Skin Cream during radiation

Hello CarrieDee,

I am two weeks out from 28 radiation treatments to left chest wall/axillary nodes with mastectomy. I started with radiogel and was monitored daily for skin changes. It provided good moisture to my skin. I also supplemented with the gel from the aloe vera plant.

When my skin started to "weep", I was switched to Biafine. At the end of treatments, my skin was red and was moist - but no significant pain and it looked like a bad sunburn. One week after completion of treatments - everything became worse. I had huge ulcerated areas, raw exposed skin, yellow-green mucosy drainage, terrible pain. (My daughter said it looked like a big red stop sign!). I was switched to vaseoline covered sterile gauze and Telfa nonadhesive pads and prescribed Tylenol 3.  After one week, the damage has peaked and I have switched back to Biafine with nonadhesive pads. Throughout this whole process, I did expose my skin to the air when possible and washed very gently. 

It does get  better and I hope you find the best skin treatments for you.

Cassandra

Hi Theresa,

I am interested in trying the cream from Hungary.  I just started radiation on Wed (3 treatments to date) and am already feeling some heat and my nipple is very tender.  I am only using aloe vera.

Please share how I can get ahold of this cream!

Thanks so much,

Therese

Hi,

My mom has just started a 33 session long treatment therapy. Her rad onccolgist is giving us free samples of Aquaphor to take but I'm worried that it's not the right option. She has major sutures that can't be broken open. I would be very interested in trying the cream that you have used. Could you give me some info on getting this asap? I hope you are doing well and so appreciate all of the advice. Doctors can be very cold sometimes. Thanks, Joni

I have 12 days to go for my IMRT. 

From 3 yrs ago, I have been using Renew from Melaleuca company and so far I am doing good, skin-wise.  On the consultation day, I asked what the doctor would recommend, if any, in terms of creams.  Response was none so I continued with Renew. 

My doctor saw some redness just last week but no blisters.  No pain on the outside but I can feel occassional pain from the inside (more like shooting pain - doctor said, it was normal to feel that).

On a different occassion, I asked the nurse what cream they suggest but she said nothing in particular, use what you have been accustomed to but to avoid putting anything 4 hrs prior to rads.

I asked about Aquaphor but did not really say that she recommended it, even the rad oncologist.

Used the clear 100% Aloe Vera Gel, felt really cooling and worked well.

Someone posted to use "Alra"  so I bought the deodorant and gel since it was made specifically to prevent radiation side effects.  The deodorant is made with all natural ingredients and has no metals in it. It seems to be working. 

The Alra lotion was created by a dermatologist whose wife went through radiation.  It is supposedly highly recommended by MD Anderson Hospital.  I bought it on www.alra.com and it arrived in 5 days. I'm supposed to use it right after treatment and two other times a day.  I'll let you know if it works, but I can't imagine that it won't.

The cost was very reasonable as well.

Regards,

Jo Ann from Maryland

Today was the 14th treatment. My skin is very light and from the first day of radiation, my breast skin turned pink. However, the ALRA cream applied immediately after the treatment, after my morning shower, and before bed at night has been a miracle.  My skin is soft and intact. I'm using ALRA deodorant on that side too, which seems to be working and is keeping the tender underarm skin intact as well. I've been using Dove soap, unscented, and it's kept my skin moist as well.  All these things add up. 

Looks like you are selling something on these boards...I don't feel good about that.

I have just completed one week of radiation with no major side effects or problems.  When I met with the nurse the first day of treatment, she recommended that I get a special cream designed specifically for radiation patients called Miaderm (it contains both calendula and aloe vera, please see more at http://www.miaderm.com/).  This cream was developed by radiation oncologists specifically for patients undergoing radiation to minimize side effects and promote healing. It costs about $25 per 4oz tube from them, but my doctor made arrangements with one of the Walgreen's pharmacies in Bellevue WA to stock some for his patients (they also sell it for about $25 per tube).  I am not trying to sell this and am too new to the process to comment on its effectiveness, however, since no one had mentioned it, I thought I would throw it out.  It is recommended that you use it 3 - 4 times per day, and can use it up to three hours prior to treatment (my nurse advised that if you order 3 tubes, they will ship it for free and estimated that a woman would likely go thru 3 tubes during their radiation treatment).  So far, I have been applying it in the early morning, then take my tube with me and apply it immediately after treatment and then re-apply it prior to going to bed. 

