Treated like lepers

Cancer patients humiliated as they are turned away for beauty therapies by leading spas acting on ‘junk science’

CANCER patients are being made to ‘feel like lepers’ by spas that deny them beauty treatments.

Women can be turned away moments before appointments if they admit they are undergoing treatment or suffered from the disease in the past.

Around 70 per cent of spas are believed to have policies banning staff from giving cancer patients common treatments such as facials and massages.

Some blame the practice on insurance policies while others impose the rules based on fears a treatment such as a massage could worsen a patient’s condition.

Shocking experiences include a woman returning home in tears while her cancerfree friends had treatments and a mother who was refused a facial because she had had a mastectomy.

Another was reportedly told: ‘I’m really sorry love I can’t touch you with a bargepole’. Some women now lie about their medical history for fear humiliation.

The discrimination is said to be happening at leading spa chains. The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology admits many policies are based on outdated training that once taught therapists not to treat a person with cancer because the impact they could have on their condition was unknown.

But Kefah Mokbel, director of breast surgery at the London Breast Institute, said there was ‘no evidence’ to back this stance. He added: ‘It is very much [a] sort of junk science, very unscientific.’

Macmillan and Cancer Research UK both say there is no scientific evidence to suggest a massage can spread cancer but recommend patients seek medical advice before going to a spa.

Michelle Hammond, founder of tpot – an organisation aimed at educating therapists – described the climate as ‘brutal’.

A survey she conducted in 2014 found 97 per cent of spas would not treat a cancer patient. Three years on, she believes the ‘shocking’ figure may still be as high as 70 per cent. She said the ‘bonkers’ ban stems from ‘fear mongering’.

Of those who had been turned away, she said: ‘I think they just feel rejected, a lot of them feel isolated … they feel like lepers – we hear that word a lot.’

Abi Wright, founder of Spabreaks.com, has devoted a section of her business to spas that will treat cancer patients.

She became aware of the issue in 2010 when a customer called her.

Miss Wright said: ‘She turned up for her treatment on the Sunday morning, probably a very hungover therapist who … didn’t want to be there, looked at her consultation form, saw she had ticked the box and turned to her and said, “I’m really sorry love, I can’t touch you with a bargepole”.

‘Within the next few weeks I started to have conversations with what I considered to be my most trusted spas and said, “I can’t not have an option for these people”.’

The beauty therapists’ association admits there is ‘no reason’ cancer patients should not enjoy treatments – if a therapist is trained appropriately.

The association’s Lesley Blair said: ‘Historically, therapists were advised not to treat clients with cancer, due to the unquantified impact this may have on the person’s health and illness. Now clinical research highlights the benefits of massage therapy and other treatments for improving a client’s overall sense of health and wellbeing, and there is no reason that they shouldn’t enjoy treatments.’

She also recommended that patients get a letter from their doctor advising beauty therapists that they can be treated,

Martin Ledwick, head information nurse at Cancer Research UK, said: ‘The vast majority of massage therapy, as long as it’s not deep tissue massage, for most patients it is absolutely fine.’

Last year, Romy Thomson and Wendy Buchan from Banchory, in Aberdeenshire, began offering oncology massage specifically tailored to cancer patients at a salon in the town.

Julie Sangster, owner of the Riah Hair and Beauty salon, said that she encouraged the pair to gain diplomas in the specialist treatment after learning cancer patients had ‘regularly been turned away’ from spas.

The salon also provides a bespoke wig-fitting service for both NHS and private clients.

Have you been turned away by a spa? If so email: e.kentsmith@dailymail.co.uk

‘Can’t touch you with a bargepole’