Skin Care Products to Use During Radiation Therapy
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Radiation-related skin reactions vary in frequency, intensity, and severity. The peak reaction time for breast cancer patients seems to start about midway through treatment and gets worse until about 1-2 weeks post-treatment. Everyone’s skin is different and reacts differently. Some people experience redness and mild burns while others experience more significant discoloration and more severe burns.
When beginning radiation therapy, easily absorbed moisturizers are favorable because they leave behind minimal residue. Moisturizers and “emollients” like ointments, creams, pastes, foams, lotions and gels are used. The National Cancer Institute defines emollients as substances that increase the moisture levels in skin and can soothe and soften skin to prevent or treat dry, rough, scaly, itchy skin that may also be effective in treating rashes or burns. Ointments tend to cause the least irritation and are beneficial because they offer a deeper penetrating hydration than creams and lotions. Gels can cause potential irritation because of the drying effect that occurs after use.
It’s important to note that moisturizers help the skin maintain moisture rather than add moisture to the skin which is why it is recommended to use moisturizers after bathing in order to lock in the moisture from the water on your skin. Useful options include commonly known brands like Aveeno moisturizing cream, Cetaphil cream, and Eucerin original.
Remedy Basics Moisturizing Body Lotion is a light unscented moisturizer that easily absorbs into the skin and is commonly used. Remedy Lotion also has Remedy Phytoplex Nourishing Skin Cream which is made out of a blend of emollients that also contains lipids like safflower and carrageenan, crucial fatty acids, licorice root extract, and plant botanicals.
Calendula officialis is a herbaceous plant that has been shown to provide anti-inflammatory and healing properties. A double-blind study of patients undergoing radiotherapy by Schneider et. al (2015), found that calendula was more effective in patients than essential fatty acids and provided protection to patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. Calendula is available in cream, ointment, gel, and tincture. Going Beyond the Pink provides Boiron Calendula Gel in our care bags.
My Girls Breast Cream is a plant derived moisturizer that utilizes calendula and rosemary and also excludes parabens, fragrances, and dyes, which are known endocrine disruptors. This moisturizer is intended for breast cancer patients undergoing radiation. The texture of the cream appears like whipped cream making it easily applicable to irritated skin.
Heavier emollients and occlusive agents can be found in bland petroleum-based products. Bland-petroleum without fragrances reduces the chance of sensitivity reactions and has been shown to repair the barrier within damaged skin These products are inexpensive and easily accessible some of which include Aquaphor and white petroleum jelly.
Hyaluronic acid cream has been shown to delay and reduce the intensity and duration of skin reactions due to radiation in patients with breast malignancies. Hyaluronic acid is a polymer that is distributed naturally within connective tissues and when used in a cream has been shown to revitalize fibrin and fibroblast development to assist in the promotion of healing and granulation of tissues.
To prevent friction of the skin there are barrier-forming products such as Cavilon No Sting Barrier, Mepilex Lite dressings, and Mepitel Film that may provide some relief and offer preventative aid. Cavilon No Sting Barrier is useful in obstructing acute radiation dermatitis severity. Mepilex Lite dressings have been reported to lessen the severity of acute skin reactions. Mepitel Film has been shown to prevent moist desquamation.
Medihoney promotes hydration and is often used to treat dry desquamation to smooth and heal the skin irritation and reaction caused by radiation. Medihoney can be applied to reduce friction and irritation.
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There are lots of options when it comes to caring for your skin before, during and after radiation treatment. Like with any new products, you should consult with your physician before using and make sure they won’t interfere with or react to your treatment protocol.
Information from this blog post was taken from Skin Care in Radiation Oncology by Barbra Fowble, Sue S. Yom, Florence Yuen, and Sarah Arron (Fowble, B., Yom, S. S., Yuen, F., & Arron, S. (2016). Skin Care in Radiation Oncology: A Practical Guide (1st ed.). Springer.)