If anyone else has used this or heard of its effectiveness, I would be interested in hearing your comments. For those that are looking for something to try, I hope this might prove to be a good option for you.

 Wishing you all the very best!  Rickster

Susie

I have implants and I am a little more than half way through my radiation treatments. My skin is doing well. I use My Girls Radiation Cream. IT is an all natural calendula based cream which was formulated to protect the skin during radiation. My doctor and nurse are happy with the way my skin is holding up. I get Bolis, which is plastic sheet that is placed over the breast to draw the radiation dose closer to the skin. My skin is slightly red now that I am at this point in the treatment cycle. With Bolis, that is common. The team thinks my skin looks really good. You can order the cream online. It is www.radiationcream.com. It is approx $25 for a good sized jar.

I have one tip, don't forget to apply cream under your armpit as well as over your shoulder. I was focusing on my "boob" and neck area, but these were starting to get red and itchy. Now that I am using the cream there, it is much better.

Good luck!

I had a bilateral mastectomy on Sept. 5 and started radiation on Nov. 17.  I've had 18 treatments so far, and will have a total of 28, plus 5 boosts at the end.   At this point I have a slight burn, but not much, and I'm hoping it won't get too much worse.    This is what I've found works (for me at least):

--Start moisturizing a few days before treatments begin.

--Use Aquaphor at night and one of the following the other two times during the day (for a total of three times, about 8 hours apart):  cocoa butter cream, emu oil, almond oil, calendula cream or ointment. 

--I scheduled my appointment at 2:15 in the afternoon, so that I could put on moisturizer as soon as I got up and that would be at least six hours before treament, as they recommended.   

--Before I got dressed after the treatment, I used moisturizer.

--Before bed, I put on a heavy layer of Aquaphor and put a t-shirt I didn't care about over it.  Aquaphor messes up your clothing, so I'm wearing it only at night unless my skin gets a lot worse.

--When I showered at night, only every three days, and put on a heavy layer of Aquaphor.   Then I stood with my back to the spray, so that it wouldn't hit my skin.  I didn't TOUCH my skin (no washing, etc.).   This was to keep it from getting dried out.    I dried the area with the cool setting on my hair dryer.   Then I put on more Aquaphor before bed.

--Since I know that the effects of the radiation last two-three weeks after treatment stops, I'll moisturize during those weeks, too.

I'm pretty happy with how things are working out so far, but then I was completely hysterical about getting a burn since in college I had such a sunburn I had to be hospitalized for a week.  Northstar

07508125....I've been wearing a bra since the beginning of my radiation..I have 12 more to go out of 33. I use Emu oil after each rad treatment and before I go to bed. Don't see any redness, soreness or anything unusual. I am also not fatigued..still walk my dog each day and go to Curves 3 times a week...glad to be finished with the treatment only because of driving in each day though not far.

Wow...I so WISH I had read this a few weeks ago.  I have completed 20 sessions(as of last tues then had an all out melt down and proceeded to almost rip my rad onc a new one). When I asked if we could skip to the boost she suggested a break.  I am supposed to resume in the a.m. but keep looking at the dark ugly skin that feels like sandpaper and am wondering if it will always look and feel so awful, or be so permanently fibrotic.  Or if I'll ever be able to wear an open neck shirt or have my next boyfriend even touch me.  I have been swollen, uncomfortable, then pink, turning to red, then progressed to almost purple, blisters, couldn't wear a bra or anything else and VERY miserable.  Have had issues sleeping. Missed 3 days of work last week. And feel my biggest mistake was trusting my rad onc who assured me I'd be able to carry on normally. I honestly question if this wasn't a huge mistake as I had a very difficult time deciding on this vs bilat skin sparing mastectomy....and now haven't a clue if that or any sort of cosmetic procedure will ever be possible. I am typically a very upbeat person but have lost my mojo......and haven't even started the hormones..........  Ready to slash my wrists

i am just starting radiation and would like to have a sample of the cream you used  :tcoffey