The mention of radiotherapy to many people sends shivers down the spine and this is expected. It could be from the memory of a close one who underwent the rigorous treatment to treat cancer. Though many people avoid talking about it, it is part of our lives because more cancer cases are being identified and as such, this treatment will continue being administered. When they say information is power, they mean exactly that; you might not need that information but someone else might hence the need to know. The use of X-rays is common in hospitals but in radiotherapy, it is not about getting a picture of your bone but trying to shrink cancerous tumors or kill the cancerous cells. Like most treatments, there are side effects though the process itself is painless. One of the most common is radiotherapy skin damage. This occurs mostly in areas where the treatment part has folded skin such as below the breast area. The burning of the epithelial cells leads to a pink discoloration on the skin surface at the onset and with time, the pain and soreness can increase especially if the treatment is going on for long. The area might also become itchy and dry and this is exacerbated by the tendency to scratch leading to open sores. It is advisable not to use creams or soaps to clean the area and also to avoid scratching. Dabbing the area with warm water is always advisable and a lot of contact is discouraged to help the sore heal.
The use of radiotherapy treatment started way back in the last century with breakthrough research in the 1920s-30s proving that X-rays could actually be used to kill the DNA of the cancerous cells. With time, the treatment has become refined and it is billed as one of the few effective cancer treatments available. However, due to the constant exposure to the rays, the skin around the affected area can sometimes become affected and this is one of the main side effects of the treatment. The skincare radiotherapy option that one uses to heal the damage depends on the intensity. It is good to remember that treatment periods vary with some going on for very long. For such, the sores and itchy scarring can become quite acute. There are anti-itching products in the market that burn away the sensation and thus save you from more trouble. When the patient scratches, the store will open and the continued radiation exposure will make the skin damage worse. Doctors can also prescribe anti-itching medication if the itching is severe to reduce the chances of infection which can be fatal. The ingredients in these products are mostly herbal such as glycerin, eucalyptus, camphor among others. It is also advisable to dab the skin area with warm water but without any soap. In some cases, if infection occurs, there is the need for antibiotics to avoid further damage to the patient’s cells considering they are already low on immunity. The skin area must also be left untouched even if shaving is needed around there as this will aggravate it.
The treatment value of radiotherapy has never been in doubt in the medical circles. The fact that so far there is no cure for cancer means that this is the only way to curb the spread of the cancerous cells by killing them early enough. However, there are side effects some mild and others acute. One of the most frustrating of these is the radiotherapy burns which affect the area exposed to the X-rays. To understand this, you have to get the idea that these rays are concentrated on one place for hours, daily and if such a skin area has folds, there are bound to be burns resulting from the continuous exposure. The rays themselves are not harmful because after all we use them to get to see our bones when the doctor needs to but the continuous exposure is what brings the problem because the patient experiences a lot of pain in that area. These burns are made worse by the itching which forces the patient to scratch and eventually, sores emerge and this is risky due to infection. In essence, the idea is to reduce the itching and there are products in the market that are made with herbals that do exactly that. The patient also needs to take anti-biotic in case of an infection. The doctor can also prescribe anti-itching prescription if at all it is severe. There is also need to keep the burns clean as this way; there is less risk of infection and the healing will be faster and effective.
Tags: radiotherapy, radiotherapy burns, radiotherapy skin damage, radiotherapy treatment, skincare radiotherapy