Halp! Cancer Patient Skin Cream

[Nicolesica]

I have a friend with breast cancer who is having some issues with irritation on her skin. I know there are a lot of these recipes posted online—which is overwhelming. I HATE making lotions, so I don’t want to waste a bunch of time trying a few out. Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for an extremely gentle body butter or cream? Like I said I hate making lotions, but a nice thick body butter might do the trick.

 

[dibbles]

I'm sorry to hear about your friend. It's so nice that you want to help her by making something. I hate making lotions too, so can't really help, but I think @cmzaha used to sell to a lot of cancer patients and might be able to give you some ideas. My favorite ready made base is the head to toe cream from Majestic Mountain Sage and there might be an additive that would help her.

 

[Carly B]

The first time I had breast cancer, they gave me little tubes of Aquaphor. I usually avoid mineral oil products, but this helped and stayed put.

If she's not interested in going that route, after trying cream and lotion bases from quite a few suppliers, I have settled on this one as my go-to base. Natural Goat's Lotion Concentrate Base per lb.
It's REALLY thick, almost like spackle, but you can thin it out to any consistency you
want. I have used it to make thick creams and medium thick lotions, but I've also
mixed with enough liquid (aloe vera juice is a favorite) to make a spray on moisturizer. It's that versatile. They also make a version without the goatmilk, but I haven't tried that one.

 

[FFLinOhio]

I am supporting a friend that is going through chemotherapy now. The Chemo instruction book from the Cleveland Clinic recommends Fragrance Free/Unscented soaps and lotions for their skin. His skin is now more sensitive and itchy several months after starting chemo.

 

[ToniO]

I make a cream for eczema that might help her. It does contain e/o's though. I can send you some if you like. It's a whipped butter with no junk. A mix of butters like Kokum and Illipe and Mango, a small amount of beeswax and many oils like, Tamanu, Pumpkin seed, infused Jojoba with chamomile, calendula and helichrysum, Rosehip, Babassu, Meadowfoam, Unrefined Avocado, Baobab and essential oils of Lavender, Geranium and Himalayan Cedarwood. I have a super mild goat soap with no e/o's or fragrances, superfatted with Pumpkin Seed oil and Seabuckthorn, she might like also. LMK and I'll send you some.
If you'd just like to make something yourself, balance a butter like Kokum (it's awesome!) with a little beeswax and a few of the oils mentioned above and you'll get a lovely product. Melt the butter and wax, then add the oils and mix over an ice bath to temper. When it's chilled, you can whip it with a balloon whisk so it spreads easily. If you decide to add e/os, do so after you get the consistency right. If you have to reheat, you won't damage them then.
I have no problem sending you some though. Just message me.
Dead Sea Salt baths are also great for irritated skin but she should check first that they'd be safe for her.

 

[Nicolesica]

I make a cream for eczema that might help her. It does contain e/o's though. I can send you some if you like. It's a whipped butter with no junk. A mix of butters like Kokum and Illipe and Mango, a small amount of beeswax and many oils like, Tamanu, Pumpkin seed, infused Jojoba with chamomile, calendula and helichrysum, Rosehip, Babassu, Meadowfoam, Unrefined Avocado, Baobab and essential oils of Lavender, Geranium and Himalayan Cedarwood. I have a super mild goat soap with no e/o's or fragrances, superfatted with Pumpkin Seed oil and Seabuckthorn, she might like also. LMK and I'll send you some.
If you'd just like to make something yourself, balance a butter like Kokum (it's awesome!) with a little beeswax and a few of the oils mentioned above and you'll get a lovely product. Melt the butter and wax, then add the oils and mix over an ice bath to temper. When it's chilled, you can whip it with a balloon whisk so it spreads easily. If you decide to add e/os, do so after you get the consistency right. If you have to reheat, you won't damage them then.
I have no problem sending you some though. Just message me.
Dead Sea Salt baths are also great for irritated skin but she should check first that they'd be safe for her.

What a lovely gesture—thank you so much. I think that would make her very happy. I’m not sure how to send private messages, but if I can figure it out I’ll give you her address. And you have to let me send you some soap as well!

 

[ToniO]

What a lovely gesture—thank you so much. I think that would make her very happy. I’m not sure how to send private messages, but if I can figure it out I’ll give you her address. And you have to let me send you some soap as well!

I think I sent you a message just now! Fingers crossed you got it!!

 

[Kiti Williams]

I make Lotion Bars, unjunked. Try this out to see if it would work for her.

1oz Coconut Oil
1oz Coco oil (de-scented)
1oz Bees Wax
2 drops Tea Tree oil
3 Drops Vit E

Melt the first 3 ingredients' then stir in the tea tree and vit E.

 

[cmzaha]

Yes, I do. It actually passed approval by a doctor at the City of Hope in the Cancer, where I used to sell, department for some of his patients. But it is not FDA-approved. So I share this recipe with very few and never post it in the forum.

