After going through chemo, radiation, and then starting immunotherapy my dad would frequently tell me that his Skin felt like sandpaper.
“Look at it” he’d say, “you ever see that commercial with the alligator? That’s what it feels like. You could sand out a whole table using my arm.”
The thing about incredibly dry skin… It hurts.
One of the common side effects of cancer treatment is dry itchy skin. And when you’re knee-deep in a cancer fight you don’t need to deal with that type of pain on top of everything else. Dry skin is a quality of life issue.
Dry, cracked skin may seem like something you “just have to deal with” when it comes to cancer treatment. But, in my dad’s case (and in most cases) his skin was so raw and painful that there was no way we could just power through it.
Taking good care of your skin is a big deal during cancer. So we set out on a mission to find a healing Lotion that would soothe the rawness and bring him some relief…
And because we were going through bottles of it, we needed to find a lotion that we could actually afford.
Heads up: Feeling overwhelmed by everything that comes with this disease?
The Cancer Binder Pack will walk you through the quick and easy system we used to organize our medical information. Step-by-step instructions, printable forms, and monthly calendar pages so you can ALWAYS find what you need when you need it.
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Here Are the Best Affordable Lotions For Cancer Patients
1. Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion
It feels like silk, it’s not greasy and it absorbs quickly. This one is hands down our favorite skin care lotion.
THIS is the lotion with the alligator commercial (if you haven’t seen it, you can watch it here…). Lubriderm tackles severely dry skin. And this stuff works. Severely chapped, dry skin is exactly what this lotion was made to deal with.
WebMD has an entire article on this lotion (which it refers to as medication). It talks about how this lotion moisturizes against rough, scaly skin and specifies in the article that Lubriderm helps with skin burns from radiation treatment.
You can learn more about Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion here…
2. La Roche Posay Lipikar Triple Repair Moisturizing Body Cream
Talking about sensitive skin, this lotion can be used on babies 2 weeks old! This is another one of our favorite lotions.
La Roche Posay notes this lotion as suitable for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy and it’s designed to help soothe and comfort painful, dry skin. Their line of lotions, creamy cleansers, and face creams are specifically designed to help skin-related side effects for people going through cancer.
This triple repair lotion is made with La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water, Ceramide-3, Shea Butter, Glycerin, and Niacinamide. It hydrates and replenishes moisture, but also repairs the skin’s protective barrier.
WebMD also has an entire article on the ingredients in this lotion (which it refers to it as medication). It talks about how Lipikar moisturizes against dry skin and specifies in the article that these ingredients can alleviate skin burns from radiation.
You can learn more about La Roche Posay Lipikar Triple Repair Moisturizing Body Cream here…
3. Bag Balm Ointment
We use this for EVERYTHING. It is an ointment, so it’s thick and greasy and does take a little bit of time to soak in… But man does it work. Not only does it soothe and moisturize but it HEALS amazingly.
In our house, we use it on cuts, scrapes, and burns (it’s WAY better than bacitracin or triple antibiotic at the first signs of infection). This stuff is made for cracked, severely chapped (to the point of bleeding) skin dryness.
It creates a skin barrier while also helping tremendously for chaffing, rashes, and irritated skin (including bed sores) as it doesn’t just rejuvenate dry skin, it also heals and prevents further infection.
Bag Balm has been around for YEARS since 1899 (my grandmother used it back in the day for diaper rash) and it was developed for animals (so it’s also safe to use on your puppy!). Don’t be alarmed by that though because it’s an incredibly great product that works! And it’s totally safe for people.
And Bag Balm multi-tasks. While it’s softening the dry, cracked heels of your feet, it can also be healing and protecting (from further intensity) a rash on your groin area.
Bag Balm is fantastic, a tin of it will last a long time and it is one of the most useful products floating around out there. Seriously, we use Bag Balm for everything. It’s amazing stuff and you can’t beat the price.
You can learn more about Bag Balm here…
4. Bag Balm Hand and Body Lotion
Enriched with jojoba and shea butter this lotion was created to tackle severely dry skin. Bag Balm recommends using this lotion in between treatments of the original Bag Balm.
5. Bag Balm Lip Balm and Balm Stick
Bag Balm also has a lip balm that’s enriched with lanolin, plant-based squalane (great for hydration), and Vitamin E. It’s an ointment that soothes and heals severely dry, chapped lips. You can feel the relief as soon as you put it on. And it lasts. Hint: You can also use it to heal dry, cracked cuticles!
