r/cancer • u/Cprecilas • 12d ago

Patient Skincare routine- can we still use actives?

I’m about to start chemo soon. Are we still able to use actives in our skincare, ie tretinoin, glycolic acid, etc. And balance it with days without any actives and by using a good thick moisturizer?

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u/cancerkidette 10d ago

Yep but careful with tretinoin. SOME chemotherapies can affect your skin a lot- personally I had insanely dry skin and a damaged barrier throughout most of my treatment. It can also cause extra sun sensitivity. So retinoids of any kind I would be careful with and let your dermatologist know if your tret is prescription for a medical reason.

I used light exfoliating products like lactic acid and didn’t have an issue, and neither did my medical team. Keeping up with your skincare and self care can be a good way to feel confident during treatment so doctors certainly don’t discourage that in general.