● Take more continuing education hours to learn more about safe all-natural ingredients. ● Make-up tips to help women that have had chemo and radiation treatments feel better about themselves. ● Free eyebrow shaping/drawing. Their eyebrows fall out many times up to one year or more after treatment. ● Start a giving tree each year that goes directly to help one cancer patient and family. You can make an impact on so many by doing any or all these things. Be creative! As I stated before, we are in this business because we enjoy helping other people and making them feel good and confident about themselves. There are many simple, impactful ways to help a client who is going through cancer without interfering with their treatment or adding to their side effects.
the salon? Well, based on my personal experience, here are some options: ● Send them regular, biweekly, or monthly texts or email, just to check in and send healing thoughts The patient will not forget the kindness and thoughtfulness, as dealing with cancer can be a lonely and isolating experience. Another option is to send a card. ● Offer a free facial/treatment after their oncologist has cleared them. This might give the patient something to look forward to at the end of their treatment process, which is a long and difficult road. ● Everyone loves treats! Think of sending a special treat or flowers to lift their spirits. You’d be surprised how much impact a simple act like this can have on someone struggling with cancer.
EASY AS ABC
moles are usually a single shade of color, so moles that have many different shades or colors should be checked by a professional. The letter D is for diameter. If it looks larger than the diameter of an eraser of a pencil, that is considered suspicious. The E stands for evolving. A mole that is evolving, shrinking, growing, changing- for example, if it begins to itch or bleed- should be checked.
Merriam-Webster defines the word esthetician as, “a person licensed to provide cosmetic skincare treatments and services such as facials, hair removal, and makeup application (Merriam-Webster, 2020). As the description explains, we are one of the few professionals working on the epidermis of our clients (Merriam-Webster, 2020). Unless they have a full body check once a year, most people do not have their full-body looked at by a professional. Whether we perform a facial, neck, shoulder, hand, or foot massage, we are seeing more of their skin than anyone except maybe their significant other who is most definitely not looking for small skin changes or calcifications (Healthline.com, 2018). We will look at warning signs on our clients so you can spot the difference in their skin, hair, or nails that may save their life. Early detection with cancer can mean the difference between life and death. It is important to understand that we are not doctors, so never act like one in your treatment room. If you see anything that looks malignant or has a reason for concern such as growing hyperpigmentation with uneven borders, never scare your client. In a relaxed way, ask about skincare and sun protection. Start by asking what they use for sun protection and if they burn easily. If they have or have not had a full-body skin check by a dermatologist yet this year, you may consider suggesting that it is time. We must always conduct ourselves most calm manner. It is important to convey this information to your clients in a way that will make them take you seriously, but won’t alarm them. It’s important to reiterate: we are not medical professionals. But arming ourselves with the knowledge of what skin cancer can look like will help us better serve our clients. A simple way for you to check if a mole looks troublesome on a client is by applying the ABCDEs for melanoma (Prevent Cancer Foundation, N.D.). The letter A stands for asymmetry. Does one side of the mole not match the other half? The easiest way to check is to draw an imaginary line through the mole to see if it is the same on both sides. The letter B is for the border- if the edges of the mole are ragged, blurred, or irregular, that can be a sign of melanoma lesions. The letter C is for a color- a mole that does not have the same color throughout or has shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white, or red is considered suspicious. Normal
THE RETURN
as the cancer patients’ skin may still be sensitive from the treatments. You may feel intrusive asking your client for a doctor's note after any cancer treatment, but to protect yourself it is necessary. You will then keep that note in your file under
Once they have been cleared from all cancer treatments and have a note from their oncologist, it is okay for your client to return to you for their first facial. That facial should be a very basic facial hydrating facial using occlusive products to prevent water loss. Your goal is to repair and restore the barrier function of the skin. Limit your use of exfoliation,
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Book Code: ENC0826
EliteLearning.com/Cosmetology
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