in combination with the rest of my routine, the dark circles were a thing of the past. The peptides in the formulation promote better circulation of the lymphatic fluid that causes the puffiness. If you only suffer from dark circles and don't have a problem with undereye bags, then I would recommend Daytime Brightening Eye which contains 10% THD vitamin c.
#affiliate
The remedy was the Youthful eye concentrate. I found that if I applied it at night, I did not wake up with any puffiness, and in combination with the rest of my routine, the dark circles were a thing of the past. The peptides in the formulation promote better circulation of the lymphatic fluid that causes the puffiness. If you only suffer from dark circles and don't have a problem with undereye bags, then I would recommend Daytime Brightening Eye which contains 10% THD vitamin c.
#affiliate
YOUTHFUL Essential Eye Concentrate
The products I've recommended are all products that I used to help my skin recover after chemo and radiation. I still use them and others as part of a clean skincare routine.
Our bodies were aged drastically both by the cancer that invaded it and the treatments we had to undergo, but we don't have to settle for or accept that aging. Just like your hair will grow back, your skin can recover.
Since we all have different skincare types and concerns, I have created a group dedicated to the topic of healthy skincare after breast cancer. I will discuss the various skincare concerns and make recommendations including some lower cost alternatives. As an Ever ambassador, I will also hold occasional giveaways and will keep you informed about the latest discounts and pass along any saving...
Our bodies were aged drastically both by the cancer that invaded it and the treatments we had to undergo, but we don't have to settle for or accept that aging. Just like your hair will grow back, your skin can recover.
Since we all have different skincare types and concerns, I have created a group dedicated to the topic of healthy skincare after breast cancer. I will discuss the various skincare concerns and make recommendations including some lower cost alternatives. As an Ever ambassador, I will also hold occasional giveaways and will keep you informed about the latest discounts and pass along any saving...
Skincare After Breast Cancer | Facebook