“I met Diana when I lived in LA and fell in love with her natural techniques and eco savvy products before it was a trend. My sensitive skin soaked in her powerful products and her facials calmed my inflammation and outbreaks. I moved to Seattle this year and was diagnosed with breast cancer, which left my skin ultra sensitive as a result of chemotherapy treatments. Living far away from LA and Diana, her Skin Health product line has been a miracle. Her Gentle Gel Wild Oat & Honey Cleanser is the most amazing creation of aloe, honey and oats. My overly dehydrated skin washes clean without irritation and soaks up the restorative benefits of Diana’s anti-inflammatory oil blend. I follow with a mix of her Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Specialty Blend Oil and Essential Moisturizer …a must for my nutrient depleted skin. My skin feels like silk now and glows from within. Thank you Diana! Your passion and intelligence behind your skin care shines through. Keep the good stuff coming!” Alissa Pittenger, Seattle, WA
I started this post with the testimonial of our dear client who was diagnosed with cancer at such a young age and is still receiving chemotherapy treatments. Oncology medication strongly effects the whole body including the skin. Skin becomes sensitive, uncomfortably dry and it can feel like it aged overnight. Also, it becomes more absorbent, but not in a good way, it looses the one of the main functions of the skin-protecting body from environment. What ever is applied to the skin, sinks in quick and deeply, so it is more important than ever to choose natural, toxic chemical free skin care products. It’s been proved time and time again that skin care products don’t stay on the top layer, they penetrate. Later, ingredients are absorbed into lymphatic system (lymphatic fluid is right under the top layer of the skin, closer to the surface than the blood) and start the journey through the body. Just to name few of these unsafe ingredients: Parabens are found in biopsy of cancerous tissues, Triclosan effect thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism—and may disrupt normal breast development, Phthalate exposure has been linked to early puberty in girls, a risk factor for later-life breast cancer, many sunscreens contain chemicals that exert significant estrogenic activity, (more about these these toxic ingredients can be found on www.breastcancerfund.org website http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/environmental-breast-cancer-links/cosmetics/).
In my opinion, there is absolutely no need to use products with chemicals that are proved to be unsafe. Why risk? No such a thing as”moderation”. If you have some anti-bacterial soap with Triclosan, some skin care products with petroleum jelly (main ingredient in Vaseline), some skin care and hair care products with Parabens, some lipstick with Led, some laundry detergent with Phosphates, 1,4-dioxane and Sodium lauryl sulfate, some household cleansers withAmmonia, 2-butoxyethanol, Trisodium nitrilotriacetate (NTA) your home is already heavily loaded with toxins!
Avoid buying any beauty or cleaning products that don’t have a complete list of ingredients. Some companies are listing only ingredients that you want to see on the list, but leaving the rest of out. My “favorite” is when the label says “No toxic chemicals”, but there are no ingredients listed at all!
Lets talk about skin care ingredients that are safe and useful for oncology patients. Ingredients like, Aloe Vera, Honey, Herbal Extracts and Teas, Essential Oils, Algae, Hyaluronic Acid, Botanical Antioxidants, fruit and berry extracts. Also, products from the kitchen, like avocado, bananas, honey, chia seeds, coconut oil and similar.
Facial treatment. The safest would be to find Certified Oncology Esthetician or at least call in for consultation. Ask what products they are using, how experienced they are in treating cancer patients. Products and equipment NOT recommended in the Facial for Oncology patient:
- facial steam,
- abrasive exfoliation,
- microdermabrasion,
- artificial fragrance,
- parabens,
- strong fruit acids,
- exfoliating chemicals,
- bleaching products,
- micro current,
- ultrasound,
- deep, invigorating massage.
Products and equipment recommended in the Facial for Oncology patient:
- warm compresses,
- organic and natural products,
- LED light Therapy,
- soothing/moisturizing creamy Masks,
- Lymphatic drainage Massage (only from Certified Oncology Esthetician, especially if you still have portal for chemotherapy or many lymph nodes were removed),
- acupressure massage,
- light arm massage,
- light scalp massage.
Diana Ralys went through extensive training and is Certified Oncology Esthetician. Call “Diana Ralys Skin Health” for a consultation 310-264-2228.