Underarm Care for Cancer Patients - Read Ingredient Labels

This blog post is an abbreviated version of the post: 
Nurture Your Armpits – Especially When You Are Undergoing Cancer Treatment
which appeared on the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog in March 2016


What you put on your body matters – especially when you are undergoing cancer treatment. Oncology patients often have unique needs when it comes to personal care products for the skin, hair and body. Many people don’t read the labels on personal care products, and even if they do, they are hard to decipher because many items on the ingredient list have unrecognizable chemical names. While general skin care is an important topic, this article focuses specifically on underarm care.

Unhealthy Ingredients in Mass Market Deodorants
What you put on your skin matters. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. It absorbs the materials that you put on it, they circulate inside your body, and can reach internal organs. For more information refer to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and WebMD. The following disturbing chemicals are frequently found in mass market deodorants and being aware of the contents may influence your decision about the deodorant you use and encourage you to read ingredient labels:

• Aluminum 
• Phtalates 
• Propylene glycol 
• Formaldehyde
• Parabens

According to a 2012 Huffington Post article: “What we put on our skin is just as important as what we put in our body; both affect the well-being of our entire body (skin included!). The next time you slather on that chemical laden lotion or soak in a toxic tub, remember that your skin absorbs a large percentage of what you put on it.”

Memorial Sloan Kettering mentions underarm care in their Patient and Caregiver information: "Radiation Therapy to the Breast or Chest Wall" as follows:

"You can use nonaluminum-based deodorant on intact skin in the area being treated. Stop using it if your skin becomes irritated."

PiperWai: A Healthy Solution to Underarm Care

PiperWai became a popular brand soon after the founders appeared on Shark Tank in late 2015. PiperWai all natural deodorant is the first creme deodorant that contains super-absorbent activated charcoal to keep you dry. PiperWai rubs in clear and won’t discolor your clothes. PiperWai is applied with your fingers – this deodorant’s skin-conditioning qualities also make it great for your hands. Of utmost importance for cancer patients - PiperWai is made with only healthy ingredients. No Parabens, No harsh ingredients. And, especially important for individuals undergoing radiation therapy to the breast or other areas of the body: NO ALUMINUM

PiperWai Is Gentle On Sensitive Skin

Crafted with skin-conditioning ingredients like organic coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and pure vitamin E oil, PiperWai is great for people with sensitive skin. It’s perfect for individuals with chemical sensitivities, or skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. PiperWai contains a proprietary blend of 11 therapeutic-grade essential oils gives PiperWai its signature gender-neutral fresh scent. And, in addition to smelling great, these essential oils are believed to have specific anti-microbial properties that work with the other ingredients to keep you smelling fresh.  Try PiperWai today - your armpits and your body will thank you!

Alra Non-Metallic Deodorant

Alra Non-Metallic Deodorant was developed at the request of oncologists, as metallic ingredients can interfere with radiation therapy treatments and is another option for safe armpit care during cancer. It is made with Aloe Vera Gel, Oil of Cypress and Lichen Extract (a natural bactericide and fungicide)

Read Ingredient Labels On All Personal Care Products

Its not just deodorant that patients have to be careful about. Remember to read ingredient labels on all personal care products. Many skin-care products on the market contain ingredients that can be carcinogenic, estrogenic, or teratogenic, with the potential for long-term neurological disorders and conditions. The use of Endocrine-disrupting xenoestrogenic chemicals, such as parabens, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), BHT, and BHA are commonly found in everyday personal care products such as cosmetics, shampoo, lotions, sunscreens, hand washing soaps, lining of canned foods, and flame retardant clothing such as children’s pajama’s, to name a few. Avoid the pretty outer packaging, and the possibly misleading catchy phrases in the advertising for most mass market personal care products. Instead Be Proactive: Read the labels, Learn the ingredients and Protect your health!

This blog post was written by: Margot Main, Founder and CEO of Lots To Live For, Inc.

CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm Helps Healing of: Surgery Scars, Dry Skin, Shallow Skin Biopsies

by Britta Aragon, Founder of CV Skinlabs

This blog post is a condensed version of the original post on the new Lots To Live For Blog dated 2/25/2014: CLICK HERE

Cancer treatments cause a number of side effects, and some of the most lasting and potentially embarrassing are surgery scars. Whether from breast cancer, throat cancer, skin cancer, or other types of cancer, scars can be painful, irritating, itchy, and uncomfortable, say nothing of upsetting.

CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm was created to reduce surgery scarring side effects.  It provides soothing relief while encouraging healing.

The ingredients in CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm were carefully selected. The development team, composed of a toxicologist, a chemist specializing in natural formulations, and doctors screened every prospective ingredient for any known links to cancer, hormone disruption, or other health risks, as well as for any known potential to cause skin irritation, burning, itching, or allergic reaction. This team helped to develop the CV Skinlabs unique Tri-Rescue Complex which is a unique blend of turmeric, alpha-bisabolol and reishi mushroom. This combination of ingredients provides a powerful combination of anti-inflammatory, wound healing and skin-soothing actions which encourage repair healing and restoration. Other natural ingredients promote healing, immune boosting, antiseptic and skin-regenerating properties. The product is made of 100% natural ingredients and completely free of toxic ingredients (no synthetic fragrances, parabens, petrolatum, or other harsh ingredients).

An important testimonial to CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm's effectiveness, the product was named “BestAll-Around Healer 2013” in the Healing Lifestyle & Spa’s (HLS’s) Earth Day Beauty Awards. “There’s always something in need of a little natural TLC—a bump, burn, cut, rash, or bite,” HLS stated. “This balm takes care of them all, with ingredients that have real healing benefits (not just a barrier of petroleum and silicone).”

Britta says "I started CV Skinlabs because I was frustrated I couldn’t find natural, soothing products during my cancer experience, and my father’s cancer experience. I’ve put my heart and soul into these natural solutions so that others don’t have to suffer from difficult skin conditions we did. I hope you, too, will experience the soothing relief these products can provide!"

To see all of the ingredients in CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm CLICK HERE

To purchase CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm CLICK HERE

To read more about CV Skinlabs product development click here.

To learn more about Britta Aragon, Founder of CV Skinlabs, Cancer Survivor, Esthetician, and Published Author, visit her blog at Cinco Vidas.

Tips To Help You Soothe Radiation Burns from Britta Aragon, founder of CV Skinlabs

by Britta Aragon

This is a condensed version of the complete post which you can access:
http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/10/02/tips-to-help-you-soothe-radiation-burns-from-cv-skinlabs/

Ask anyone who's been through radiation treatments, and they'll tell you - one of the most difficult things to deal with are the burns.  Radiation kills cancer cells, but on its way into the body to attack the tumor, it can also damage skin cells.  Depending on the intensity or strength of the beam and how many sessions you have, the burns may range from minor redness and swelling, like a sunburn, to more sever blistering, peeling and flaking.

When treating these types of burns, the standard, over-the-counter petroleum-based products just won't cut it! Petroleum covers the skin, but does noting to nourish or heal it, and can actually contribute to more dryness over the long term.  Chemical preservatives and fragrances can also contribute to the irritation and pain.

Instead, what you need when treating radiation burns is:
A. Something to cool it down
B. Something to heal it
C. Something to deeply moisturize

In this blog post Britta Aragon, cancer survivor, shares tips for reducing the effects of radiation on the skin. Britta shares her skin care knowledge as a make up artist and esthetician.  "My goal is to encourage people to be extra kind to their bodies, minds and souls during what can be a very difficult time...Self-care is where the healing starts."

Using her expertise, Britta has developed the CV Skinlabs product line especially for sensitive skin.  With careful attention paid to be sure that all ingredients are natural and soothing, CV Skinlabs products deliver beauty and safety without compromise.

There are currently 4 products in the CV Skinlabs product line (shown above) and Britta explains how they can help you relive the symptoms of radiation burns including itch, radiation bumps and radiation rash with these fabulous products that she has developed.

