Radiotherapy
Chemotherapy
Cyclotron
Diagnostic Imaging
Rehabilitation
Macmillan Centre
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RADIOTHERAPY
Radiotherapy
and your skin
Why does my skin react to the treatment?
Radiotherapy is the use of carefully measured doses of radiation. As
well as treating your disease, the radiation temporarily damages the outer
layers of your skin.
During your treatment, your skin is unable to repair itself as it normally
would. However, once your treatment has finished, your skin will generally
recover quite quickly, usually within a month or so of completing your
treatment.
If you do have a skin reaction, it will be limited to the area of your
body that is having treatment. Your doctor or radiographer will explain
more about your likely skin reaction.
How might my skin feel?
Your skin may:
- feel warm to touch;
- be more sensitive
or feel sore;
- become a little
pink or red looking;
- become dry and
flaky;
- feel itchy or
prickly; and
- peel or weep (less
common).
Will
I have all the changes described?
Not always. The
amount of skin soreness depends on a number of things including:
- your skin type;
- the machine you
are treated on;
- how you normally
react to the sun; and
- the number of
treatments you are having.
Everybody is different
and therefore, you may not experience the same changes as somebody else.
Many people do not have any skin changes at all.
When will the skin changes happen?
This varies, but the changes mentioned usually happen later on in your
course of treatment or sometimes a few weeks after your treatment has
finished. This depends upon the dose of radiation and on the number of
treatments, you have been prescribed.
How can I help myself?
-
You may wash the treated area gently using warm water and a mild, unperfumed
soap such as baby soap.
- Pat
the skin dry using a soft towel.
- Do
not use very hot water.
- Do
not soak in the bath.
- Do
not scrub the treated skin.
- Do
not use a rough flannel or sponge.
- Do
not use toiletries such as perfume, aftershave, shower gels, bubble
bath or deodorants etc on the skin in the treatment area.
- Wear
cotton clothing next to your skin. It is cooler and more comfortable.
- Avoid
wearing tight restrictive clothing next to the treated area or clothing
that will constantly rub the area. Make sure that bra straps, belts,
collars etc, in or near the treated area, are loose fitting or even
avoid wearing them altogether.
- Where
layers of skin rub together, for example under your arm, it is likely
to make the skin more sore. Try to avoid this by, for example, putting
your arm up on the back of the chair whilst watching TV. Fresh air is
very helpful and a cool fan can be soothing.
- If
under your arm is being treated you should avoid shaving it.
- If
you are having treatment to your face or neck, use an electric razor
but as treatment progresses, it is better to stop shaving to avoid irritating
the skin.
- Avoid
exposing the treated skin to direct sunshine.
- You
may wash your hair as usual unless your doctor, radiographer or nurse
has advised you otherwise.
- Any
itching or burning sensation can be soothed by using an aqueous cream
(it must not contain lanolin as this can make your skin more sore),
which we will prescribe for you.
- Do
not use any other creams or lotions that we did not prescribe for you.
- Do
not use adhesive dressing tape on the treated skin.
- Do
not use anything that will dry your skin e.g. talc.
If you would like more advice please ask your doctor, radiographer or
nurse.
Your treatment marks
Before you start your course of treatment, we will need to mark your
skin with a felt tip pen to make sure that the treatment is given to the
right place each time you attend. The marks can rub off onto your clothing,
so you may wish to wear older clothing, to avoid spoiling your best clothes.
We need to be able to see these marks each time that you come for treatment.
Therefore, it is important that you avoid washing your treatment marks
off.
Sometimes, the radiographer will need to make tiny permanent marks on
your skin, but they will ask your permission before doing so. This will
allow you to wash and shower normally, without these tiny marks being
lost. However, if you do not want the permanent marks, you will still
need to have the felt tip pen skin marks. In this case, please do not
soak in the bath, preferably have a shower if you can. If the marks do
fade, we can replace them. However, you will have to return to the simulator
to have them replaced and this will extend your appointment.
How do I look after my skin once the treatment
has finished?
Now that you have finished your radiotherapy, your skin may be red, sore
and itchy. This reaction will be at its worst in a week to 10 days time.
During this time, it is best to continue using the advice given above
until your skin returns to normal. Your skin will recover in about 4-6
weeks.
For some patients your skin may become broken and start to weep. This
is a natural reaction, but it will need medical attention to stop it becoming
infected. Your GP will arrange for a nurse to dress the area until it
heals. Dry dressings may stick to your broken skin, so are best avoided.
Do not worry, your skin will heal in time.
Your skin in the treated area will always be more sensitive to the sun.
Therefore, for this area, it is advisable to avoid very hot sun or to
use a high factor sun cream. If you have had your head or neck area treated,
it is also a good idea to wear a hat.
Brachytherapy
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Introduction
Simulator Planning
CTPlanning
MouldRoom
Treatment
Skin
Brachy-therapy
Medical Physics
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