| Radiation therapy is a simple, painless, and | | | | treatment progresses. Faint pinkness of the skin, |
| generally well-tolerated tool for treating and even | | | | brisk redness, sun burnt sensation, dryness, |
| curing breast cancer. One of the most common | | | | itching, peeling, darkening like a suntan, blistering, |
| side effects of radiation therapy to the breast | | | | and moist oozing can occur.When the reaction is |
| (after a lumpectomy) or to the chest wall (after | | | | severe, such as a brisk redness that evolves into |
| a mastectomy) is skin irritation. The reaction and | | | | blistering and moist weeping of the skin, women |
| its extent differ for every woman. Because | | | | receive a treatment break, usually lasting a week |
| radiation therapy is often such an important part | | | | or two. This rest is usually sufficient to alleviate |
| of breast cancer treatment, it is important to | | | | the worst symptoms. When necessary, doctors |
| know how to mitigate its side effects in order to | | | | can prescribe therapeutic creams. Radiation can be |
| gain the greatest benefit from the therapy.Coping | | | | resumed once the reaction resolves.Treating the |
| with Skin IrritationRadiation-induced skin reactions | | | | ReactionDuring radiation therapy, women can |
| are more likely to occur in people who received | | | | avoid chafing the irradiated skin by going braless |
| chemotherapy shortly before or during radiation | | | | or by wearing a cotton sports bra without an |
| therapy and in women who have a prominent fold | | | | underwire that fits well below the crease of the |
| under the crease of the breast. In fact, this area | | | | breast or the irradiated skin of the chest wall. |
| and the underarm are the most common areas | | | | Women who can go braless altogether, should. If |
| of the breast to sustain a skin reaction. Most skin | | | | that is not a comfortable solution, women should |
| reactions resolve within a few weeks of | | | | wear a bra as infrequently as possible to reduce |
| completing radiation therapy.Skin reactions are | | | | the likelihood and/or the degree of a skin reaction. |
| almost inevitable for women receiving radiation to | | | | Also, aerating the irradiated skin helps minimize |
| the chest wall after a mastectomy. As a result, | | | | skin reactions.Over-the-counter moisturizing |
| many radiation oncology facilities give such | | | | creams without alcohol and fragrance can reduce |
| women a one-week prophylactic break halfway | | | | the extent of a skin reaction. Often, radiation |
| through the course of treatment, to reduce the | | | | oncology teams prescribe these creams at the |
| severity of skin reactions.The severity of a skin | | | | beginning of radiation therapy.Women should also |
| reaction varies from person to person. It can | | | | try to be kind to the irradiated skin, which can be |
| become more noticeable as the course of | | | | easily inflamed. |