1. Rescue & Relief Spray - brings cooling relief to dry, itchy, burning and irritated skin
2. Body Repair Lotion - hydrates dry skin and restores radiance, relieves dry itcy skin
3. Restorative Skin Balm - advanced therapy for severely dry and cracked skin, helps scars
4. Calming Moisture for Face, Neck and Scalp - helps to immediately calm, hydrate & nourish chronically dry and flushed skin while returning radiance.

Read the full blog post: http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/10/02/tips-to-help-you-soothe-radiation-burns-from-cv-skinlabs/

Please enter our FACEBOOK RAFFLE to win a FREE CV SKINLABS RESCUE & RELIEF SPRAY.  Please "LIKE" one of the raffle announcement posts, and be sure you "LIKE" our facebook page to enter. You can find our facebook page www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor by clicking here

What You Put On Your Skin Matters ~ Scrutinze Ingredients - Here's Why!

By Jama Russano, Guest Blogger

Did you know that ninety percent of skin-care products on the market contain ingredients that can be carcinogenic, estrogenic, or teratogenic, with the potential for long-term serious neurological disorders and conditions? Skin is the body’s largest organ; everything we put on our skin can potentially end up in our bodies. Be kind to your skin. DermaQOL personal care products have been formulated with organic essential oils, extracts and natural materials and all products are free of harsh ingredients.

Be kind to your skin!  To read more about the risks of some ingredients that are frequently used in personal care product and have the potential to be harmful , please visit our new Wordpress Blog at:

http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/07/30/dermaqol-personal-health-products-with-no-harsh-ingredients-an-excellent-choice-for-skin-care-during-cancer-treatment/

DermaQOL Gift Kit 

It took five years to create a solution for the most delicate and sensitive, chemically reactive skin! DermaQOL Personal Care products are specifically formulated from a select group of certified organic essential oils, extracts, and resins combined with natural materials that meet strict standards and "free of harsh ingredient list". Delicate, nourishing, and sensitive skin-care products simply glide across your skin without pulling and tugging. Feel the difference! Take the challenge and compare the DermaQOL products to the items your are currently using.

To learn more about DermaQOL products and to purchase DermaQOL products visit: http://www.lotstolivefor.com/brands/Derma-QOL.html

Please visit the Lots To Live For!  Wordpress cancer blog where you can comment on our posts, and sign up to receive new posts by email:  http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/

Jama Russano, the author of this post has over 30 years of experience in the cosmetics industry.  She developed Thorne Organics and DermaQOL Estrogenic Activity Free Skin Care Products. (You can read more about Jama's biography in the full blog post by clicking above).

New Book: Skin Care Guide for People Living With Cancer

This new book makes a wonderful gift for a cancer patient. It has important and helpful information for individuals undergoing treatment for cancer, and is especially informative about cancer side effects.



Click here to buy this book on Amazon. View the book on Amazon.com.

Book description from the publisher:
"More people than ever before are living with and surviving cancer. However, the human cost of life-saving cancer treatment may be unexpected side effects to the skin, hair, and nails. How can patients navigate these changes without affecting their treatment, their appearance, or even their sense of who they are? Dr. Lacouture's Skin Care Guide for People Living With Cancer is the first book written by a board-certified dermatologist to help patients care for treatment-associated skin, hair, and nail toxicities, which can range from mild and annoying to serious enough to affect health, treatment, and quality of life. In this book, Dr. Mario Lacouture discusses a number of side effects that may rise from chemotherapy, biologic therapy, radiation therapy, stem-cell transplants, and other tools in the fight against cancer. He offers a number of practical suggestions that are useful to people living with cancer, including preparation for the rash, itching, or dry skin that may come with treatment; care for the fingernails, and suggested products that will contribute to their health; awareness of the risks for hair loss, and resources that patients may need to cope; suggested moisturizers and cosmetics that are appropriate for patients' use; and specific information for survivors. Written by one of the foremost experts in the dermatologic side effects of cancer treatments, Dr. Lacouture's Skin Care Guide for People Living With Cancer offers patients clear information and practical suggestions for preventing, treating, and living through these changes during their cancer journey."

