Hair Loss News

For nearly two decades, Look Good…Feel Better – a free, nationwide support program – has offered women help and encouragement to cope with the appearance side effects of cancer treatment.  In two-hour workshops conducted by trained volunteer beauty professionals, Look Good…Feel Better offers practical tips about skin care, makeup techniques, and guidance for coping with hair loss. A free bag of makeup from leading cosmetic companies is also provided for use as “tools” in the session and later, at home.

The program was started by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association Foundation (CTFA Foundation) - the charitable arm of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association (CTFA), which is the national representative of the personal care products industry - and it is offered as a collaborative effort of the CTFA Foundation, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Cosmetology Association (NCA), an organization of 20,000 hair stylists, wig experts, estheticians, makeup artists and nail technicians. These three organizations bring together their collective expertise to support and deliver Look Good…Feel Better programs to 50,000 women each year.

Look Good…Feel Better has helped improve the quality of life of over 500,000 cancer survivors through its free services, which include group programs; one-on-one consultations; self-help materials; and a Web site www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org.

 “The program is not about medical procedures. Instead, we are giving women the tools they need to take control of the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment and feel better about themselves,” says Louanne Roark, vice president of the CTFA Foundation and the Look Good…Feel Better program.

According to Dr. Marc Lippman, Professor and Chairman, Internal Medicine, University of Michigan and former director of Georgetown University’s Lombardi Cancer Center, “Cancer support programs such as Look Good…Feel Better are increasingly being recognized as an important part of the patient treatment process. Treating the psyche can be equally as important as treating the body.”

“There is very impressive data, which show that support programs like Look Good…Feel Better have a significant impact on the survival rate of women cancer patients. Look Good…Feel Better has helped galvanize people around the importance of supportive care for cancer patients.”

Each two-hour, hands-on Look Good…Feel Better workshop includes a 12-step skin care/make-up application lesson, demonstration of options for dealing with hair loss, and nail care techniques. They are held at comprehensive cancer centers, hospitals, ACS offices, and community centers.

Additional Look Good…Feel Better Programs

Luzca Bien…Siéntase Mejor® is Look Good…Feel Better’s bilingual program. Created in 1991, it is currently available throughout the United States as either a dedicated Spanish-language session or as a bilingual patient session. All collateral materials are available nationwide in Spanish upon request.

In addition, Look Good…Feel Better for Teens®, a program for adolescents, aged 13-to-17, provides information on dealing with the appearance and sociological side effects related to cancer and its treatment. Originally launched in 1996, the program is now available in 18 locations across the country. Materials have been created exclusively for teenagers, and all program leaders receive specialized training to address physical, social and psychological issues relevant to adolescents.

A Web site, www.2bMe.org, was developed in 2001 as an additional resource for teens with cancer. The site addresses appearance-related issues, health matters and concerns about peer relationships.

In 2003, a brochure for men undergoing cancer treatment was created. Look Good…Feel Better for Men is a practical guide to help men deal with some of the side-effects of cancer treatment including skin changes, hair loss, stress, and other issues that is useful during this challenging time. Information on Look Good…Feel Better for Men is available on the Web site at www.lookgoodfeelbetterformen.org.