Thick skin? I wish I had one. Thinning skin is one of the biggest indicators of aging, thanks to UV rays, hormones, stress, disease, and of course aging itself, when cells stop working the way they used to.
After four months of chemotherapy for breast cancer, I can attest to the fact that the disease destroys the skin. By the end of treatment, mine was sensitive, wrinkled, grey and as fragile-looking as toilet paper.
Desperate for a solution, I was invited to try out a new range called Vital Assist Skincare. It took a lot of work, but after five months of use (spoiler alert), my skin has never looked better.
There’s a lot of talk about hair loss around chemotherapy, but the drugs used in cancer treatment aren’t exactly great for the complexion either. By October, my skin was reasonably fresh and wrinkle-free. I was taking collagen supplements, using systemic hormone replacement therapy, and had Botox around my eyes.
Since being diagnosed, I have stopped taking hormone replacement therapy on doctor’s advice and made a personal decision not to take any supplements (except vitamin D). In photographs taken earlier this year, I look grey, sunken-eyed, and generally as if my face has caved in on itself.
Alice Smellie says one surprising compliment she’s heard in recent weeks has been: “You look great.”
There’s a lot of talk about hair loss surrounding chemotherapy, but the drugs used in cancer treatment aren’t exactly great for your complexion either.
Yes, chemotherapy is wonderful and cures or prevents cancer from coming back. I am incredibly grateful to be getting older, but I didn’t recognize myself in the mirror.
I’m not alone. “We see a lot of patients who are desperate to get their skin back after cancer treatment,” says Dr Mervyn Patterson, a cosmetic specialist at Woodford Medical, who brought Vital Assist Skincare over from the US.
“Most people feel like they are aging dramatically. When you’re undergoing chemotherapy, your epidermis can’t retain moisture as well, so fine lines can appear. Also, collagen and elastin, which provide healthy volume, break down.”
The ovaries are also affected by chemotherapy, which causes women to enter menopause, which also does no favours for the skin. In the five years following menopause, up to 30 per cent of collagen can be lost. At the beginning of the treatment, I was in pre-menopause (barely). Now, according to blood tests, I am fully out of menopause.
The new range of products is based on a retinoid. This family of ingredients is very effective, but it has never worked for me because my skin gets very irritated and dry.
Retinoids act on the basal layer of the skin, where all skin cells are formed. There, they are converted into retinoic acid, the active form of vitamin A, which stimulates the production of new cells. However, retinoids often also act on the cells below, causing irritation and peeling of the skin.
Vital Assist Skincare uses what I consider a stealth retinoid. By encapsulating the retinoid in a “shell” made of protective lipids, it gently moves down to the basal layer, where enzymes in the skin convert the retinoid into vitamin A, so it can begin to work.
The company has just conducted a clinical study in which the skin thickness of 30 people was measured when they started using the products, after 12 weeks and after 20 weeks. The result was that skin thickness practically doubled.
There are four products that complement the star product: the cell renewal cream. There is a Complex C serum that contains peptides, proteins that stimulate collagen production and what is called arbutin, which suppresses pigment formation. There is also a vitamin repair serum that provides all the vitamins that cells need.
The downside is that Cellular Renewal cream costs £120 for 50ml, but it has lasted me almost six months.
I have been using Vital Assist Skincare diligently since mid-February. You could argue that of course my skin has improved because it is not being poisoned every week, but the skin on my body is not as good as it was before chemo. It is significantly more wrinkled and sagging than before, while the skin on my face is, incredibly, better.
This range is aimed at anyone looking to thicken their skin, not just those who have undergone chemotherapy. One surprising compliment I’ve heard in recent weeks has been, “You look great.” Honestly, I’ll take that.
My other favorites:
Face: Balmonds Daily Moisturiser (from £14.99, balmonds.co.uk). Contains no perfume or parabens.
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 hydrating and at a fantastic price.
Hands: Nursem Caring Hand Cream (£9.99, nursem.co.ukDeliciously hydrating and beautifully packaged.
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