It was a workshop coveted
by fashion divas, but only
cancer patients qualified to
attend.
Five ladies sat around a
table at McDuffie Regional
Medical Center last month
testing out new makeup
products and techniques,
rolling brightly colored
cloth into turbans around
their heads and dressing
up hats with scarves and
flowers.
"Anything to make it
look like it's an accent,
rather than 'I've gotta have
this on today,'" explained
cosmetologist Kay
Kendrick, who was teaching
the class.
Licensed cosmetologists
in the Look Good...Feel
Better program teach
patients how to deal with
skin changes and hair loss
due to cancer treatments.
Held at McDuffie Regional
Medical Center, the free
classes provide each patient
with a free cosmetic kit,
personalized training to use
the products, as well as tips
on disguising hair loss.
"Patients always ask me
where to find these hats,
scarves and hair clips," Mrs.
Kendrick said. "They don't
see them because it's not
something they are used to
looking for. But, once you
start looking, you see them
everywhere."
Not only do cancer
treatments cause loss of
hair on the head, but on the
body, Mrs. Kendrick said.
"And hair loss on the
face makes the face look
very blank. We teach ways
to mask that. It's small,
simple steps, but they are
monumental steps to the
patient," she added.
Mrs. Kendrick addressed
other related topics,
such as wig selection
and care, fingernail care,
sunscreen, dry skin and skin
pigmentation changes, and
fighting infections.
"I loved it," said patient
Tina Vanhart, who lives
in Washington. "It was
very helpful, especially all
the tips about wigs and
infection-fighting when
applying makeup."
Mrs. Kendrick covers a lot
of information in two hours.
In about two minutes flat,
she cut the sleeves off of a
royal blue t-shirt, rolled it
over one of the ladies' head
and secured it by flipping
the crewneck over it all.
"It's inexpensive, it's fast
and it's easy," she said.
"Plus, you can have a turban
in every color."
She showed the ladies
how to add false bangs
under hats, add body to hats
by placing shoulder pads
underneath, and to layer
hats and turbans or hats and
scarves.
"You want it to appear as
though it all came together
as a look rather than as a
necessity," she said.
And she should know.
Mrs. Kendrick, who owns
Cut and Style on Main
Street, has been teaching
the program since it
began. In Thomson, class
attendance averages two to
five people. Each year, Mrs.
Kendrick teaches at least six
patient sessions in Thomson
and Augusta, six training
sessions to certify other
cosmetologists for the state
and two state conference
calls.
Look Good...Feel Better
is a partnership between
the American Cancer
Society and the National
Cosmetology Association
and Personal Care Products
Foundation.
The next class at McDuffie
Regional Medical Center
is from 5-7 p.m., on
Tuesday, Nov. 9. It is
available for resident in
Warren, McDuffie, Lincoln,
Jefferson, Hancock and
Wilkes counties. Register
by calling Angel Carter
at the American Cancer
Society, 866-227-0904.
