Managing your nuked boob

runor

If these suggestions have appeared before, I apologize for repeating.

I finished my last radiation treatment (16 at a slightly higher dose) on July 26th. Then came home to observe what those cryptic words meant,' it will get worse before it gets better.' No joke!

Under my boob, where the underwire of the bra sits, the skin has blistered and is now peeling. Painfully. The raw flesh weeps, glues itself to my bra and each movement or nightly bra removal brings tears to my eyes. No, braless is NOT an option for these big boobs of mine. Besides, it's not like there is any more air in that under-boob crease when the girls are out of the bra!

I tucked cotton pads and bits of gauze under there to protect my raw flesh from the rub of the bra, but then whatever I tucked under there would weld itself to the wound and removal made me sing and dance. In a bad way.

Then I tried something that is pretty close to working! I share it here to use at your discretion. Also this is to be used AFTER radiation treatment ends, not during. During I was warned not to use any oil or petroleum based product on my skin. So for after care this is what I have done in desperation.

Have some little gauze squares used as wound dressing. Found some ancient Zincofax (zinc based diaper cream) from when the kid was little and I gooed a thick layer of this diaper cream onto the gauze pad. Placed that pad gummy side against my raw flesh, then carefully set my bra in place. The greasiness of the zinc keeps the wound from sticking to the pad and protects the wound from being rubbed by the bra! It's not 100% perfect, but I can take my bra off without crying now! So if you have some basic gauze pads and diaper cream or even Vaseline, smear a thick layer on, slap it on your under-boob raw area and it will protect you from some bra burn.

I also mixed by own blend of moisturizer. It is a little squirt of 100% aloe vera gel, a squirt of 100% pure vegetable glycerin and a little dribble of water, to thin it out a bit. Mix this up in a pump bottle and spread this on baked boob a few times a day. DO NOT get it in open flesh as it stings like crazy! But on non broken flesh it seems moisturizing without being greasy or gooey.

I was not prepared for how miserable this would be. I can't believe how my boob looks, let alone how it feels. I think the armpit is going to be the next spot to bubble and peel. This is all so damn sexy!

Kicks

There are bras that can be used other than underwires. Sports bras are often recommended.

I had a UMX but burned very bad over the entire chest area to underarm. What finally worked for me to finally heal (months later) was doing Domeboro soaks. Sometimes adding moisture is not the 'answer' but drying an area is what contributes to healing.

Talk to you Dr.

Samanthavt7091

Vanity Fair (carried at JCP) make bras without the under wire. Aquaphor worked well for me and my burning skin.

Be well.

pupmom

Guess I was lucky. Didn't go through any major problems with rads. I was red and itchy toward the end. But that all resolved within two weeks post rads. Hugs to all those who suffer from more extreme reactions!

Denise-G

Silvadene, a prescription ointment, did wonders for my terribly burned and peeling breast and under arm area.

Within a few weeks, it healed tremendously!

Mandycat

thanks for posting. Hope everyone is doing well. I'm doing 16 rads at higher dose and was also told it will continue to worsen after treatment. So far it is o