“I didn’t expect that my most visible side effects would be changes to my skin. I’m not fussy about how I look, but I didn’t like how other people reacted. My faced LOOKED painful. I appreciated getting some tips on how to calm my dry, irritated skin and not have my scalp hurt as much. These resources and the workshop were helpful.”

Marc W., Workshop Participant

” There’s lots of great information. I feel as though the questions I had were answered before I even had a chance to ask them. I’m not happy about the changes to my body, but I am accepting them, and I appreciate the tips and support to help me deal with this.”

• Kathryn R, Workshop Participant

Post Surgical Products

Prostheses Basics

Fitting & Clothing Tips

Nightwear & Sleep Support

Care & Maintenance

Skincare During Radiation

Nipple Appearance Options

Access & Financial Help

Real advice in a private setting

Our Look Good Feel Better Shaving & Men’s Skincare Workshop is designed to help you take control of these changes with simple, effective skincare, shaving and grooming techniques tailored specifically for men facing cancer.

This free, online workshop is held in a comfortable, private setting where you can listen, learn, and participate as much—or as little—as you’d like. You’ll also receive a complimentary kit of skincare and shaving products to experiment with before and during treatment.

A no-pressure, practical approach

Prefer to leave your camera off?

No problem! Feel free to simply listen. You can try out the tips whenever it suits you. 

Whether you’re here for skincare advice, scalp care, questions about hair loss, or because someone you love felt that you might benefit from it, we’re so glad you are here. This workshop is all about giving you the tools to look and feel better and move forward with confidence.

What our participants have to say

 ” Before treatment, I was worried about hair loss. I didn’t expect that issues with skin on my face and scalp would be the most challenging chemo side effect. The advice in this workshop helped.”

• Joseph S., Workshop Participant

“Actively taking care of myself helped me regain control – I didn’t want to be defined as sick.”

• Adam P., Workshop Participant

Body Image after Cancer Treatment and Surgery 

For many people living with cancer or in remission, changes in appearance can be a major source of concern and anxiety. This is not vanity. Much of our identity is related to our physical appearance from how we wear our hair to what clothes we choose. Body shape and size, including  breasts, are often tied to a sense of self, self-expression, sexuality, and self-esteem. 

Appearance Related Side-effects

Appearance-related impacts of cancer can be temporary (like hair loss and skin changes) or more permanent (like surgery or scarring). They can all affect a person at a time when they may already feel vulnerable, which can negatively impact their mental and emotional health. 

For anyone facing a cancer diagnosis, there’s enough to cope with emotionally without also feeling that there’s no space to speak about body image issues or that it is somehow selfish or vain to worry about them. For Dee-Jay Jodoin, a B.C. woman in remission, changes to her physical appearance like hair loss and weight gain were hard to accept.

The Physical and Emotional Connection

“People going through cancer treatment often experience a change in their body image and in their relationship with their body,” says Monique Voorn, a social worker at the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre in Barrie, Ontario. “They may be unhappy about how their appearance has changed, whether they’ve had breast surgery or scars they don’t like, or lymphedema. Sometimes, a woman may not have had significant visual changes to her body but feels like her body has failed her or that she can’t count on it.”

There can also be physical changes that a person may not expect. “With radiation, there are skin changes,” notes Larissa Dyck, an oncology nurse in Calgary, Alta. “The area that’s treated darken and may take a while to fade, and skin can get tighter and be uncomfortable for some patients, causing a loss of range of motion.”

Keloids – a type of raised scar that can arise after a surgery. These can be a particular concern for Black women specifically.

Weight can be an issue, too. Being on hormones can cause weight changes that can turn women’s body image completely upside down and they can get really down on themselves.

It takes time for women to recognize and appreciate the full impact of the changes they’ve undergone during their cancer journey. “It’s often near the end of treatment when it really hits women what they’ve been through and all the changes they’ve undergone – physical and otherwise,” says Dyck. “When patients are finished their treatment, they expect things to go back to normal — but they may still be on long-term hormones or medication, and that’s when it can be really hard. They expect their bodies to just bounce back, and they want to go back to work and exercise, but things aren’t the same as before.” 

Empowerment is Different for Every Person

While physical symptoms can affect a person in a finite number of ways, the emotional experience is different for everyone.

“When some women lose their hair with chemo, they’ll proudly wear a head scarf. Other women have a complete loss of identity and want to wear a wig. They may fear that their partners won’t be attracted to them.”

Larissa Dyck
– Oncology nurse from Calgary, Alberta

“There’s a wave or rollercoaster ride of emotions in any type of cancer. There’s a lot of grief. We grieve all kinds of changes or losses in our lives that cancer brings — to your body, to your innocence, and to the carefree way that you may have used to experience life.”

Monique Voon
– Social Worker from Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre

EVERY DAY WE HELP PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEMSELVES AGAIN 

Look Good Feel Better workshops help women, men and teens with cancer learn how to manage the physical, social and emotional impacts of cancer and its treat­ment in small and supportive groups.

After Surgery

During the 6-week healing period, you won’t want to add weight or compression to the area. Initial breast forms, which are made of a lightweight, loose fibre, are a good option. Some women like the lightweight fibre of an initial breast form and choose this option as their standard breast form after the recovery period has passed.  

Others prefer the weight of a standard breast form as it can feel more what they are used to.  

Some women refer to the “hug test” – or what makes them feel most comfortable when hugging another person. Knowing what will work for you will depend on your needs and what makes you comfortable.

Partial Forms

Partial forms or protheses are used after a lumpectomy or lymph node removal. They can also be used several years after a reconstruction to match changes in your other breast due to changes in weight and natural changes over time. 

They help balance shape and create symmetry. There are lots of options for every shape and size to match the other breast.

Breast Forms: Fittings and Retailers

Find a Retailer in your Community

There are many retailers across Canada which carry breast care products. Medical specialist shops are one option and they often carry a large variety of products. Larger departments stores and lingerie stores can carry some mastectomy bras and breast forms too. 

Consider asking for recommendations from your cancer care centre, friends or family members, or search online. You can also reference Anita Canada’s list of certified retailers to find one near you. Remember to call ahead to book an appointment and ask questions.  

Caring for Scaring

Healing from cancer surgeries involves both physical and emotional challenges. Managing scar tissue is an important part of your recovery journey.

BEFORE SURGERY:

• If you are prone to keloids, ask your surgeon how this can be best managed with medication, topical treatments or strategic scar placement.
• It is okay to be concerned about scarring and to advocate for yourself!

AFTER SURGERY:

• Follow care instructions from your surgeon to keeping the surgical site clean.
• Once approved by your surgeon (approximately one month after surgery), you can start massaging the scar using either a beauty oil or scar reducing oil.
• Silicone scar sheets can help improve healing.
• Don’t wear clothing that compresses the scar for at least 4-6 weeks after surgery. If that makes wearing a regular bra difficult, try a tube top, tank top, or leisure bra to provide support if needed.
• Wait at least one year after all treatments are done before getting any nipple or decorative tattoos.

Click Here to learn about Areola Tattooing >

Prolonged Discomfort

Prolonged discomfort may be a build-up of scar tissue inside the body, typically around the breast, chest or shoulder area.

Scaring can cause the surrounding tissue to become denser and less elastic and result in restricted movement and/or pain. Some patients describe it as feeling “sticky” or “like Velcro” when they try moving the affected area.