Look Good...Feel Better is a non-medical program that teaches women beauty techniques to help them manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment. Group programs are free and open to all women with cancer before, during, or immediately after any active treatment that could possibly have appearance-related side effects. Forms of treatment may be chemotherapy, radiation, or others. Sacramento alone has 5 different locations that offer beauty workshops at least once a month.

* English and Spanish workshops are available. * All locations are wheelchair accessible.

See also other local services & organizations.

Program Description

Chemotherapy can take quite a toll on a patients appearance. The effect it has can vary depending on the individual, some patients experience little to no effects from treatment while others have skin, hair, and nail problems throughout treatment. These problems may all be temporary and could disappear after treatment, but do you know any women wants to hear "Eventually you will feel beautiful again?" Members of The Look Good... Feel Better team realize that in fact no women wants to be told they will have to go through intense treatments looking and feeling terrible. Classes are taught by volunteers who are members of the National Cosmetology Association, the worlds largest association of salon professionals. The instructors are also trained and certified by the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the Professional Beauty Association. Each new member receives a free makeup kit to use during the step-by-step instructed sessions and to use at home. Here women will have a chance to experiment with different wigs, hats, and turbans in an environment that strives to be one of the most supportive atmospheres a women can be while learning how camouflage effects of treatment. The instructors have helped over 700,000 women see the beauty in themselves again.

History

In 1987, a caring physician took notice to the way physical effects of chemotherapy could weaken a women's drive to fight through the treatments. Women can become so self conscious when they lose their hair that they will refuse to leave their homes for anything other than treatment. This physician had a patient that refused to leave her hospital room before she was so upset about the way she looked. He contacted the Personal Care Products Council President in hopes they could provide a "makeover." According to Lookgoodfeelbetter.org the makeover transformed not only the women's look, but her outlook. The results of this women's makeover were so profound that the President of the Council knew that these makeovers could have the same effect for women across the world. Collaborations were made between The Personal Care Products Council, The American Cancer Society, and the Professional Beauty Association | National Cosmetology Association. Two years later in 1989 the first two group workshops were held at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Women can find Look Good... Feel Better group programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For now programs are not offered for men, teen and Spanish programs are available.

Today, Look Good…Feel Better group programs are held in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico using products donated by Personal Care Products Council member companies. Teen and Spanish programs, self-help mailer kits, online support, and a 24-hour hotline are also offered – as well as numerous independent licensed international Look Good…Feel Better affiliate programs across the globe.

New Hair Looks

One of the most difficult results of chemotherapy treatment for women is loosing their hair. Women that participate in the workshops are at all different stages of treatment and therefore and able to offer others support and advice. The Look Good... Feel Good programs offer women information and advice with:

• Hair Care
• Hair Loss
• Wig Selection, Shopping Tips, Styling, & Care
• Scarf Tips, Techniques, & Basics
• T-Shirt Wraps
• Hats

Information on these New Hair Look tips can be found at http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/beauty-guide/new-hair-looks

Makeup Step-By-Step

A step-by-step guide is provided online at http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/beauty-guide/makeup-step-by-step

Over the last 20 plus years women have expressed how the workshops have made such a positive impact on their overall attitude during treatment but seeing just getting to a workshop could be difficult for certain patients there are other options available. A benefit of the Look Good... Feel Better website is all of the resources that you can find. Women can use these guides at anytime of the day, anywhere you have access to the website. Look Good... Feel Better also had virtual workshops that can be accessed from the website. The step-by-step makeup guide offers:

• Skin Care Cleanse & Moisturize
• Skin Care During Treatment
• Concealer, Foundation, Powder, & Blush
• Eyebrows, Eyeshadow, Eyeliner
• Mascara
• Lip liner & Lipstick
• Caring for Products

Volunteer Information

Applications to volunteer your time and talents with the Look Good... Feel Better can be found at http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/get-involved/volunteer-application Your completed application will be reviewed by the local American Cancer Society to determine where your talents would be most beneficial.

Beauty Professional Volunteers may include:

• Hairstylists
• Aestheticians
• Makeup Artists
• Nail technicians

If you are licensed in one of the above professions Look Good... Feel Better could use your help! A 3-5 hour a month commitment is required. Professional volunteers are required to participate in a four-hour certification class that once completed will allow them to instruct group classes (2 hours) or one-on-one salon consultations.

General Volunteers who are:

• Well-organized
• Caring
• Friendly
• Dynamic

General Volunteers will work directly with the local American Cancer Society to help group sessions run smoothly. Tasks of a general volunteer could include; organizing group programs at a number of different host sites, informing the public about the programs offered to promote participation, calling patients to remind them of upcoming workshops, transporting and setting up supplies before workshops, and assisting Beauty Professional Volunteers during sessions.

Donations

You can join some of the Look Good... Feel Better organization's Platinum sponsors(below) and make a donation. General, Honorary, and Memorial donations can be made online at http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/donate or donations can be mailed to: Personal Care Products Council Foundation, 1101 17th Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036.

Other ways to show support for the Look Good... Feel Better organization could include purchasing the Look Good…Feel Better scarf by Oscar de la Renta, or participating in events such as the Sexy Hair Walk-a-Thon. Additional events you can participate in across the United States are listed on http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/press-events/events.

All the information and photographs provided on this web page can also be found at http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/ .

This report was written for Cynthia Linville's English 20 class at CSUS Sacramento, Fall 2011