What Can I Use to Treat Skin Irritation During Breast Cancer Radiation?

I used Boiron Calendula cream. Recommended by my radiation dr. You can get it on Amazon. I also found that once I stopped radiation I continued to burn for 2 weeks and it was bad. At this point I used aloe Vera and Cereve healing ointment. I wish I had started with the Cereve healing ointment sooner. It is much easier to rub in then Aquaphor. I also felt like they didn’t actually tell you what to expect as far as the burn goes. I thought I was doing fairly good until it was over and then all of a sudden it got really bad. I blistered I peeled, super tender to the touch or to have any clothing rub on it. It took a good month to get to the point where things were better. That’s after the two weeks of continued burn once radiation was complete. I also got very tired after each radiation session after about the 7 th treatment. I need to nap when I got home I was so exhausted. Today I’m 2 months post radiation. My skin feels very strange, is still very discolored and I have some itching still. Good luck to you! Definitely better than Chemo which was terrible!

I used Auquaphor with hydrocortisone, you will likely experience itching, and be advised that your radiation stays actively working for 2 weeks after last treatment. My skin held up pretty well during treatments but blistered raw for the 2 weeks after. If they offer you a prescription for Silvadene cream take it.

I didn't expect that my skin would burn so bad after radiation. It seems like they could tell you things before hand. That was the worse part. And yes I was so tired, I had to rest after my treatments to function at all.

My skin was irritated after my treatments. The nurse told me to do salt baths. 4 cups of water a tablespoon of salt mixed. Take wash cloth in water ring it out place over irritated skin for 5 minutes twice a day. After doing that take mepilex and place over skin to keep area dry. You can rinse out mepilex and reuse. I got mepilex from the nurse where I received radiation. I did this daily and healed quickly in about two weeks. I was tired after treatment and rested. The salt baths were great, felt good and worked well. Good luck to you. Do what you feel is best for you.

The rad onc prescribed a steroid cream to use after each treatment. I did get dermatitis my last week and they gave me miaderm with lidocaine which really helped with the pain.

I only had one place to get red. The radio people provided the best creme

I used Aquiphore

Green tea is wonderful. Brew it snd put on your breast 2 hours before radiation, let air dry. Then do it again after radiation. I never burned. My radiation dr and therapist were wonderful.

I used benzocain powder off of Amazon to numb the open burns and then covered it with aquaphor. It would last about an hour , but you can also mix it into the oil or cream you use and it lasted longer

My radiation physician prescribed a special ointment to use daily (Mometasone Furoate Cream0.1%) along with use of Aquafor OTC healing ointment twice a day. I pray this works because I’m very thin chested and burn easily. I just started treatments this week.

I am an HER2+ onco patient who completed chemo, adjuvent, and radiation therapies. Before even starting my radiation therapies 3yrs ago, I was advised by my radiologist to get a Mepitel (mepiex) film. So that skin protection sheet was placed on the area to be under radiotherapy and should stay there until completion of the last session or even longer ( I think it went off during one of my body showers). I was also advised not to have a shower during the treatment period ( in my case, that was 3 weeks) but to use other means of cleaning/washing my upper body. No deodorant or shower gel was allowed, too. When I completed all radiation therapies, my skin was washed with non-parfumed soap ( the best is to use baby products), and dried very gently (to be patted) I was advised to use lukewarm water when washing and moisturize with an aquereus cream (water-based cream). Please try to wear loose cotton clothing to avoid fractions, avoid exposure to high temperatures (ice packs or stay too close to warm stowe when cooking), and do not shawe or wax underarm. Even months upon completion of all my therapies ( checkout, radiation, adjuvent), I consumed baby or non-parfumed body and hair products. Now, after 3 yrs, I do not see nor feel any side effects on my skin. There are some other mild side effects due to my chemo and adjuvant therapies (I suffer from neuropath, my nails are still sore, etc. ). It is also important to mention that during that time I tried to stay physically active ( walked a lot) and when outside/outdore I tried to protect my skin from sun exposure (no sleeves or "V" T-shirts) as well as put sunblok factor every few hrs. Still, I'm very careful when it comes to sun exposure/protection. Hope it helps and good luck with radiation therapies. p.s. English is not my mother tongue, so please forgive me for any language mistake.

I never heard of this cream. Is it greasy?

Hello Pam, My name is Amber I undergone 30 radiation treatments for Breast Cancer Oct 22nd- December 12th last year. I was Stage 3 ER, PR+ HER2- The best thing I can recommend is the following! Aquaphor you can get a huge tub of it at Sam’s club and the tiny tubes 3 or 4 pack for travel on the go for work. My radiologist only told me to use that, however also found calendula oil to help! After! Prior to starting radiation two weeks or even three weeks I started lathering in the shower in organic coconut oil with water! My skin looks pretty darn good after radiation.

My doctor provided Calendula cream to me and told me to use it 3-4 times a day on and around my breasts and underarm (where carrier lymph nodes were removed). I'm into week 2 of 3 weeks of radiation, and will then start Tamoxafin after a seven day "vacation". So far things are going great (after a serious ductal infection after surgery that finally responded to antibiotics). All in all, I consider myself very lucky and love my medical team.

There are different strengths of radiation. The first time I had it it was easy. I worked through it. The second time was pretty rough. I was extremely tired and slept a lot. I did burn some, but my nerves were cut during mastectomy, and I couldn't feel too much.

Aquaphor was a life saver for me. Slather it on after each treatment, I wore cheat tank tops from Walmart as it will stain clothes, but my skin healed incredibly well

My Doc gave me several tubes of Calendula. I loved it - it doesn't absorb instantly. While undergoing daily radiation I used it 4x a day. I'm still using it even though my radiation ended more than 2 weeks ago. Great stuff. Also, make sure you're wearing a good quality support bra 24/7 and do your best to keep your physical fitness in line as well. I couldn't swim because of the therapy, so I was on the treadmill 6 days a week for 45 minutes at a good fast walk. Anything goid for your body is good for ALL your body.

Hi Pam , I found there are several products available for radiation skin care. I used both a cream and lotion that worked well. I was also given cold patches to apply which felt good on the burn. I actually applied sunscreen before and that seemed to help as well. I had one tan armpit and breast but that goes away . Good luck , I found it much easier than I feared. I had 20 sessions . I go today for my 11 month check for mammogram and bone density etc . Praying nothing new is discovered. Sarah

Many patients find that gentle, fragrance-free moisturizers and specific products recommended by their radiation team can help manage skin sensitivity during treatment. It's wonderful that you're thinking ahead and preparing - your radiation oncology team will have the best guidance on which products are safe and effective for your specific treatment plan, so definitely ask them at your next appointment about their recommended skin care routine.