How I got my glow back after four months of chemo By Alice Smellie Published: 20:41 EDT, 4 August 2024 | Updated: 20:41 EDT, 4 August 2024 e-mail View comments Thick skin? I'd love one. Thinning skin is one of the biggest signifiers of age, thanks to UV, hormones, stress, illness and – of course – actual ageing, where cells stop functioning as they did. After four months of chemotherapy for breast cancer , I can testify that illness does destroy skin.
At the end of my treatment, mine was sensitive, wrinkled, grey and as fragile-looking as loo roll. Desperate for a solution, I was invited to test a new range called Vital Assist Skincare. It had its work cut out, but after five months of use – spoiler alert – my skin has never looked better.
A lot of talk around chemo is about hair loss – but the drugs used in cancer treatment aren't exactly fantastic for your complexion either. Back in October, my skin was reasonably fresh and unlined. I was taking collagen supplements, using systemic HRT and had Botox around my eyes.
Since my diagnosis I've given up HRT on medical advice and made a personal decision not to take supplements (except Vitamin D). In pictures taken earlier this year, I look grey, hollow-eyed, and generally as though my face has caved in on itself. Alice Smellie says a surprising compliment that she's heard over the last few weeks has been: 'You look so well' A lot of talk around chemo is about hair loss - but the drugs used in cancer treatment aren't exactly fantastic for your complexion either Yes, chemo is amazing, and it cures or prevents cancer from recurring.
I am incredibly grateful to be ageing at all But I didn't recognise myself in the mirror. Certainly I'm not alone. 'We see a lot of patients who are desperate to restore skin condition after cancer treatment,' says aesthetic specialist Dr Mervyn Patterson at Woodford Medical, who has brought Vital Assist Skincare over from the US.
'Most people feel that they age dramatically. When you're having chemo, the epidermis can't hold moisture as well, so fine lines may appear. In addition, collagen and elastin, which provide healthy plumpness, break down.
' Ovaries are also affected by chemo, throwing women into menopause, which does your complexion no favours either. In the five years post menopause you can lose as much as 30 per cent of your collagen. At the beginning of treatment, I was premenopausal (just).
Now, I am firmly – say the blood tests – out the other side. The new product range is based around a retinoid. This family of ingredients is hugely effective but has never worked for me as my skin gets very irritated and dry.
The way it works is that the retinoid goes to the basal layer of the skin, where all the skin cells are made. There it's converted into retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A, which stimulates new cell production. Often, however, the retinoid also works on cells on the way down – causing irritation and flaking skin.
Read More Microsoft outage leaves cancer sufferers unable to start chemo and diabetics without vital drugs Vital Assist Skincare uses what I think of as a stealth retinoid. By encapsulating the retinoid in a 'cloak' made from protective lipids, it drops smoothly down to the basal layer, where the skin's enzymes convert the retinoid into vitamin A, so it can get to work. The company has just done a clinical study measuring the skin thickness of 30 people when they start using the products, after 12 weeks and after 20 weeks.
It showed skin thickness almost doubled. There are four products supporting the hero product – the Cellular Renewal Cream. There's a Complex C serum which contains peptides, proteins that stimulate collagen production, and what's called arbutin, which suppresses pigment formation.
There's also a Vitamin Repair Serum to provide all the vitamins cells need. The downside is that the Cellular Renewal cream costs £120 for 50ml. But it has lasted me almost six months.
I've been using Vital Assist Skincare diligently since mid-February. You might argue that, of course, my skin has improved as it's not being poisoned every week. But the skin on my body is nothing like as good as it was pre-chemo.
It is significantly more wrinkled and sagging than before, whereas that on my face is – incredibly – better. This range is targeted at anyone who is looking to boost their skin thickness, not just those who've been through chemo. A surprising compliment that I've heard over the last few weeks has been: 'You look so well.
' Honestly, I'll take that. vitalassist.co.
uk My other favourites: Face: Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream, (from £14.99, balmonds.co.
uk ). This is perfume- and paraben-free. Jennifer Young Defiant Beauty Intensive Serum, (£30, beautydespitecancer.
com ). Uses natural oils to nourish and balance. Body: Altruist Dry Skin Repair Cream (£6.
50, altruistsun.com). Incredibly moisturising and a fantastic price.
Hands: Nursem Caring Hand Cream, (£9.99, nursem.co.
uk ). Deliciously moisturising and beautifully packaged. Share or comment on this article: How I got my glow back after four months of chemo e-mail Add comment.
