Fighting Cancer with Stunning Skin: All About Osmosis’s Oncology Friendly Products
Posted by Nikki Wisher on Oct 4th 2024
A battle against cancer has a way of affecting so many aspects of your life, both physically and emotionally. One of the effects that a lot of patients don’t know about or consider before they start experiencing it is the impact of cancer treatment on your skin. You might notice skin irritation and sensitivity that wasn’t there before, and there are many reasons for this. But the cliff note is this: you don’t just have to endure it because Osmosis has a line of oncology-friendly products that can help.
What Is the Oncology-Friendly Beauty Line?
The Oncology-Friendly Beauty line is a product line by the respected skin care brand Osmosis that’s designed to be protective and safe for people who are going through cancer treatments. It’s formulated to be very gentle and protective for compromised skin while strengthening your skin’s healthy barrier and enhancing your skin’s beauty (because cancer can do a lot of things but it doesn’t get to make you feel any less beautiful).
Why Do Cancer Patients Need Specialized Skin Care?
The cancer treatment journey actually affects your skin in several different ways that most people don’t know about. For example:
- Chemotherapy can have side effects for your skin like extreme dryness
- Radiation therapy can compromise your skin’s health
- Rashes and irritation can come from any of the many medications you need to take as well as from wound dressings
- Chemotherapy can limit your immune system’s ability to heal otherwise simple skin wounds so you need to be especially careful about infections
- Some medications can make you especially sensitive to the sun so you have a higher risk of sunburn and sun damage
These side effects and impacts from battling cancer can weaken your skin’s protective barrier and make your skin very sensitive so it gets irritated and uncomfortable easily.
What Makes Oncology-Friendly Skin Care Unique?
The oncology-friendly skin care line from Osmosis is a rarity – that’s not a specialty that you find often, even as needed as it is. These products are designed for cancer warriors because they’re highly gentle and hypoallergenic so that they don’t create irritation when you have a compromised skin barrier. In fact, they strengthen that barrier with deep moisturizing and protective qualities.
Can the Oncology-Friendly Beauty Products Benefit Other People Too?
Yes, you can use oncology-friendly skin care products and beauty products if you’re not a cancer patient or if you’ve finished your treatment. There isn’t anything that makes them incompatible for people who aren’t going through cancer treatment, they’re simply designed for the needs of cancer patients. In fact, people who have similar skin needs (like people whose skin is very sensitive, reactive, and dry) can benefit from these products too.
What Products Are in the Oncology-Friendly Skin Care Line?
Osmosis has a dozen products in their Oncology-Friendly Beauty product line, ranging from fundamental skin care products to mineral makeup. Here are some of the core staples, though.
Osmosis Purify Enzyme Cleanser
Skin cleansing is tricky when you have cancer. On the one hand you want to keep your skin clean by washing it regularly to lower your risk of infection and irritation, but at the same time, cleansing can strip away essential moisture, making your already dry and sensitive skin even drier and more sensitive. The Purify Enzyme Cleanser is Osmosis’s answer to that question. It’s an abundantly gentle cleanser that even gives you a touch of exfoliating while also keeping your skin hydrated and calm.
Osmosis Quench Nourishing Moisturizer
As we’ve noted, one of the main skin health challenges when you’re fighting cancer is dryness. So, unsurprisingly, you need a great moisturizer in your arsenal, and Osmosis Quench Nourishing Moisturizer is the one. This moisturizer is surprisingly lightweight considering how richly hydrating it is, and it’s specially formulated for reinforcing a weakened skin barrier.
Osmosis StemFactor Growth Factor Serum
If you’re someone who loves to treat your skin to anti-aging products and rejuvenate your appearance, you might be disappointed to hear that retinol generally isn’t advised for people in cancer treatment because it can irritate your skin. Well, good news: you can still revitalize your skin without retinol. Osmosis StemFactor Growth Factor Serum is a specialized anti-aging serum that brings together over 600 (!) growth factors and peptides that restore skin health and encourage new cell growth. That doesn’t just help you look younger but it can help with skin damage too.
What Other Skin Care Tips Should Cancer Patients Follow?
While it’s always a good idea to consult with your oncologist or your dermatologist about care based on your specific needs and treatment regimen, there are some skin care tips that will help most people with cancer to protect and soothe your skin.
Keep Your Water Temperature Lukewarm
When you’re cleansing your skin (and showering, and washing dishes, and doing anything else with water), use warm water rather than hot water. Hot water breaks down lipids which are what strengthen your protective barrier in your skin, so hot water will make your skin more sensitive. Turn that dial down!
Steer Clear of Irritating Ingredients
In general, when you’re buying skin care products or anything else that goes on your skin, look for products that are labeled as safe for sensitive skin. These products are formulated to be gentle and non-irritating. The goal is to avoid anything that’s likely to inflame your skin, and the biggest culprits are fragrances, allergens, salicylic acid, retinol, and glycolic acid.
Take Sun Care Seriously
Some medications in cancer treatment can make your skin more sensitive to the sun or even cause allergic reactions if you get anything more than minimal sun exposure. That could mean sunburn or rashes, for example. To protect your skin, you’ll want to be extra careful with your sun care. Wear a mineral zinc oxide sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Get into the routine of applying sunscreen every morning and reapply any time you’ll be in the sun for a while.
Caring for Your Skin in Cancer Treatment
Getting back to health takes precedence over just about everything else when you have cancer, but sometimes a little self-care can do your heart good while also easing some of the many side effects of cancer treatment. Skin care can be part of that self care, and Osmosis makes the right skin care easier to find with their Oncology-Friendly Beauty line. Shop these skincare products from Skin Elite and give yourself the treat of healthier skin amid your cancer journey.