ETA: Please bear with me while I explain how this hard lotion came about. I met her doctor when her doctor stopped at my booth while I was selling in Monrovia and we started chatting, where I informed him I also sold at the City of Hope. He mentioned to his patient to stop and see if we could design a natural ointment/lotion because her upper lip area was very crusty and burnt from radiation and chemo treatments. She was miserable. I made up two or three samples that she tried and settled on one, which she took back to her physician for approval.

I also want to note in all my years of selling I never made claims, in fact, I hate sellers that do. It just infuriates me when sellers make claims that are not FDA-approved.

 

[Nicolesica]

Yes, I do. It actually passed approval by a doctor at the City of Hope in the Cancer, where I used to sell, department for some of his patients. But it is not FDA-approved. So I share this recipe with very few and never post it in the forum.

ETA: Please bear with me while I explain how this hard lotion came about. I met her doctor when her doctor stopped at my booth while I was selling in Monrovia and we started chatting, where I informed him I also sold at the City of Hope. He mentioned to his patient to stop and see if we could design a natural ointment/lotion because her upper lip area was very crusty and burnt from radiation and chemo treatments. She was miserable. I made up two or three samples that she tried and settled on one, which she took back to her physician for approval.

I also want to note in all my years of selling I never made claims, in fact, I hate sellers that do. It just infuriates me when sellers make claims that are not FDA-approved.

I love this story. My heart just breaks when my friend and I get to talking. I know that burden she’s carrying is heavy, and what you did for that woman was nothing short of miraculous. Thank you for sharing that story 🥹

 

[QuasiQuadrant]

Sorry I didn't see this message before, but late or not, I would like to offer some help.

I make a lot of salves, and some specifically for burns / eczema / psoriasis etc. I well remember my grandfather's radiation burns as he opted for 'traditional' cancer treatments. He suffered a great deal of pain.

I have in the past gifted salves to people experiencing various types of cancer & the side effects of 'traditional' treatments. I actually do a great deal of gifting to those in need of help. I would be happy to send a large tin of salve for your friend. Just PM me & let me know where I should send it. No charge for the salve or for shipping.

Regarding products being 'doctor approved', unfortunately, most doctors don't know anything at all regarding healing plants, or even basic nutrition for that matter, so this is like asking a mechanic to approve of an athlete's training regime. Ultimately, in my many years of experience, I have learned that it is far better for a patient to look at individual ingredients & do some reading, then make their own informed, independent decision. If they're still not sure, they'd be better off speaking to a registered herbalist, naturopath or someone with the proper experience in this field.

Much love, healing & peace to your friend

 

[Nicolesica]

Sorry I didn't see this message before, but late or not, I would like to offer some help.

I make a lot of salves, and some specifically for burns / eczema / psoriasis etc. I well remember my grandfather's radiation burns as he opted for 'traditional' cancer treatments. He suffered a great deal of pain.

I have in the past gifted salves to people experiencing various types of cancer & the side effects of 'traditional' treatments. I actually do a great deal of gifting to those in need of help. I would be happy to send a large tin of salve for your friend. Just PM me & let me know where I should send it. No charge for the salve or for shipping.

Regarding products being 'doctor approved', unfortunately, most doctors don't know anything at all regarding healing plants, or even basic nutrition for that matter, so this is like asking a mechanic to approve of an athlete's training regime. Ultimately, in my many years of experience, I have learned that it is far better for a patient to look at individual ingredients & do some reading, then make their own informed, independent decision. If they're still not sure, they'd be better off speaking to a registered herbalist, naturopath or someone with the proper experience in this field.

Much love, healing & peace to your friend

I’ll ask her and let you know. Such a beautiful gesture… thank you

 

[Mistrael]

If time is of the essence maybe have a look at CeraVe moisturizing cream. It's fragrance free & has worked well for the various (non-cancer) skin issues we've had here. It's a nice thick cream, quite soothing, and available at Target in a good size jar with a pump.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Regarding products being 'doctor approved', unfortunately, most doctors don't know anything at all regarding healing plants, or even basic nutrition

"AMEN" to that!

The first time I had breast cancer, they gave me little tubes of Aquaphor. I usually avoid mineral oil products, but this helped and stayed put.

Agreed. Mineral Oil is the main ingredient in over 50% of OTC products used on the skin.

My sister asked me to make a fragrance-free Aquaphor ointment for her to use after a lumpectomy. Which I did. It worked for her. Even though she wanted "fragrance free" I added a titsch of Anise EO to offset the odor of lanolin used to make it. That being said, a tube of the ointment is much cheaper than buying the ingredients to make it.

 

[Mistrael]

Oh! Lanolin! That reminds me, lanolin ointment is usually pretty easy to find in the breastfeeding/pumping section of stores. I used it when nursing my babies & also for lanolizing wool covers for cloth diapers. Heckin helpful stuff, lanolin.

 

[ToniO]

I'm crazy allergic to lanolin. Just writing the word 'lanolin' makes me itchy, lol!! It's really good for those who have no allergies to it but is a pretty common allergen, so if ppl have eczema or known skin allergies, they should always do a patch test and wait a couple of days.