LITTLE ROCK — Seven ladies gathered around a table that was stacked with cosmetics. Laughter swelled in the room as they checked the color of their lipsticks on the backs of their hands.

These ladies of varying ages have one thing in common: They all have cancer. The types and stages of their cancer may be different, but a common thread brought them together for the American Cancer Society’s Look Good ... Feel Better workshop at White River Medical Center’s Cancer Center in Batesville.

As these women began their journey of healing, everything changed. Their skin texture, fingernails, their hair and their confidence in their appearance go through phases during the stages of their treatment.

The Look Good ... Feel Better workshopis a collaboration among the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, the American Cancer Society and the National Cosmetology Association to offer tips, instructions and advice on hair loss, skin and nail changes and to help build confidence.

“Whatever you have, you want to super baby it,” said Penny Clayton, a licensed cosmetologist who volunteers her time to help these women. “Take care of you first; it’s all about you.”

Clayton is a cosmetologist who is specially trained in working with those going through cancer treatments. Cameron Johnson of Franklin posed as a model while Clayton demonstrated makeup application.

Sandy Puntney of Cherokee Village examined her new collection of cosmetics; theladies received a makeup kit worth $200 from the Personal Care Products Council Foundation and instructions on how to care for their skin and apply makeup. The makeup application is a bit different than for those who aren’t going through cancer treatment.

Re-creating a natural eyebrow may not be as easy as it seems. When there is no reference point, it may be difficult to remember where the natural brow line was.

Clayton suggested a general rule of thumb to measure where the brow should go:

◊Use an eyebrow pencil that matches the natural hair shade.

◊Place the pencil against the nose and parallel to the inside corner of the eye, extending up to the brow bone. Place a dot there.

◊ Look straight ahead, and put the pencil parallel to the outside corner of the eye, and place a dot there.

◊To find the outside edge of the brow, place the pencil diagonally at the bottom corner of the nose just past the outside corner of the eye.

◊The three dots will give a basic brow shape. Using light, feathery strokes, fill in the brow, connecting the dots.

The eyebrow placement may take some practice, but just a hint of eyebrows may make a woman more confident in her appearance.

As with the loss of eyebrows, thinning eyelashes may also be a problem. Using mascara is a good way to make your lashes stand out, or a cosmetologist may help with the placement of false eyelashes, trimming andshaping them for a natural look. Because of an increased risk of infection and skin sensitivity, consult a physician before using an eyelash adhesive.

“Sanitation is key when yourimmune system is down,” Clayton said. “Change your makeup every three months.”

Clayton also said never add water to your mascara.

During treatment, many times, it takes between a week or two for the hair to go. Clayton said many cancer patients try to keep control of the situation by shaving their heads when their hair begins to thin.

“I was bald for three weeks, and my husband said, ‘It’ll growback,” Diane Howrey of Batesville said with a laugh as she adjusted the red bandana covering her sparsely growing hair. “I was so excited when I felt up there and I found hair.”

Erica Morris, American Cancer Society Health Initiatives representative, suggest the women have a little fun with their looks.

“It’s a time to try something different,” Morris told the women. “Play with your wigs. It’s all about you. ... You may walk out a redhead.”

A selection of wigs, turbans, scarves and hats were also available at the workshop for the women to try and take home.

Howrey pulled a small photo album from her purse, and as she passed it around for everyone to see, she explained that the baby in the photos was her first grandchild.

“My new grandson gave me the willpower to beat this,” Howrey told the group.

Nail care is another issue with cancer patients. Clayton suggests that gloves be worn when doing household chores. Cuticle cream should be massaged into the cuticles for removal instead of cutting. Wear nail polish to keep brittle nails strong, and use an oily nail polish remover when taking it off.

The American Cancer Society is celebrating its 20th year of the Look Good ... Feel Better program. It began in 1989 as two pilot programs in New York and Washington, D.C., and escalated into 19 countries on six continents. It helps close to 1 million women who are going through cancer treatments feel better about themselves.

For more information on the Look Good ... Feel Better program or the other programs offered by the American Cancer Society, call Morris at (870) 368-3074 or visit the Web site www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org.

- jbrosius@ arkansasonline.com

Three Rivers, Pages 121 on 11/01/2009