This collaboration between the beauty industry and the medical profession has some fantastic results.
While researching the beauty industry recently I came across one very worthwhile thing it’s doing.
It is something that, like me, you might have been lucky enough never to encounter.
The Look Good Feel Better programme started as a collaboration between the beauty industry, the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the National Cosmetology Association, a national organisation of cosmetologists, wig experts, aestheticians, makeup artists and nail technicians.
Its aim is to help women with cancer learn techniques to improve their appearance.
Being diagnosed with cancer is a terrifying time for anyone, but the change in their looks is an added factor that distresses many female patients, right at a time when they need all the positive attitude they can muster.
Chemotherapy saves lives but losing hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes; skin flaking off and becoming tender; and developing a sallow, hollow-eyed complexion are just some of its side effects. Many women describe its ravages as looking at a stranger in the mirror.
Look Good Feel Better is completely free and exists in 20 countries worldwide. It’s UK arm holds sessions weekly, fortnightly or monthly for up to 12 people in over 50 locations throughout the UK, in hospitals and cancer care centres.
Women are given a 12-step skincare regime, taught make-up application and are shown techniques for using wigs, hats and scarves. They also leave the 2-day session with a bag of free goodies, donated by the cosmetics companies.
The uplifting effect this has on women’s self-esteem and confidence is humbling: "I can’t tell you how it helped me…I can now make myself look lik the me I used to be"…"I look like me again"…"knowing I can still look my best has really helped me get through it’. Log on to the video on the US site and I guarantee you will not have a dry eye
So successful has the programme been in the past two decades (it recently had its 20th birthday) that LGFB has now branched out into services for men and for teens.
If you would like to donate, or you work in the hair or beauty field and would like to give of your time, the organisation, in every country, is always looking for volunteers.