“With everything that has happened to you, you can either feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose.”
– Dr. Wayne W Dyer
The Look Good . . . Feel Better Program is a free service provided so that women with cancer can learn new ways to restore body image and cope with the changes in appearance.
This exciting program is a joint venture between the American Cancer Society, the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association Foundation, and the National Cosmetology Association. Certified skin, nail care, and hair specialists, as well as professional makeup artists, educate the cancer survivor about new techniques to enhance her physical image. The information provided on the next page was taken from the American Cancer Society website.
Sometimes physical appearance can be linked with self-esteem. Women who have breast cancer surgery may have a different shape and/or altered appearance to their breasts. With complete mastectomies and chest wall radiation, the resulting chest may appear disfigured.
Surgical reconstruction may not change how a woman feels about her breasts and changed appearance. The survivor may feel ashamed, embarrassed, or worried about getting undressed in front of her partner, as emotional rejection is a concern. A woman can regain a sense of femininity while maintaining high fashion.
In association with self-esteem exercises and perhapschest wall radiation, the resulting chest may appear disfigured. Surgical reconstruction may not change how a woman feels about her breasts and changed appearance.
The survivor may feel ashamed, embarrassed, or worried about getting undressed in front of her partner, as emotional rejection is a concern. A woman can regain a sense of femininity while maintaining high fashion. In association with self-esteem exercises and perhapspsychological counseling, she can choose from an array of bras, lingerie, and sportswear. Fashionable, stylish clothes can help a woman to reclaim a sense of beauty and help her to feel attractive. A woman may experience grief when she feels that she is no longer the same person physically. She may also grieve that she is no longer able to have more children. Also, sexy lingerie is available for those who have had mastectomies or lumpectomies. Nottiwear, a Canadian company, specializes in this type of sensual lingerie; see www.nottiwear.com.
Some women who have an ostomy (a bag that is on the outside of the body used to store fecal waste in the event of a colonic or anal resection) may be self-conscious about the appearance and are concerned about foul odors and spillage. This may limit her ability to pursue new friendships and sexual relationships. These suggestions might help women with an ostomy bag: purchasing lingerie specifically designed as ostomy covers and changing the ostomy bag frequently, in anticipation of social situations or sexual activity. In addition, specially designed, odor-controlling tablets can be placed in the bag to minimize offensive odors. Certain foods that may cause increased odors should be avoided as well. During sexual activity, remember to liberally use pillows and comforters.
Choose sexual positions that are comfortable and that place minimal pressure on your ostomy bag.
Magnolia Myrick:
Go ahead, girl, be a “cancer vixen.” Treat yourself to that lingerie and love it. You probably needn’t limit yourself to “special” lingerie shops; however, you may find wider selections at regular lingerie shops and do a bit of creativeadaptation if necessary. Cancer Vixen, by the way, is an uproarious memoir by Marisa Acocella Marchetto about her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. She pulls no punches and it’s a great read.
Look Good . . . Feel Better
Group workshops are available: Volunteer beauty professionals lead small groups, usually about 6 to 10 women, through practical, hands-on experience. Women learn about makeup, skin care, nail care, and ways to deal with hair loss such as with wigs, turbans, and scarves.
Each woman gets a free makeup kit to use during and after the workshop. One-on-one salon consultations: Services are available for patients who are unable to go to a group workshop. A free, onetime, individual salon consultation with a volunteer cosmetologist may be available in their area.
These trained beauty experts help each patient manage her skin, nail, and hair needs and also help her find ways to feel better about how she looks during treatment.
Fashionable, stylish clothes can help a woman to reclaim a sense of beauty and help her to feel attractive.
Terms:
Chest wall radiation – Radiation to the chest.
Ostomy – A bag that is on the outside of the body used to store fecal waste in the event of a urine, colonic, or anal resection.
