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How to deal with changes in your appearance due to cancer treatment

5 minute read | Published March 13, 2025

Medically Reviewed | Last reviewed by Haley Groce on March 13, 2025

Cancer treatments have the potential to cause sudden, significant changes in your appearance.

Whether it’s a scar due to surgery, baldness due to chemotherapy, or skin conditions due to immunotherapy, these changes may be either temporary or permanent. They can also severely shake your self-confidence. And that, in turn, can make you feel uncomfortable or less inclined to be around other people.

So, how do you deal with issues like significant weight loss (or gain), hair loss, amputations, and surgical scars? Read on, for some practical suggestions.

Get to know your ‘new’ self gently and gradually

One of the biggest hurdles my patients face is coming to grips with how their bodies look now — as opposed to how they looked before their cancer diagnosis.

We help these patients by gently introducing them to their “new” bodies, and then gradually increasing their exposure to the changes. Normally, that starts with a verbal description. For instance, we might ask if we can tell them how big the bandage is or what the scar looks like. The next day, we might show them a picture of the scar. The last step involves the patient looking into a mirror, so they can see their physical changes first-hand.

We recommend a similar approach when you have children who might be afraid to come visit you in the hospital. In those situations, we encourage parents to:

Start with a phone call: That way, they can hear your voice and know you’re still you. You might look a little different, but you’re still the same person.
The second day: Send a picture of the bandage over the incision, then tell them what happened to cause it.
The third day: Send a picture of the scar itself.
The fourth day: Visit with them by video, so you can describe what’s changed and they can see it for themselves.

Early exposure tends to decrease everyone’s anxiety, so we usually start that process as quickly as possible — typically the day after an operation.

Find supportive products that make you feel confident

Between wigs, prostheses, and special clothing — such as mastectomy swimsuits — there are hundreds of products on the market designed to help people feel more confident about their appearance.

Our patients often learn about them through support groups, including virtual groups. Many of these groups are specific to one particular patient population, such as breast cancer survivors who have had mastectomies. So, ask your care team if any of the ones available are right for you. You might be able to pick up some great tips from people who’ve been where you are now.

Also, keep in mind that many of these items — such as wigs and prosthetics — are covered by insurance. So, we can write you a prescription for them.

Express yourself

We want to get you back to feeling like yourself, even if you don’t quite look like yourself. That’s why we encourage patients to resume their favorite activities as quickly as possible.

Was your favorite thing to do before surgery getting all dressed up, from head to toe? If that makes you feel more like yourself, then keep doing it! Are you known for wearing sassy hats or other chic accessories? Throw some on and make your grand entrance!

We encourage anything you want to do to express yourself. We can help you work around any surgical restrictions or port lines you might have to keep it safe. So, even if makeup is your thing but you can’t wear eye shadow or mascara just yet, let’s find your favorite lipstick and apply that instead.

Develop a ‘short story’ and a ‘long story’ to answer any questions

A lot of patients worry that strangers will stop and stare at them in public. They say, “Someone’s going to look at me and notice that I’m different.” But I have found people are often more curious than judgmental. So, don’t assume the worst.

It’s also a good idea to develop a “short” story and a “long” story about what happened to you. Then, you can use those to respond to anyone who asks questions.

If you don’t mind talking about it, for instance, your long story could include your diagnosis, your treatment, your experience at MD Anderson, and any other details you might feel like sharing.

But if you don’t want to share your entire medical history with a stranger just to buy a gallon of milk, share your short story instead. That could be something as simple as “I had surgery for a medical condition. Have a good day.”

Experiment to see what feels the most comfortable for you, then stick to that — either to encourage further conversation or to shut it down entirely, depending on the situation.

Explore other options

Some cancer survivors have more difficulty accepting their bodies than others. If that describes you, don’t despair.

Whether it’s plastic surgery to improve a scar’s appearance, nipple tattooing to make reconstructed breasts look more natural, or the complex surgical revision of a limb stump to make prostheses possible, there may be medical solutions available. Ask your care team for a referral to a surgeon to discuss your options.

If you’re an MD Anderson patient, you can also ask your care team for a referral to any of the following clinics for assistance:

They can provide other types of support to help you make peace with the way you look now.

Haley Groce is a clinical social work counselor who specializes in head and neck cancers and cancer reconstruction. 

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-833-359-0631.