You can learn more about the Lip Balm here…
The Balm Stick is nice and fat so it covers your whole lip, unlike the little skinny sticks that you have to apply constantly to completely coat your mouth. Enriched with aloe vera and lanolin it’s a soothing way to keep your lips hydrated and moisturized (bonus, it’s gentle enough that you can use it to moisturize your head after hair loss, or your face if needed).
You can learn more about the Balm Stick here…
6. Aveeno Intense Moisture Cream
Dry, cracked, chafing skin is incredibly sore and painful. This body cream delivers a soothing and healing intense moisture and alleviates painful dry skin.
This lotion is designed to tackle the type of dry skin that if left untreated is distressing and uncomfortable.
Men won’t be embarrassed to wear this fragrance-free lotion that eases and repairs extremely dry skin so they can finally find relief.
The Aveeno line is a natural and holistic way to help your skin feel better. It’s definitely on our best lotion for cancer patients list.
You can learn more about Aveeno Skin Relief Intense Moisture Cream here…
7. Curél Ultra Healing Lotion
Fragrance-free and ultra-healing in a non-greasy way. The active ingredients in this lotion include Ceramide Complex, Shea Butter & Eucalyptus Leaf Extract. So, it’s gentle enough to be used on your face. Don’t let that fool you though, the power of this lotion is fierce…
Created to tackle even the driest of skin, it absorbs quickly and softens even the driest skin. If you’re looking for a lotion to soothe and repair dry, sensitive, damaged skin, Curél is an excellent choice.
You can learn more about Curél Ultra Healing lotion here…
8. Vanicream Moisturizing Cream
This is a fragrance-free cream created specifically for sensitive skin, so you can skip an allergic reaction. Made with Shea Butter and Niacinamide this lotion soothes dry, cracking, and painful skin.
Vanicream is made to help relieve the dry skin associated with serious skin conditions like Psoriasis, Eczema, and Ichthyosis (rough, dry, scaly skin). But it also helps maintain a natural balance of moisture in your skin. This lotion is free from chemical irritants so it’s safe for even the driest skin (plus you can avoid skin reactions).
You can learn more about Vanicream Moisturizing Cream…
9. Eucerin Advanced Repair Cream
Free of any fragrance or dyes, Eucerin is one of the best lotion for cancer patients out there. Enriched with Ceramides-3, it’s lightweight and fast absorbing but feels heavier to me than a silky lotion like Lubriderm.
Still, it definitely tackles dry, painful skin and if you need a heavier cream this is the one.
You can learn more about Eucerin Advanced Therapy Lotion here…
10. Aquaphor Healing Ointment
This is more like a salve (like petroleum jelly) as its major ingredient is petrolatum. This lotion soothes, moisturizes, and repairs dry, flaky skin but also protects from rashes and infections.
This ointment is fantastic, it locks in moisture and creates a protective barrier for your skin. And even just s small amount does wonders for itch relief.
You can grab Aquaphor Healing Ointment here…
11. Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick
It’s hard to feel good about yourself when you’re struggling through the painful side effects of cancer.
Just like your skin, treatments can wreak havoc on your lips. And dry, cracked lips hurt.
Aquaphor lip repair stick is more than a chapstick, it gives you relief as soon as you use it by soothing and repairing dry chapped lips.
Using ingredients like Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, and Vitamin C is a solid way to tackle dry painful lips after treatment.
You can check out Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick here…
12. Nivea Intense Healing Body Lotion
This does have a light scent, but it’s not overpowering.
Enriched with a Deep Moisture Serum, and Provitamin B5 Nivea’s creamy lotion feels great on dry, cracked skin.
It’s not as heavy as some of the other lotions mentioned here, so if you’re looking for something a little bit lighter, this is a great option.
You can learn more about Nivea Intense Healing Body Lotion here…
13. Carmex Medicated Classic Lip Balm
Carmex is a medicated ointment that feels fantastic on dry, cracked lips. Using cocoa butter, camphor, and menthol for relief, this is a product that you will use over and over again to moisturize dry cracked lips.
You can learn more about Carmex Classic Lip Balm here…
If you’re searching for the best lotion for cancer patients that you can actually afford… we’ve got you covered. This is our best list of lotions that help with severely dry skin.
P.S. IF YOU’RE OVERWHELMED BY ALL THIS CANCER BUSINESS, WE CAN RELATE!
The Cancer Binder Pack will walk you through the quick and easy system we used to organize our medical information. Step-by-step instructions, printable forms, and monthly calendar pages so you can ALWAYS find what you need when you need it.
And, the best part it’s 100% FREE when you sign up for our weekly emails which are packed full of quick tips and inspiration to help you keep going through this insanely stressful situation (from someone who is living it)...
You can get the Cancer Binder Pack here…
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