The longer life expectancy and the current good results of Oncology lead cancer patients to increasingly demand medical-aesthetic, cosmetic, and general restorative treatments that minimize the adverse effects and stigmas linked to the disease.
The concept of health, according to the World Health Organization, is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.” GEMEON is a pioneer in the sharing of oncological aesthetic medicine services, for the promotion and development of a new vision of aesthetic medicine applied to an increasingly broad sector of society with specific medical-aesthetic needs. Aesthetic Medicine plays an important role in helping the person achieve this state of well-being, before, during, and after the oncological process, enhancing the therapeutic values of the image.
During treatment, the prevention and treatment of the adverse effects caused by it must begin at the time of diagnosis and before treatment begins. The care of the skin, hair and scalp, and treatment of nails are important aspects to consider. After treatment, appropriate medical aesthetic treatments can be performed, with special emphasis on saving changes in body volume and treating the side effects of surgery. It is essential to take into account the patient’s defenses and ensure that blood analysis is within normal values before carrying out any treatments.
The approach to cancer patients is multidisciplinary, involving doctors from different specialties, nursing staff, social workers, psychologists, and other healthcare professionals who take a holistic approach to the disease. Aesthetic Medicine must take its place in the care of these patients with the aim of promoting self-care to improve their image and, thereby, regain the confidence and self-esteem necessary to face the disease positively.
Aspects such as self-acceptance and its impact on self-esteem are considered increasingly important in the process of social adaptation. Aesthetic Medicine can act in the prevention of psychosomatic disorders resulting from low self-esteem due to aesthetic reasons and in early diagnosis and recovery after oncological treatment.
The objective of oncological aesthetic medicine is to prevent, improve, and treat totally or partially the unaesthetic aspects of the cancer patient to benefit their quality of life. It is essential to provide adequate information and respond to the demands of patients, and healthcare professionals must be trained and taught how to work together to provide the best possible care for cancer patients.