Beauty treatments and cancer: What to consider

Cancer and cancer treatments can cause changes to your body. These changes can affect how you think and feel about yourself.

There are many reasons people choose to have beauty treatments. They can boost confidence, help people deal with certain concerns, or simply make you feel good as a way of looking after yourself. If you’ve had these treatments before your cancer diagnosis you might be thinking about starting them again. Or you may be interested in trying something new.

Whatever your reason, it is important to talk to your healthcare team if you are thinking about starting or continuing aesthetics or beauty treatment. Self-confidence is important to your wellbeing and your healthcare team is there to support you. They can provide advice about whether the treatment is safe due to your medical history, medication and cancer care.

Research the treatment

Spend time researching the beauty treatment you’re considering. This  will help you think of questions to ask the beauty practitioner during your consultation. 

Booking a consultation

It is important to have a consultation before treatment. During the consultation the practitioner should ask questions about your medical history, any allergies and your current medications. You can also talk about what results you would like to see. 

The consultation is your time to ask questions. An open conversation will help the practitioner understand your concerns. You can discuss what to expect during and after treatment.

Pricing

Prices for these treatments can vary. If the cost seems too low, it might be worth checking why. Good treatment requires skill, care and training. You can ask for a full breakdown of the costs.

Hygiene and regulations

Check that the clinic follows correct hygiene protocols. You can ask about what equipment they use and how they sterilise it. You can also ask about the brand of products they use and where it has been sourced.

You can also ask the practitioner about what training and experience they have.

Here are some common questions you might want to ask your healthcare team when you are considering starting or continuing an aesthetics or beauty treatment:

• Is it safe for me to have this treatment? 
• Is there any reason I should avoid this treatment from a medical point of view? 
• How often can I have this treatment? 
• How long after my cancer treatment can I have this beauty treatment?
• Could my cancer treatment cause a reaction to this beauty treatment?
• Could having this treatment affect how well my cancer treatment works?
• What other ways can I get help with changes to my appearance and body image?
• If a beauty treatment can help with side effects of my cancer and its treatment, can I get this on the NHS?

It can be helpful to explain why you want to have an aesthetics or beauty treatment to your healthcare team. They are there to listen to your concerns without judgement. They can give you advice on how it may affect you because of your cancer, cancer treatments and side effects.

Here are some common questions you can ask when you are deciding on which aesthetician or professional you would like to carry out your aesthetics or beauty treatment:

• What qualifications and training do you have?
• How many procedures have you performed? 
• Are you a member of a relevant professional association? Such as the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners?
• How long will the procedure take?
• What are the side effects of this treatment?
• What should I do if I experience side effects from the procedure?
• What is the aftercare?

View more NHS guidance on choosing who will do your cosmetic procedure.

How you feel about your body can impact your confidence. We have more information about managing your feelings about body changes. You can also read our body image and cancer booklet and read real life stories about people's experiences and how they dealt with their self image and cancer. 

You may want to talk to a No7 Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisor about managing some of the changes to your appearance. These advisors are specially trained by Macmillan and Boots. They give you face-to-face advice about caring for your skin, nails and hair during treatment. 

We have more information about complementary therapies including massage or other touch therapies. 

Our Online Community is a place to chat to others and share experiences. You can also find dedicated forums such as:

• Aesthetic treatments after Chemo
• Can I have cosmetic treatments while on Letrozole, Ribociclib & Denosumab

Further information 

• Macmillan wellbeing hub
• Help with how you're feeling
• Look Good Feel Better

This information has been created in collaboration with Charlotte Guest, Aesthetic Nurse Prescriber, along with Macmillan's Digital Content Team.

Learn more about our Digital Content Editors and how we produce our cancer information. 

Accurate information helps you make informed choices. Look for trustworthy, reliable sources such as Macmillan Cancer Support, the NHS and your own healthcare team. 

We have more information on how to find reliable health information online and understanding cancer myths and misinformation.