Lots To Live For, Inc. is dedicated to helping cancer patients who are experiencing unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects from cancer treatment. Lots To Live For, Inc. has an website that offers "One Stop Shopping and Solutions for All Cancer Side Effects" - selling products for skin care, hair care and nail care. Some of the product lines that http://www.lotstolivefor.com/ sells are mentioned in this book, such as the LindiSkin skin care line. Visit Lots To Live For, Inc. to find products to help alleviate cancer side effects.

You can also find Lots To Live For, Inc. on facebook. We post practical articles about dealing with cancer side effectsand interesting articles about new developments in cancer therapy. Please "like" us at www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor

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Lots To Live For, Inc. Featured in Interview in the On and Off the Mat Blog by Embrace Activism

Lots To Live For, Inc. is featured in the On and Off the Mat Blog under the "Power of Love" series of blog posts. Margot Malin, President, CEO and Founder of Lots To Live For, Inc. is interviewed by Karen Whittier, Chief Activist at Embrace Activism about the inspiration and genesis of the company.  Lots To Live For, Inc is an internet retailer that sells carefully selected products to reduce and relieve the uncomfortable and unpleasant side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation. The genesis and inspiration for this company came after the passing of two close family members following their courageous battles with cancer. The company mission is to provide options and support to others who are going through exhausting and debilitating chemotherapy and radiation oncology treatments. Put simply: We recognize that you have "lots to live for" and we offer solutions so that you can improve the quality of your life.

An few excerpts from the interview follow:

Karen:  Both your mother and grandmother battled cancer. Were their cancers found early?

Margot: Luckily research and discouvery in medicine continue to progress so both treatments and diagnoses have advanced over the years. So there is a double benefit: cancer is being found earlier, and the treatments have improved significantly. Sadly, the cancer was not found early in either my mother or grandmother. In fact both had already progressed to Stage 4 when they received their diagnoses.

Karen:  More than a handful of cancer patients have commented on the toll cancer treatments take. What types of treatment did your mother and grandmother have?

Margot: Between the two of them all of the weapons against cancer were used: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. All three "weapons" have improved over time. Surgery is more precise, there are better and more targeted types of chemotherapy, and the radiology equipment has become more precise and focused. Unfortunately, even with all the improvements in medicine and technology, treatment can still be exhausting and debilitating.

Karen: What types of products are available through Lots to Live For, Inc?

Margot: This is my favorite question because we have so many wondeful side effect solutions! We sell helpful products ranging from nutitional supplements to topical skin, hair and nail products and much more. All these products help you improve the quality of your life while you are going though treatments that may effect your skin, hair, nails and mouth, and also make you tired and nauseous. Our products help these side effects. We carry a number of different product lines including Haelan 951, Thymuskin Hair Care items, RADX and SolRx products, Lindiskin Skin Care products, Alra products, Biotene Oral Care, My Girls Cream, SkinFree, CoolMagic gel sheets, Biobands for nausea and software from Minerva Health Manager to organize health records. We have a complete line of products for radiation skin care, radiation dermatitis and radiation burns. I should also mention that one of our most popular and most important product lines is Cancer Gifts. Of course any of the items we sell can be purchased as a gift, but we also have some uniquely themed gift sets for specific side effects ("Mouth Moisturizer", "Help for Hair", "Radiation Burn Care Kit", etc) which make expecially caring and thoughtful gifts. These gifts help to express your support and concern. You can write a note on our website order form which will be enclosed with the gift and sent directly to the recipient. We also sell gift certificates.

To read the complete interview please click here: On and Off the Mat Blog Interviews Lots To Live For!  

As Karen says at the conclusion of the post "Please share this Power of Love story with anyone you know battling cancer and/or caregivers. Visit the Lots to Live For website, Cancer Blog and, if you're on Facebook, be sure to 'like' their page. Cancer patients may be more keenly aware, but we ALL have lots to live for!"

More about the On and Off the Mat Blog:  in the Power of Love series Karen interviews individuals to explore why they started their foundations, charities or businesses, and what their hopes, goals or missions are. A couple of past posts were about Vivyn Lazonga, a tatoo artist specializing in body art for breast cancer patients and Robin Thomas, promoter of Heatlth and Wellness.

