Skincare workshops for cancer patients at Eastbourne DGH

The free monthly sessions give advice for people going through harsh treatments such as chemotherapy and help them overcome the terrible loss of confidence and self-esteem that can come as a side effect of the disease.

They are hosted by renewYOU Cancertology, which creates skincare products which are safe for people with cancer to use.

CEO Jonathan Sorrel-Fleet said, “The first workshop was a huge success. They are such amazing people. People come along and it’s not a support group – but it is. It’s allowing cancer patients to sit with other people who totally understand what they are going through, and chat without any pressure.”

One of the aims is to educate people on ingredients to watch out for.

He said, “After treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy, skin is left in an awful condition. Unfortunately most products have ingredients which are fine if you don’t have cancer, but if you do it aggravates and causes flare-ups.

“Some aggravate deep down in the skin. There are products which have cancer-causing ingredients in them.”

Jonathan explained people often think of lavender and tea tree essential oils as relaxing, but they may be harmful for cancer patients.

“It’s fine for anybody who hasn’t got cancer, but for oestrogen-based cancers such as breast cancer, it replicates cancer cells and encourages cancer to grow,” he said.

Even some sun-creams have ingredients which are bad for those with cancer, Jonathan added.

Newly-launched in the UK, renewYOU was made by oncology aesthetician Susan Wolf, who has almost a decade’s experience in the field. Jonathan said, “There’s nothing else available in the UK for cancer patients to buy which they know will not cause a reaction from their treatment.”

To find out more and book a place, email [email protected] or visit www.renewyoucancertologyuk.com