Abstract 5649
Background
Cancer treatment cause many toxicities included skin toxicities. Although skin toxicity often resolve upon therapy discontinuation these side effect can negatively affect self esteem, treatment compliance and quality of life.
Methods
A literature review was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed and Google scholar, with respect to the period from 2008 to 2018. The following key words were entered: “medical makeup”, “cancer”, “anticancer treatment’’ and a combination thereof. The exclusion criteria for the articles were languages other than English.
Results
Medical makeup was tested under dermatological control on damaged skin. It was water- and sweat-resistant, perfume-free, preservative-free, superior coverage (40-50% pigments) and has natural results. In a multicenter study (9 centers) were studied 90 patients presenting with visible cutaneous side effects from chemotherapy: altered complexion, total or partial eyebrow alopecia, irregularity of lip contour, dry lips. The corrective medical makeup improved the quality of life in 81.2% of patients and helped 76.8% of patients to brave the stares of others. Also, health professionals should inform women cancer patients about medical make-up, its benefits and give some instructions for applying make-up.
Conclusions
Medical makeup has many benefits in enhancing patients’ self-esteem. Health professionals must find ways to implement it in cancer patients who have skin toxicity. Also, in Greece there is a great need for further research for this issue, on a large population with precise characteristics in order to arrive at safe results about medical makeup.
Clinical trial identification
Legal entity responsible for the study
Alexander Technological Educational Institute - Research Laboratory "Care in Adults Patients with Cancer".
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Editorial Acknowledgement
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.