Cancer and looking ok...

[smilingElizabeth]

I've recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and I'm about to have an operation. I'd really like some advice on how to look after my skin and hair and make myself feel a bit better. I'm not big on make up and generally only wear tinted moisturiser and fill in my brows a little as they are a bit patchy.
So I'd really like some recommendations of:
a tinted moisturiser for oily skin
Nail varnish that lasts ( hope to cover up my yucky yellowish toe nails)
A good dry shampoo for hospital and afterwards
If anyone else can give advice on what to wear in hospital and after I'd be grateful. I have bought some pj's with buttons so far.
Many thanks

Hi op, so sorry that you're in this situation

Try Laura Mercier oil free tinted moisturiser. It's wonderful. Really brings skin to life with a lovely glow.

Essie Gel Couture nail varnish has been a total game changer for me. Looks like I've had salon gels done and it lasts for ages.

I also rate Toni and Guy dry shampoos for a bit of oomph and volume.

Wishing you all the best.

I had breast cancer and chemo in 2017.

Still managed to wash my hair after operation, in the sink pouring water over my head with a beaker. Your PJ's sound ideal. I had a few blouses to wear afterwards but tbh any easy to get on top would be fine. Didn't stay in hospital long enough to need to do it there. Didn't feel the need for nail varnish. Nails only got slightly discoloured. Wore closed toed shoes and sandals. Your skin might change, usually gets dryer. I just wore face powder, eyeliner, blusher, lipsalve and lipstick. I recommend a good lipsalve and some Blisteze as lips can get dry and cracked.

I work in a surgical ward (not breast surgery tho)

I recommend:
Clothes that are comfortable for lounging in such as leggings & T-shirt's. I know many wards try to encourage patients to wear clothes during the day.
Decent slippers or other footwear,
Some loose pj bottoms / shorts that you can pull down quickly in case you have to go on a bedpan if stuck in bed post operation,
Snacks you can eat if nauseous post op such as dry crackers, ginger biscuits etc
Entertainment- lots of waiting around in hospital! Eg books, magazines, iPad / smartphone (with headphones).
Ear plugs & even an eye mask as hospitals are noisy bright places even at night despite our best efforts.

Boots No7 do a good BB cream which is like tinted moisturiser & you can get it for oily or dry skin.

Wishing you a good recovery x

Ps I find Rimmel's nail varnish stays on my toenails for quite a while

Are you having a lumpectomy or mastectomy? Will you be having chemo? I just finished chemo a month ago and honestly, I found the absolutely best thing for my skin (as it was so sensitive) was E45 cream, even on my face.

When I had my lumpectomy I had everything buttoning down the front. I'm having mastectomy shortly and will do the same.

If you're having chemo, a v dark nail polish can protect your nails.

There is a charity called Look Good Feel Better.

You might like to book yourself on to one of their workshops - there might be leaflets in your hospital, or Macmillan office, or at your local cancer support centre, or look online.

Thank you for all the advice so far and good wishes. Most likely to be a mastectomy and then radiotherapy. I'll find out the details of the surgery in a few days as I had to have another biopsy and the results of that will determine if it's breast conserving surgery or a mastectomy. I'm lucky it's been discovered early.
I don't have any headphones and my new iPhone doesn't have a port for headphones bizarrely so I shall have to look in to that.

If wide local excision, it might well just be day surgery but you’ll likely have a drain to reduce seroma. You can go home with that and community nurses will remove it.
You will be able to wash your hair so dry shampoo isn’t necessary.

You’ll maybe want a light cross body bag to carry drains in. Then normal clothes but separates rather than a dress to make wound checks easier.
A non wired bra or just crop top. Nothing if you’re tiny breasted anyway.
Chemo is the time you might want to worry about your appearance as the surgery part is done and dusted very quickly and you look normal.

Chemo you’ll likely be offered a wig consultation but some places do colour me beautiful etc. Dark nail varnish for chemo. Invest in eyeliner and eyebrow kit. Tissue for runny nose. Otherwise you look much the same.

Aveno cream is your friend, particularly after radio. Take arnica a few days before the op - you will heal quicker. Take tumeric as it will reduce swelling. If they give you medi honey for radio then grab it - it is fab.

Soft all in one bras from Tesco are brill. They are £5.00. If you have a mastectomy then knitted norks are a fab charity that knit a soft prothesis which is good for straight after.

Lumpectomy is fine - its the lymphnode excision that hurts the most.

Highly recommend boots waterptoof dressings. Get some large food bags and dressing tape so you can fashion a nork pelmet for showering to protect your dressing.

I bought buttin up pjs and only wore them once. Went into normal jammies a few days after first lumpectomy op. I didn't bother for three subsequent margin clearance ops. Get in neurofen. They give you codein which I used for a couple of nights but it makes you constpated.

Take a long flumpy dressing gown. I was cold in hospital. Slippers and warm socks. The compression stockings are yuck. You are likely to have a breast binding thingy - rather lumpy and scratchy velcro but does cut down the pain a bit.

Thank you for all the advice cherrypavola and flyingarcher. I don't know anyone who's had this done as I'm a bit younger than the usual demographic.

The new iPhones have wireless ear buds I think?

I wore yoga trousers a lot during treatment and chemo and while recovering. I got from Gap and similar. Soft tops too with batwing sleeves allowed me to keep them pushed up for my cannula. I also bought an expensive but very soft cardigan to wrap up in and a sort of pasmina thing for layering over my knees. I didn't have breast cancer but in any case I didn't wear a bra as I couldn't bear the constriction. I also wore a size Margery knickers for the same reason! I thunk I just felt out of sync with my body. I lost all my hair all over so shampooing wasn't an issue ( everyone is different). I used very gentle body wash and sensitive skin lotions. I found perfumes overwhelming so stuck to unscented except bizarrely a rose scented body wash given by a friend (REN) which I used occasionally to cheer myself up. All my tastes and smells senses changed and it was odd.

I'm so sorry you have to go through this. My advice is to accept all the help you are offered, take advantage of everything offered by Macmillan etc eg at centres at the hospital. Be gentle in yourself. Best wishes

M&S have these mega comfy trousers, I wear them with a plain black t shirt and trainers. They do a plain version too
https://www.marksandspencer.com/tapered-leg-jersey-ankle-grazer-peg-trousers/p/p60278880?image=SD01T576103F4XEC_90&color=NAVYMIX&prevPage=srp

I really like Hurraw moon balm (lip balm) as it's chamomile and v soothing

Co-zees (Amazon/eBay) are the warmest socks ever and I always have cold feet

A soft wrap cardigan or open front one in case you get cold

Water wipes or Johnson's top to toe washcloths are great if you feel a bit grubby but can't wash, Asda do a version of the washcloths too

Maybe some gentle toiletries like child's farm body wash and lotion

It’s scary now but really not that bad, to be honest. I was back at work and driving four days post op.

Don’t panic and start scaring yourself, it is entirely manageable. I think uncertainty is the hardest thing to deal with. Once you know the type of surgery, it’s easier to look at specific preparation. Undoubtedly mastectomy has bigger psychological impact and more obvious long term physical effect. I had wide local excision and axillary clearance. The surgery was long because of the lymph node involvement but at least the biggest scar is in my armpit.
You’ll cope whatever but it’s not a particularly nice year ahead for you.

Thank you for the advice. Has been really useful.