Embrace Activism creates purpose-driven yoga; improving the health and wellness of yoga practitioners and contributing to various health-related charities.

Great Holiday Gifts for Cancer Patients - Give the Gift of Natural Skin Care

Skin Free Products offer an all natural skin care solution for cancer patients. The Skin Free product line is made with all natural ingredients and is an excellent product line for people with delicate, sensitive and very dry skin, or skin that is compromised by chemicals or medication. The products are innovative, effective and affordable.

A great holiday gift is the Basic Four Gift set: This fabulous gift has it all! A must for anyone with dry, broken, or delicate skin. This gift bag includes: Super Moisture Body Balm, 8 oz.; After Shower Moisture Spritz, 8 oz.;Niaouli Butter Stick, 1 oz. and Extra Moisturizing Soap, 3.5 oz.

The Skin Free products have the following attributes:
• All natural ingredients
• No harmful chemicals or preservatives
• No artificial fragrance
• No petroleum products
• No colorants
• No animal testing
• Non-greasy
• No steroids

Skin Free products contain oils obtained from vegetable sources that are readily absorbed by the skin, providing a pleasing feeling, and offer a variety of beneficial antioxidants, vitamins, and other healing nutrients. Many other skin care products have petroleum jelly or mineral oil bases are occlusive and not absorbed by the skin. This results in an unpleasant or “greasy” feeling.

Please visit our website by clicking here to read more about the Skin Free skin care product line.

Skin Care during Chemotherapy and Radiation Oncology Treatments

Chemotherapy medications can affect a patient’s skin, hair, and nails. The side effects vary by patient and more broadly by the type of chemotherapy that is being administered.

Before starting treatment, it is suggested that the patient ask their oncologist or oncology nurse what specific skin/hair/nail reactions might be caused by the regimen prescribed. That way, they can better prepare by exploring products that will be helpful.

Some common side effects are dry, flaky or itchy skin. If a patient is receiving radiation, the skin can become burned, or an itchy bumpy rash can develop.

Tarceva can cause a rash and other skin changes. Soon after you start taking Tarceva, a rash may appear—most often on your face, upper chest and back. However, a rash may appear anywhere on your body with symptoms such as itching, tenderness, burning, dryness, or cracked skin on your fingers and hands. It may look like acne or dry skin. Rash is a common side effect of Tarceva. If you get a rash while on Tarceva, call your doctor about what to do, as some rashes have been serious. (Source: http://www.tarceva.com/patient/taking/effects.jsp)

Erbitux can also cause a very bad rash, sometimes called an acne-form rash. It can be mild, but sometimes it is severe. You can read more about this rash on the Chemocare website by clicking here.

Another side effect that can occur is hand-foot syndrome (sometimes referred to as Palmar-Plantar erythrodysesthesia). This is an irritation, cracking and peeling of the skin on the hands, and feet. Some medications that can cause hand-foot syndrome in patients are Capecitabine (Xeloda®), 5-Flurouracil (5FU), continuous-infusion doxorubicin, doxorubicin liposomal (Doxil®), and high-dose Interleukin-2.

A study that was published in the Journal of Supportive Oncology (March/April 2009) reviewed some of the skin, hair and nail effects from the toxicities of targeted biologic agents. This article is called Dermatotoxicity Linked to Targeted Biologic Agents.

A further description about the side effects that can be caused by EGFR Inhibitors including Erbitux, Tarceva and Vectibix can be found on the Mayo Clinic website.

We have products on our website that can help with many skin related side effects.

We sell many products to help radiation burns. They can be found by clicking here

The Lindiskin product line can help with many skin issues. These products can be viewed by clicking here.

Soothing balm can help hand-foot syndrome and you can read about it by clicking here.

Face serum, which comes in either a lavender scent or a citrus scent, can be viewed here. Face serum is an excellent product for individuals who are taking EGFR inhibitors and who might be experiencing the acneform rash as a side effect.

This information is published for informational and helpful purposes and is accumulated from sources that are believed to be reliable. It is not meant as a substitute for individual medical advice. It is suggested that you contact your healthcare provider with any questions you have that are specific to your disease and treatment protocol.