自分や身近な人ががんになった経験を持つ新潟県長岡市の美容師が、抗がん剤治療の副作用による脱毛や肌のくすみ、爪の黒ずみなど、外見の変化に悩む人々をサポートする取り組みを広げています。
患者と美容院をつなぐインターネットサイトを開設し、患者専用の「メディカルビューティサロン」を展開しているのだ。髪がなくなっても、美容院でできることはたくさんあるんですよ」。髪がなくなっても、美容室でできることはたくさんありますから、ぜひ悩みを相談してください。
長岡市千秋1で美容室「プルメリア」を営む斎藤愛さん（45）は、県美容師協会が認定する「がん患者支援美容師」（新潟市中央区）の一人だ。医療用ウィッグの相談やケアのほか、スキンケアやネイルケアも行っている。
愛さんが患者支援に関心を持ったのは、義妹の斉藤美鈴さん（40）の乳がん治療と自身のがん体験がきっかけだった。
美鈴さんは4年前に乳がんと診断された。病院で「抗がん剤を使うと髪が抜ける」と言われたが、心構えがわからないまま治療を始めた。次々と髪が抜けていき、慌てて愛さんと友人の美容師さんに相談した。ウィッグを合わせ、生え際が自然に見えるようにカットしてくれた。
夏は暑く、冬は静電気に悩まされるため、愛さんは髪の手入れに気を配った。地毛が生えるまでの約2年間はウィッグを使い続けたが、美容師が近くにいることはとても助かったという。外見に不安を感じたとき、頼れる美容師さんがいるのはいいことだと思います。見た目がよければ、前向きになれますから」と強調した。
一方、愛さんは2019年に卵巣がんと診断されました。美容師として何ができるかを考えたとき、「病気療養中に寄り添ってくれる美容師が必要だと思う」と思ったそうです。
2020年2月、患者さんへの対応やウィッグの扱い方を本格的に学ぶため、協会が開催する第1回講座を受講し、がん患者支援美容師として認定されました。
県内では46人がサポート美容師の資格を取得し、患者さんに対応する美容室も複数あります。病院やお店にはパンフレットやステッカーがありますが、県内でサポートできる美容院を簡単に検索できるサービスがなかったため、愛さんはホームページを立ち上げることにしました。市から補助金を受け、専門業者と協力してサイトを制作した。
がん患者だけでなく、個室があるか、車いすで通えるかなど、病気や障害を持つ人の目線で美容院を探せるようにする予定です。
現在、県内の美容室にサイトへの登録を呼びかけており、来年度中の運用開始を目指します。
愛さんは「体調が悪くても気軽に来店できる美容室でありたい」と話す。登録に関するお問い合わせは、プルメリア（plumeria868138@gmail.com）までお願いします。
英訳
A hairdresser in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, who has experienced cancer herself and others close to her, is expanding her efforts to support people suffering from changes in their appearance, such as hair loss, dull skin, and darkened nails due to side effects of anti-cancer treatment. They have set up an Internet site to connect patients with beauty salons, and are developing "medical beauty salons" exclusively for patients. Even if you lose your hair, there are still many things you can do at a beauty salon," she says. Even if you lose your hair, there is still a lot a beauty salon can do for you, so please talk to us about your problems.
Ai Saito, 45, who runs the beauty salon "Plumeria" in Senshu Ward 1, is one of the "cancer patient support beauticians" (Chuo-ku, Niigata City) certified by the Prefectural Beauticians Association. In addition to providing consultation and care for medical wigs, she also provides skin care and nail care.
Ms. Ai's interest in patient support was triggered by her sister-in-law Misuzu Saito's (40) breast cancer treatment and her own cancer experience.
Ms. Misuzu was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. At the hospital, she was told that her hair would fall out if she used anti-cancer drugs, but she started the treatment without knowing how to prepare herself. Her hair started falling out one after another, and she panicked and consulted with Ai and her friend, a hair stylist. They matched her wig and cut it so that her hairline looked natural.
Since it was hot in summer and suffered from static electricity in winter, Ai took care of her hair. She continued to use the wig for about two years until her natural hair grew back, but she found it very helpful to have a hairdresser close by. I think it's good to have a hairdresser you can rely on when you feel insecure about your appearance. If you look good, you can be positive," she emphasized.
Ai, on the other hand, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2019. When she thought about what she could do as a hairdresser, she thought, "I think I need a hairdresser who can be there for me while I'm recovering from my illness.
In February 2020, in order to learn how to deal with patients and handle wigs in earnest, she attended the first course held by the association and was certified as a cancer patient support beautician.
Forty-six people have been certified as support beauticians in the prefecture, and there are several beauty salons that cater to patients. Hospitals and stores have pamphlets and stickers, but there was no service that allowed people to easily search for hair salons that can support them in the prefecture, so Ms. Ai decided to set up a website. She received a subsidy from the city and worked with a professional company to create the site.
The plan is to make it possible to search for beauty salons not only for cancer patients, but also from the perspective of people with illnesses or disabilities, such as whether they have private rooms or whether they are wheelchair accessible. We are currently calling for beauty salons in the prefecture to register on the site and aim to start operation in the next fiscal year.
Ms. Ai says, "We want to be a beauty salon where people can feel free to visit even if they are sick. For inquiries about registration, please contact Plumeria (plumeria868138@gmail.com).