Beauty’s importance in terminal illness survival: Board-certified experts explain

MANILA, Philippines (Updated Sept. 24, 2024, 9:17 a.m.) — “Kilay is life,” so the saying goes. 

But for the cancer survivor patients of Alternative Healing Manila, getting eyebrows (kilay), eyelashes and permanent makeup gives more than life — these also give hope to people in the face of death.

Aesthetic procedures like permanent makeup are usually deemed as “kaartehan” (vanity), but according to Kristine Lucas, a Board-certified international master trainer in Aesthetic Skincare and Dermopigmentation, permanent makeup is used to also draw nipples on breast cancer survivors who lost a breast or two.

“At least through permanent makeup, we can make them feel like a woman again,” Lucas told Philstar.com at a recent exclusive interview.

“Sometimes, pinapa-reconstruct nila (breasts), but even if you reconstruct, there is still no nipple and areola. By completing the look of the breast through aesthetics, it becomes a part of the healing of the person. Parang nabalik na ‘yung confidence nila na, ‘Okay, babae pa rin ako’.”

Permanent makeup, said Lucas, is also helpful to those who have Vitiligo, a disease that results in loss of skin color in patches (such as what Michael Jackson had); and also those who have Alopecia Areata, a disease caused by the immune system attacking hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.

Permanent makeup is applied to hide the patches among Vitiligo patients, while eyebrow makeup is done to those who lost even their eyebrows to Alopecia, Lucas explained.

“Hindi mo naibalik ‘yung buhok n’ya, pero naibalik mo naman ang loob n’ya, so parang natulungan mo s’ya ma-regain ang confidence n’ya,” she enthused.

“Napansin ko, ‘pag meron kaming fini-facial, or meron akong kinikilayan, nakuwento na nila ‘yung buong buhay nila sa’min… we’re a form of therapists, because self-love is a form of self-therapy. If you do something for yourself, na-relax ka, gumanda ka na, therapeutic ‘yun for you. So, they are related,” she expounded on the link between Aesthetics and physical healing.

“How are they related? Because if you feel good about yourself, you feel better,” she said.

“We have a hierarchy of basic needs and one of them is aesthetics, according to Maslow. So if you’re able to meet your needs aesthetically, you would be able to attend to your other needs as well,” affirmed psychologist and Board-certified aesthetics practitioner Lester Rodriguez. 

“So ‘pag maganda paligid mo, not just bahay mo, mas maganda rin pakiramdam mo physically. It correlates to that as well… Beautiful, healthy skin correlates to beautiful, healthy internal organs,” attested Rodriguez, who is also into Naturopathy, a holistic approach to wellness using natural medicine.

“Everybody can heal from cancer,” he assured, “Your body created it, so your body can also un-create cancer.”

Now a Naturopathy practitioner certified by the Department of Health, Rodriguez, along with Lucas and the rest of Alternative Healing Manila, provides talks and services, some are pro bono for patients of diseases like cancer and Alopecia. 

Alternative Healing Manila, located in Unit 102, Kennedy Center, Madrigal Business Park 2, Building Prime Street, Muntinlupa, 1780 Metro Manila, offers unique services such as Tri-Peel Herbal Microneedling, which according to Lucas, is not available elsewhere in the country.

“Microneedling is a common term for rejuvenating the skin. It normally uses needles. If you use needles, you put a little bit of numbing cream before the procedure. Then, the product is infused using needles. Usually, cancer survivors do not like needles,” she said. “So we thought, ‘What can we bring in that’s purely natural for people who still wants to look good (despite their health condition?)’.”

So they searched for a service that uses no chemicals, no need for anesthesia, and most importantly, with no needles required.

“It’s all plant-based, but you actually feel like you have needles inside… I wouldn’t say it’s painful, but you’d feel something in your skin because something is inserted, and more of a feeling like, ‘Oh this is working because I feel something’,” she assured. “Because sometimes, when you had your facial done, you’d think, ‘Did it really work? Parang hinugasan lang ‘yung face ko’.” 

She ensured clients that Tri-Peel Herbal Microneedling is safe for everyone regardless of their health condition: “No issues – the only possible issue is if you’re allergic to this certain kind of plant – but it’s nothing serious.”

Alternative Healing Manila also claimed to be one of reportedly only three centers in the country that offers Moroccan Bath, which improves blood circulation, removes toxins, and tightens skin and muscles, said Lucas. 

According to her, their wellness center even had a special facility constructed in their Muntinlupa branch, and soon in their Makati branch as well, just for the Moroccan Bath, since this steam bath requires enough supply of warm water infused with special concoctions. 

Apart from natural and aesthetic services, the center offers Psychotherapy and Psychology services because according to Rodriguez, some illnesses are caused by imbalanced emotions and stress.

“Healing is not only physical. It also includes the mind,” Lucas opined. “Mayroong may mga cancer, but because their mind is strong and healthy, nakaka-recover sila. You don’t even see that they’re sick! Mayroon namang wala pang sakit na matindi pero their mind is weak, sila ‘yung mga mukhang may sakit.”

Healing, she reminded everyone, should be holistic – physical appearance and mental health included.