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I wanted to take advantage of our blog post to make a reflection of interest to all those women with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and cervical cancer.

It is common in these gynecological tumors to use different chemotherapy drugs whose main side effects appear precisely on the skin. Sometimes these alterations of the skin or nails can become severe and disabling, requiring the suspension or reduction of doses or spacing of treatment cycles.

I would like to draw attention to the importance of skin care prior to the start of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, especially of the face, hands, nails and oral cavity since their integrity is fundamental in our daily chores.

The main skin side effects of chemotherapy treatments are dry skin, itching, rashes, hand-foot syndrome and acneiform rashes.

Today we know that proper skin hygiene and hydration as well as early treatment of the cutaneous side effects of chemotherapy can prevent severe skin complications in most cases. It is very important that these patients have a dermatological and dental check-up prior to the start of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, as well as scheduled visits as indicated by the professional in order to start the most appropriate treatment at the slightest complication and as soon as possible.

As far as hair loss or alopecia is concerned, there are currently no effective treatments to prevent it, but it is interesting to know that in most cases the hair recovers with time. Scarves, prostheses or wigs can be used for the duration of the treatment, depending on what makes each woman feel more comfortable. It is important to cover the head, in summer to avoid sun exposure and in winter to avoid cooling the scalp.

Once the hair starts to grow back, the dermatologist may prescribe certain medications to accelerate hair growth. The normal rate of hair growth is 1cm/month although it may be slower at first after chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatment.

As for the nails, it is very common for them to be altered by chemotherapy. Horizontal or vertical lines may appear, detach from the nail bed or change color. Sometimes the skin surrounding the nail becomes inflamed and can become over-infected and/or create granulation tissue (pyogenic granuloma) causing serious discomfort to the woman. Once again, periodic inspection by a dermatologist as well as preventive and early treatments can prevent their appearance.

Take care of yourself, pamper yourself and spend a few minutes every day taking care of your skin. Especially if you are receiving any immunosuppressive or antitumor treatment.