Protect your skin, especially during radiation therapy

Highlights Fortunately, radiation therapy is less damaging to skin today than in the past. Be especially careful not to expose your skin to the sun. Here are some skin protection tips.

There are a number of different side effects of radiation therapy depending upon the area being treated, but one side effect that is common to almost everyone who gets external beam radiation therapy is irritation and/or damage to the skin at the radiation site.

These days, radiation therapy causes much less skin damage than it did in the past because most of the radiation dose is delivered below the surface of the skin. However, you may still find that your skin shows some response to treatment. Some people experience very little, if any, irritation to the skin while others experience considerable discomfort.

Skin Irritation Usually Occurs at These Intervals:

During first 2 weeks of treatment: Your skin may look tanned or sunburned and may even be swollen. You may notice blisters. Skin may become tender or sensitive to the touch. It may feel a lot like a bad sunburn.

After 3 to 4 weeks: Skin may become dry, flaky, and itchy. It may even peel. The skin may also darken. This is an effect of radiation on the cells that produce pigment or color. You also may have hair loss in the skin over the area that is being treated.

After about 1 month of treatment: Some people may notice more severe peeling of the skin and in some cases, moist or oozing areas.

Later effects of radiation: You may notice a thinning of the skin. Some people may have oozing areas that become hard-to-heal wounds. If surgery has been done in the same area as the radiation treatment, the skin may feel hard.

Some Ways to Be Gentle with Your Skin:

• When showering, use only lukewarm water and mild soap. Just let the water run over the treated area; do not rub. Be especially careful not to rub away the ink marks that are used for your treatment.
• Try not to scratch the treatment area.
• Avoid wearing tight clothes like girdles, pantyhose, or close-fitting collars over the treatment area. Instead, wear loose, soft cotton clothing.
• Do not starch your clothes.
• Do not put anything that is hot or cold, such as a heating pad or ice pack, on your treated skin unless your doctor tells you to do so.
• Do not use a pre-shave or after-shave lotion or hair-removal products. If you must shave the treated area, use an electric razor instead of a blade razor; but be sure to first check with your care team.
• Do not use tape on treated skin. If your skin must be covered or bandaged, use paper tape or other tape for sensitive skin. Try to put the tape outside the treatment area, and do not put the tape in the same place each time.
• Protect the treatment area from the sun, not only during treatment, but also for at least 1 year after treatment is completed. After first checking with your doctor, use a sunscreen product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 on all of your skin, including the skin over the treatment area. Also try to keep the skin in the treatment area covered when you are outside. Do not use tanning beds.
• Before using skin care products during treatment, check with the radiation doctor or nurse. Some lotions that are fine to use after treatment can actually make things worse during treatment. Those containing alcohol, for example, can be particularly irritating.
• To be safe, ask your doctor before using any powders, creams, perfumes, deodorants, body oils, ointments, lotions, or home remedies in the treatment area – not only while you are being treated, but for several weeks afterward, too. Many skin products leave a coating on the skin that can cause irritation and may even change the dose of radiation that enters the body.
• Moisturizing with aloe vera, lanolin, or vitamin E may help soothe irritated skin, but again, first discuss their use with your medical care team.

It’s important to remember that most skin reactions go away over time after treatment ends. However, if you are bothered by any skin reactions, be sure to let your medical care team know. They can suggest ways to ease the discomfort and possibly lessen further irritation.

Current studies may hold help for the future.

Reducing the side effects of radiation treatment not only improves patients’ quality of life, but also helps them tolerate higher radiation doses that can kill more cancer cells. That’s why a number of studies are under way to test what are called radioprotective agents. These agents protect normal cells from damage by radiation and thereby reduce the side effects of radiation therapy, including irritation to the skin. Studies in this area are focusing both on drugs and natural substances to help protect normal cells from radiation.

The American Cancer Society is here to guide you through every step of the cancer experience so you can focus on getting well. For more information, please contact us at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.