Protect your skin, especially after radiation therapy.
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Highlights
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Sun Protection Tips
Protect the skin in the treatment area from the sun. This skin will need extra sun protection for the rest of your life. To protect your skin:
- Whenever possible, cover the treated skin with dark-colored clothing before going outside.
- If your face or neck was treated, wear a broad-brimmed hat any time you're outdoors.
- Ask your doctor about using sunscreen on the treated skin. If it's OK, use one with an SPF of at least 15 and reapply it often.
- Do not ever use a tanning bed or lamp.
There are a number of different side effects of radiation therapy that may last after treatment. They mostly depend on the area that was treated, but one side effect that is common to almost everyone who gets external beam radiation therapy is damage to the skin at the radiation site.
These days, radiation therapy causes considerably 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 during treatment.
Most of the visible changes you may have experienced – like redness, flaking, peeling, or oozing – heal and improve over time after radiation is complete. But keep in mind that this area of skin will always be extra sensitive to the sun.
Protect the treatment area from the sun 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.
If skin problems from your radiation treatment continue to bother you after treatment has ended, 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.
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