Cancer and cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, may change your appearance and how you feel about yourself. Common changes include hair loss and skin problems. It is common for people with cancer to feel anxious or distressed when these changes happen. One resource, the Look Good…Feel Better program, can help you restore your appearance to boost how you feel about yourself.

Look Good…Feel Better offers free support programs across the country for women affected by cancer. Volunteer cosmetologists provide makeover tips and advice on creating an appearance that allow women to feel better about themselves so they can approach their cancer treatment with greater confidence.

The Personal Care Products Council Foundation—the charitable arm of the Personal Care Products Council, which is the national representative for the cosmetics and personal care products industry, started Look Good…Feel Better two decades ago. With the help of the National Cosmetology Association and the American Cancer Society, Look Good…Feel Better delivers support programs to 50,000 women in the United States each year.

Cancer treatment and emotional well-being

Look Good…Feel Better believes that how you feel about yourself and your appearance while coping with cancer can have a dramatic effect on your emotional well-being. In 2002, Look Good…Feel Better sponsored a survey among women who had been treated for cancer within the last five years to understand overall quality of life during cancer treatment and how a woman’s appearance affects her sense of well-being.

• About 79% of women said that cancer treatment had a somewhat negative or greatly negative influence on their psychosocial (emotional and social) well-being.
  
  
• Two-thirds of the women indicated that cancer treatment had a somewhat or significant negative effect on their appearance.
  
  
• Seventy-eight percent (78%) said they experienced some or significant changes in their appearance during treatment, and 83% of these women said that their overall quality of life was affected by cancer treatment.

Cosmetic tips and solutions offered by Look Good…Feel Better help with many of the physical and emotional side effects of cancer treatment and allow women and others to look beyond their cancer. While some people with cancer may plan for possible side effects and body changes, such as cutting their hair short or shaving it if it begins to fall out from treatment, others may desire to portray the physical image they are used to and the one with which they are comfortable. Deciding how to manage your appearance after such changes is a personal decision and one that should make you feel comfortable.

How Look Good…Feel Better works

Cosmetologists certified by Look Good…Feel Better lead groups of five to ten women in nearly 2,000 hospitals and cancer centers around the country. They guide a 12-step skin care and makeup application lesson, in addition to demonstrating options for nail care techniques and options for managing hair loss, such as wigs, scarves, and accessories. Women in various stages of cancer treatment share their appearance concerns and favorite beauty tips with each other.

Search for a group near you by visiting Look Good…Feel Better or by calling 800-395-LOOK (5665). Bilingual groups are offered in some cities. Look Good…Feel Better is also offered in 18 other countries around the world. Learn more about these programs on Look Good…Feel Better’s website.

An individual consultation by a cosmetologist may also be available to women who are unable to attend a group. What’s more, women can check out helpful makeover tips on the Look Good…Feel Better website. Here are a couple examples:

• A concealer that is slightly lighter than your skin color may help cover dark patches, such as under-eye circles.
  
  
• For nail treatment, a light moisturizer, cuticle cream, or even olive oil may help moisturize dry nails, as brittle or discolored fingernails is a common side effect in women undergoing chemotherapy.
  
  
• When selecting a wig, choose a lighter shade than your natural color for a face-brightening effect.

Support for teens and men

Look Good…Feel Better also offers group programs for teen girls and boys at hospitals in 18 cities across the United States, and produces 2bMe, a website where teens can read valuable tips on all of the non-medical aspects of cancer care, such as hair and skin care, fitness, and friendships. Teens can also check out interactive style finder quizzes, how-to demos, and fashion slide shows on 2bMe.

For adult men undergoing cancer treatment, Look Good…Feel Better for Men is a practical guide that gives advice on how deal with some side effects, such as skin changes, hair loss, and stress. For example, some men may not be aware that using a concealer to hide facial discolorations and dark circles under the eyes is common for men with hyperpigmentation (dark spots) and sallow skin.

For more information about Look Good…Feel Better, call the toll free number at 800-395-LOOK (5665) or visit the website at www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org.

More Information

Managing Side Effects: Hair Loss or Alopecia

Self-Image and Cancer

Skin Reactions to Targeted Therapies

Caring for the Whole Patient