Managing hair loss – What to expect, how to care for your scalp, and what happens when hair grows back

Caring for skin during treatment – Avoid dry, irritated or painful skin with simple steps that take just a few minutes a day

Shaving with less irritation – Pros and cons of using a regular razor vs an electric razor during treatment and how to shave your face (or scalp) safely when your skin is more sensitive.

Protecting your skin from the sun – We’ll share simple ways to guard sensitive skin from the sun during treatment.

Questions to ask before treatment and/or pre-surgery

Supportive clothing post-surgery & during treatment – Bras, camisoles, and breast forms designed for comfort and healing

How a fitting works – What to expect, when to go, and how to find the right size

Body changes during recovery – Possible impacts on sizing and when to introduce different types of apparel or forms

Breast prostheses & partial forms – Options that help restore balance and boost confidence

Financial coverage – Where to look for funding, insurance options, and community support

Navigate your choices with confidence

Walk you through your options in a supportive and welcoming space

Gain knowledge in post-surgical camisoles, breast prostheses, mastectomy bras

Every day solutions

Always comb hair gently and use a mild shampoo (but not a baby shampoo).

As hair starts to thin, consider cutting it short or even having it neatly trimmed by a professional stylist. This can help if your hair becomes thin or patchy.

Don’t shave your head to the scalp. This can cause irritation and potentially cuts or nicks that could lead to infection.

When you’ve lost your hair, your scalp may become drier. Gently massage your scalp with your facial moisturizer to make it feel more comfortable and increase circulation to your stressed hair follicles. Caring for your scalp will greatly reduce sensitivity and itchiness.

There are many hat and cap styles today for sports, sun, cold, rain, wind, etc., to help you find something to cover and protect your head.

Look for products that say GENTLE, for SENSITIVE SKIN or for ECEZMA

Ideally, use a facial cleanser twice a day – morning and night

You can use a gentle body wash for the rest of your body

While most men generally have oilier skin than women, treatment can have an drying effect your skin, so staying hydrated (both inside and out!) is fundamental.

Don’t forget LIP BALM – your lips may be extra dry or chapped during treatment. Keep things simple with a hypoallergenic lip balm with an SPF to keep you moisturized and prevent burning during the day.

One of the most prevalent side-effects of treatment is sun sensitivity

It is essential to wear daily sunscreen protection with a minimum of SPF30

Shower before shaving or apply a warm towel/face cloth. This warms the skin, opening the pores and softening the hair cuticles.

Apply your chosen sensitive skin shaving gel or foam, ideally using a shaving brush, and make sure you generate a warm, rich protective lather. (Using a shaving bush softens and lifts the facial hair off the face helping to maintain good levels of hydration and lubrication).

Use light, gentle strokes, letting your razor do the work.

Facial hair grows in many directions so you’ll shave both with and against the grain. Shave in the direction that feels most comfortable.

Rinse your blades often.

Rinse with cold water. This will remove shaving cream residue, tighten pores and cool the skin.

Moisturize the whole face and neck area with a mild moisturizer.

Apply sun protection daily and liberally – a dollop about the size of a golf ball – to all exposed skin, such as the lips, ears, scalp, sides, and back of neck

Get in the habit of applying sun protection every morning, about 20 to 30 minutes before going outside, and reapply often – about every two hours

Remember that you’re still exposed to UVA/UVB rays even in shady areas. If you’re indoors, windows do not protect against UVA rays

Stay inside during the intense-sun hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wear clothing especially formulated with SPF when you have to go out into strong sun.

Hold a brow pencil straight up against your nose, parallel to the inside corner of your eye. Draw a dot on the brow bone at this point. This is where your eyebrow should begin.

Looking straight ahead, place the pencil parallel to the outside edge of the coloured part (the iris) of your eye. Place a dot where the highest point of the brow line should be. This is the arch of the brow. Use the orbital bone as guide to finding the highest point.

Place the pencil diagonally from the bottom corner of your nose past the outside corner of your eye and draw a dot. This is the end of your brow. Be sure it’s not lower than the beginning of your brow, as this will create a down-turned expression.

Connect the dots into a brow line with light, feather-like strokes of colour, making the brow fuller on the inside corner and thinner as it moves out.

Choose a neutral matte eyeshadow palette

Sweep a light shade over the entire lid and up to the brow

Apply a darker shade in a sideways v on the outer corner of the lid starting from the lash line and extending into the crease

Apply a highlight shade under your brow if desired

Blend well to soften the effect

Using an eyeliner pencil, draw small dots close to the root of the lashes on the eyelid.

Holding the eyeliner on a slant, starting from the inner corner of the eye, connect the dots at the very base of the lash line.

Using a cotton swab, gently blend. Use a little of the darker eyeshadow over the eyeliner to soften the look and help it last longer.

Make sure to avoid applying liner to your waterline

Apply first to the top side of the lashes and then to the underside

Brush the mascara wand lightly across the lower lashes

Avoid waterproof mascara

Choose a creamy, moisturizing lip colour from the same colour family as your blush

A light application of lip gloss will provide extra comfort to dry lips and adds the illusion of fullness

If your lips are very dry, use a moisturizing lip balm at night

Lip skin has very little protective pigment so use sun block product on your lips when outdoors

Use only a small amount of blush; it’s easier to add colour than to remove it

Smile! Add colour to the apple of your cheeks with a clean cotton ball

Blend along the cheekbone in an upward motion toward the ear

If you've noticed your skin getting drier as you age, or that's just your skin type, one active ingredient to be on the lookout for is hyaluronic acid, especially in a serum.

The molecule, famous for holding 1000 times its weight in water, helps bring moisture to the surface of your skin. In the right formulation, it can produce immediate plumping effects, leaving skin looking dewy.

But for folks with very dry skin or who live in a dry climate, Dr. Julia Carroll, dermatologist and co-owner of Compass Medical, suggests layering moisturizer on top of your hyaluronic acid serum to seal it in and provide a barrier to moisture loss.

Helps improve uneven skin tone, fine lines, dullness and rough texture

Helps prevent oxidative stress caused by free radicals

"Antioxidant molecules help to neutralize these harmful atoms by giving up some of their own electrons. Think of it as nature’s “off” switch." – Dr. Vincent Richer, Medical & Cosmetic Dermatologist at Pacific Derm

Serums are formulated to penetrate deeply into the skin to deliver targeted active ingredients. [This means they’re thinner and lighter to their creamier counterparts and also a more powerful delivery method]. Moisturizers help to reinforce the surface of the skin and work to increase hydration." – Dr. Arisa Ortiz, Harvard-trained & Board Certified Dermatologist

For the less-is-more folks, keep it simple: cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen.

If your routine is more robust: cleanser, toner, serum(s), eye cream, moisturizer, face oil, sunscreen.

Use broad-spectrum sunscreen for your face (SPF 30 or higher). Look for one that blocks both UVA and UVB rays.

Cover up every exposed spot—your lips, ears, scalp (especially if you’ve lost hair), neck, chest… all of it. You want A LOT – think a golf-ball-sized amount.

Make sunscreen part of your morning routine—put it on about 20–30 minutes before you go outside

Reapply every two hours, especially if you're sweating or outside for a long time

Shade doesn’t block UV rays—you can still get sun exposure even if you’re chilling under a tree or umbrella

Try to stay indoors during peak sun hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. And remember, UVA rays go through windows, so indoor sun isn’t totally safe either.

Rock a hat – The best kind is one with a wide brim (about 3 inches) to protect your face and neck