Guest Post: The Kindness Campaign discusses Skincare during Immunotherapy
In today's Guest Post - The Kindness Campaign talks about skincare for cancer patients undergoing Immunotherapy.
Lindi Skin is proud to partner with The Kindness Campaign. They assist veterans and other cancer patients with gift bags to help improve day-to-day life while battling cancer.
The Most Beneficial Skincare Products for Cancer Patients Who Undergo Immunotherapy
By the end of the year, nearly 2 million people in the United States will have received a cancer diagnosis. At the moment, cancer ranks second when it comes to the leading cause of death across our country, surpassed only by heart disease. While some cancer patients respond well to common treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, others may greatly benefit from immunotherapy, a therapeutic approach that is becoming increasingly popular.
Immunotherapy uses the cancer patient's immune system to fight the disease and various substances to boost the body's natural defenses. Even though the concept is not really new, within the last ten years, medical researchers have achieved major breakthroughs with regard to this cancer treatment. However, like any other cancer treatment, immunotherapy has a series of adverse effects, some of which target the skin.
How Can Immunotherapy Affect the Skin?
Many of the substances or medications immunotherapy uses often lead to cancer patients experiencing unpleasant side effects concerning the skin, such as mouth sores and hair loss. The former can make it difficult for the patient to eat or drink, whereas the latter can deeply affect their self-esteem and self-image. Nevertheless, there are more adverse effects immunotherapy can have on the skin, such as the following:
- itching and rashes, which are the most common symptoms impacting the skin
- loss of skin pigmentation, also known as vitiligo
- firm bumps in the skin known as granulomas
- uncomfortable blisters filled with fluid in the skin
- skin dryness that does not improve over time
The treatment of these adverse effects often involves topical or oral steroids, whose purpose is to control the skin reaction. Nonetheless, we need to remember that every cancer patient is different, so the therapeutic approach will be tailored depending on the severity and particularities of their skin problem. In addition to standard treatment, cancer patients struggling with the adverse effect immunotherapy has on their skin can alleviate their symptoms by following the right skincare routine.
What Are the Ideal Skincare Products for Cancer Patients Who Undergo Immunotherapy?
As a cancer patient, before using any product on your skin, you should discuss it with your healthcare provider. This is because some products may actually cause more harm than good. If your doctor allows you to use skincare products for the side effects of immunotherapy, you are lucky because we have a wide range you can choose from, depending on your exact problem. The following are the skincare products our customers have deemed the most effective for their skin issues caused by cancer treatments:
- for skin rashes on the face or the body, the Lindi Face Moisturizer and Lindi Body Lotion, which offer protection for excessive dryness and improved appearance for rough skin and flaking
- for skin dryness, our Lindi Soothing Balm, which contains avocado, olive oil, and shea butter, ingredients that protect and moisturize dry, cracked, and flaking skin
- for sensitive skin affected by bumps or blisters, the Basic Body Regimen: Body Wash + Body Lotion, which can help you get a soft, healthy, and free of itching skin
To reap all the benefits of these products, specifically manufactured for the skin problems cancer patients face as a result of aggressive treatment, you should build a skincare routine. Although it may sound overwhelming, it is way less complicated and time-consuming than you probably imagine. Our skin is the largest organ of the body, and taking care of it is very important, both for cancer patients and for people who are not affected by a malignant disease. There are three steps a healthy skincare routine should entail, namely:
- cleansing, during which you thoroughly wash your face with a suitable product
- toning, which involves balancing your skin by using washers, lotions, or serums
- moisturizing, during which you hydrate and soften your skin
The main goal of the skincare routine is to tune up your complexion so that it always looks the best it can and also troubleshoot any regions you want to work on. It is essential to acknowledge that creating and sticking up to a skincare routine usually takes time and cannot be accomplished overnight. Therefore, you should be patient. Last but not least, you have to keep in mind that as you age, you will need different products to care for your skin, as it will be changing in terms of elasticity and texture.
How Michael and Angela Developed a Healthy Skincare Routine by Virtue of the Heroes and Sacrifices Campaign
Living in Tampa, Florida, Michael is a 67-year-old Vietnam War veteran who struggles with bladder cancer due to frequent exposure to Agent Orange. During the conflict, this toxic herbicide mix would be sprayed over forests and foliage. He was diagnosed in the spring of 2020 when his disease was at stage 2, and even though he has tried numerous treatments to keep his cancer under control, immunotherapy proved to be the one that worked best for Michael.
However, like many other patients, the veteran experienced side effects concerning the skin, more specifically rashes on his body. A sliver of hope for him was the Heroes and Sacrifices campaign, a relatively new initiative that has a single mission – to put a smile on the faces of as many veterans struggling with cancer as possible. How, you may wonder? The answer is simple yet effective and has to do with gratitude, selflessness, and compassion. People who decide to join the campaign have to prepare a gift basket for a veteran with cancer, which they can fill with various useful or comforting objects.
This is how Michael received a gift basket with plenty of helpful things, among which was our body lotion. While skeptical about trying it at first, he decided to give it a chance, as his skin rash was quite bothersome. “I’ve never used a body lotion in my life, I thought these products were mostly for women, but once I heard they’re for all cancer patients, I said ‘why not?’ and tried it”, says the veteran. He was surprised to actually notice significant results on his skin after one week of using the Lindi Body Lotion. “My skin rash has got so much better with the help of this lotion, which I’d never thought I’d try before. I no longer experience itchiness, and the rash is becoming less and less visible on my body”, says Michael.
Every year, up to 48,000 veterans are diagnosed with cancer in the United States, and many of these brave people lack the emotional support they need and deserve. One of the main reasons the Heroes and Sacrifices campaign was created is to raise awareness of cancer among veterans and offer them a little moment of joy. Another veteran, 71-year-old Angela, was also the recipient of a gift basket containing our soothing balm. She is a Vietnam War veteran as well, having been among the 265,000 American women who served during the conflict.
At the beginning of this year, Angela received the bad news when her doctor somberly informed her that she had developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Once again, immunotherapy was the effective treatment, but it wreaked havoc on her skin. As a result, her skin became scaling and dry. “I was very happy that immunotherapy worked and that because of it, I would live a little longer, but at the same time, the skin dryness was driving me crazy,” says Angela. Nevertheless, soon after trying our product, she too was surprised to see that it works. “I eagerly tried the Lindi Skin Soothing Balm in the hope of getting some comfort, and to my surprise, it really worked. I’ve made a habit of applying it twice a day, and the effects are really amazing”, the veteran says.
Lindi Skin Joins the Heroes and Sacrifices Campaign to Show Our Support for Veterans with Cancer
When you receive a gift basket put together by a complete stranger, you feel appreciated and valued, which is what the people behind the Heroes and Sacrifices campaign aim for. Small gestures can go a long way and can even renew a person’s faith in humanity for a while if they are battling cancer, which is, sadly, a terminal disease in most cases.
Right as we heard about the campaign, we did not think twice and decided to participate. We have gladly contributed to it to the best of our abilities and have no doubt that the recipients of the gift baskets will cherish our small act of kindness.
If we have made you curious about the campaign and you would also like to join it, you can easily do so by filling out the form at the bottom of the official page. Subsequently, all you need to do is prepare a gift basket and send it to the team behind the campaign. They will make sure a veteran with cancer will receive it as soon as possible.
