During their treatments and chemotherapies , women with cancer lose hair, eyelashes, eyebrows. The skin becomes dehydrated and the muscular pains become quickly unbearable. To restore their self-confidence and to make them feel comfortable in their bodies, supportive care is offered to them, in the hospital or in associations.

In a study unveiled on June 12, 2018 and conducted on 1,166 people suffering from cancer between June and August 2017, the L'Oréal Foundation (in partnership with the Institut Curie, Patients Network and Rose Association) highlights the benefits of beauty and well-being care for patients . For 86% of patients, supportive care is an opportunity to benefit from beauty tips and side-effect management. For 84% of patients, this care is a moment of relaxation and well-being. Relatives say they are very sensitive to the benefits of patient care and more than 90% of patients who have had access to it recommend it.

Despite this craze, only 40% of patients have access to beauty and wellness care at the hospital. An "alarming" report for the General Director of the L'Oréal Foundation, Alexandra Palt, who is campaigning to increase a quality and secure offer outside and in the hospital.

"We look at his image through the eyes of others"

In 2015, at the age of 27, Julie Meunier discovered that she had advanced grade 3 breast cancer . The hospital staff then offers him oncological care, carried out by a socio-beautician whose role is to optimize the social links and the image of the patient. "I did not know this job before, it was Unicancer who really explained to me what it was," says the young woman.

Very coquettish nature, Julie accepts immediately. Her first hour of care, she remembers. "My skin was very damaged, my beauty therapist gave me a moisturizer, I felt a lot of kindness, I felt soothed, relaxed". Coming out, Julie feels a lot prettier. His relatives see the change. "We look at her image through the eyes of others," she says.

Care adapted to each patient, to each pain

Subsequently, the socio-esthetician adapts and varies the care according to the problems that her patient encounters (massages, masks, modeling, makeup, etc.). On average, women with access to care make an appointment every two weeks, depending on the availability of the socio-beautician.

Thanks to the advice and care she received, Julie can "reclaim her body and personality" during this difficult time. "The care of supports punctuate the day, and therefore help to maintain morale," she says. Because yes, Julie takes care of her everyday. Masks, makeup, all these attentions allow her to re-apprehend her body and to have confidence in her. "As and when care, I said to myself, 'That's it, I'm back.'"

At the time, Julie met other wellness professionals at the same time to relieve her pain. "I tried everything I went to see a sophrologist , for example, and a psychologist , explains the young woman, and it really did me a lot of good."

"Ten years ago, when we came back to my room, it was only for a sting or a chemo"

While today's supportive care is expanding, this was not the case just a few years ago. "We come back from a great distance, when I was sick of cancer ten years ago, I had to be hospitalized because I could not stand the treatment." When we entered my room, it was only to give me an injection. a chemo, "recalls Céline Lis Raoux, founder of" Rose Magazine ".

For her, the illness cuts the bonds of sociability, and the patients suffer from it. "There is no gesture to us, not a single papilla," she notes. And for that, the onco-aesthetic care is very appreciated, because the tactile human contact reassures the sick people. "These are not just pampering and beauty treatments, it's also being yourself and becoming the woman you've always been, despite the weight more or less, and the hair less, " says Céline .

Today, Julie continues to apply the advice of her socio-beautician and regularly makes poultices and masks on the face, hands and feet. "It's still a pleasure to do it, it's always nice to take care of yourself," whether you're sick, or more.

Marked by this experience of care of oneself in the most difficult moments, the young woman now in remission launched the brand of turbans, false fringes and headbands as alternatives to traditional wigs , The Franjynes. A way for her to contribute to the building of onco-aesthetics in the broad sense. Because "beauty is not futile in these moments, it is vital."