Silicon Gel Sheet & Radiation

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KH17
KH17 Member Posts: 15
edited May 2017 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Does anyone have experience using silicon gel strips (to reduce scaring from surgery) during whole breast radiation? My surgeon said it was fine but the radiation doctors have had less experience with it. To extent there is a concern it seems to be with affect on skin, not effectiveness of treatment. Appreciate any first-hand experiences. Thank you.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    I didn't use it with radiation, but it certainly knocked down my keloid scars I had from my surgeries. It was pretty miraculous. I put it on for an hour at first, working up to longer periods of time. It toned down the redder skin tone of the scars and took them down to regular skin level. Sorry I don't know about using them with radiation scars. My surgeon was the one who told me about them

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  • KH17
    KH17 Member Posts: 15
    edited May 2017

    Thank you @MTwoman, I appreciate the response. My surgeon also recommended the sheets to reduce scarring and said it was fine to use during radiation but the ROs seem to have less experience with it and said it may cause added skin irritation. Curious if others have had any negative effects. I am using 10 days on, 1 off, for 2 months. Thanks!

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited May 2017

    So, to determine if you have skin reaction, try it for an hour or two on a NON-irradiated part of your body and see if you have any reaction. then, if everything goes well, try it on a SMALL patch of irradiated skin for only about 15 min. Notice if there is any reaction. Increase first the duration of testing in the same small patch up to an hour, over the course of several days. If you still get no reaction, increase the size of the "test patch" (back to 15 min) and then increase duration. If you go slowly, and carefully you can determine (in a low risk way) if your skin will be helped or have any negative reaction. Good luck!

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  • All5
    All5 Member Posts: 7
    edited May 2017

    My plastic surgeon told me not to use them during radiation on the side being treated until after the skin heals from radiation. I have notasked the RO yet but I will ask on Friday.

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  • KH17
    KH17 Member Posts: 15
    edited May 2017

    @All5 I'm so glad to find someone else using them! I ended up removing the ones I had on when I started radiation yesterday as the techs were not familiar with them. My surgeon still says it's ok, but I'm seeing my RO this am to discuss.

    So is your surgeon proposing you wait until radiation is completed to begin using the strips? As I understand it if there is a skin reaction from the radiation (unrelated to the strips) it would begin a few weeks in and could last for weeks or longerafter. I thought the strips had the most benefit if used sooner than later.

    Can I ask how long ago your surgery was - and when you expect to complete radiation?

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  • All5
    All5 Member Posts: 7
    edited May 2017

    @kh17, I may be answering this is two places but my bilateral repositioning was 4 weeks ago. I never asked my RO about them because I don't see him until tomorrow. PS said radiation alone is good for the scars because that is how they treat keloids. She didn't think it was a good idea to add more products to skin while it is undergoing radiation. She said I could use it on the side I am not radiating. Hope that helps

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