Skin peeling 3 weeks after radiation

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Whirlaway
Whirlaway Member Posts: 64
edited May 2017 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I am 3 weeks out of rads and yesterday my skin started to peel and it is a bit painful. Anyone else had this happening?

I was on the Canadian protocol - 15 rounds and 5 boosts. Not sure what exact dosage but RO said 'heavy duty' because I had a large tumor. I had almost no SE during treatment, no skin redness or blisters. Just a slightly swollen breast which acupuncture always took care of. The last two boosts I noticed the tumor-area was getting really tanned - a little tender but nothing major. RO and MO all aid it looks good and I did well.

Every time I think I am home clear I get another SE. I exercised all through chemo and 3 weeks post Taxol I started having a lot of  muscle fatigue I barely made it through the living room. It's the gift which keeps on giving!

I am thinking of doing green tea compresses followed by a gentle body cream. I used coconut oil alternating with emu oil but this may be too oily on peeling skin? And the calendula cream has a slight alcohol content in it so probably not a good idea either...

I made sure I was covered in the sun but I can feel the sun going through the clothes - feels a little hot on the radiation area and I am usually not sun sensitive. Anyone else feels that way?

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  • Bdagal
    Bdagal Member Posts: 40
    edited May 2017

    Hi whirlaway - I'm similar to you.....made it through rads ok...my last treatment was on May 8. I was pretty red but nothing terrible. Exercised the other day...my underarm felt a bit uncomfortable afterwards and I noticed that it has peeled (but it didn't even have blisters). I live in Bermuda, so its a lot of sun, and even walking to the gym outside in my gym tshirt I could definitely feel the difference of how the sun was feeling on my radiated side vs non-radiated side..more piercing. I've also noticed these last few days that my bra feels a lot tighter around my radiated side and my breast feels swollen and the top of the breast (like a whole palm's width above the nipple) is extremely sore and very uncomfortable in particular when I'm sleeping (I didn't experience this during my actual treatment.) I've also been quite fatigued this last week - had a few days during treatment when I was tired, but now that I'm back at work full-time, by 5pm I'm exhausted, and I'm ready for bed by 8:30!! I was feeling relieved for coming through the process pretty unscathed but now these lil bothersome issues are arising.....hoping they dwindle away soon!!

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited May 2017

    Whirlaway - if your RO didn't recommend what you should use, I would call him/her and ask.

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  • Whirlaway
    Whirlaway Member Posts: 64
    edited May 2017

    Bdagal, you described it so well! Mine also seemed to start peeling when I really started exercising/stretching a lot again. Ditto for the fatigue, swelling and being uncomfortable sleeping. I was actually sleeping on my left side a bit during rads.

    I finished rads May 2 and RO cleared me the same day and MO two weeks later and then the peeling started. Called my radiation team yesterday and they said that sometimes it can happen that you peel weeks later and to continue with skin care like during treatment. Aloe gives me relief. Maybe it had to do with the warmer temperatures and sweating and rubbing... I should be O.K. for swimming for July.

    Here is to hoping we have some energy back soon! I have a big work project coming up and just thinking about it, makes me want to take a nap. A very long nap!:)

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited May 2017

    I am almost 4 months out from rads, and am still peeling. After rads ended, my skin continued darkening, and ended up almost like tanned dark scales....and is shedding like snake skin. I know that's weird, but it's the best way to describe. It doesn't hurt though---whatever you do, don't peel it off yourself! :-) I use unscented lubriderm on the parts that are just tanned and not peeling, and vaseline on the peeling parts. Dermatologist approved! I had severe skin allergies during radiation, so got sent to Derm for expert advice--my RO said she didn't know what to tell me.

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  • Whirlaway
    Whirlaway Member Posts: 64
    edited May 2017

    Thanks for the input gb2115 and sorry you had to endure skin allergies! My skin really seemed to darken this week even more, so I am pretty sure the whole area will peel eventually. Ahhh, patience:) - as long as I can swim by July, hopefully!

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited May 2017

    I had no issues with skin during 25 rads (no boosts) but the day after last rad, entire irradiated was 'blistered' and 'open'. (Have the scars to prove it.). Saw my rads Dr that day and he said just keep using the creams. I'm allergic to sulfa so Sulfadene/Silvadene were not an option. It continued to get worse and the entire open area was open and 'pouring' fluid. Thankfully, the deepest of the burns were under arm where surgery had damaged nerves so didn't feel the worst of it but vicodan was my 'friend' for the rest of the area.

    What finally healed me was Domeboro soaks. Dr's RN did a lot of research and found that Domeboro soaks are often the best way to go. So, I started them and healing finally started showing. It was early March when burn showed up. It was late May when started Domeboro soaks. Last scab came off on June 29 (at my appt with my PA).

    Moisturizing is very important BUT there are also times that moisturing are not be the best for healing but drying can be what it takes sometimes.

    Only a Dr can tell us what is correct for anyone of us and we are each so unique.

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited May 2017

    Radiation damage, unlike burns, is from the inside out—so skin effects can appear days to weeks after finishing treatments. The tissue that generates skin cells in the dermis, which move to the epidermis (a process that normally goes on slowly & imperceptibly, replacing old skin cells that die off and are shed) is damaged by the radiation, so that the ability to make new skin cells is impaired and thus the redness, blistering & peeling eventually appears on the outside. But the healing is also from the inside out, so patience is key.

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  • Whirlaway
    Whirlaway Member Posts: 64
    edited May 2017

    Kicks, yikes - poor you!

    So far no blisters, luckily. If it gets worse over the next 2 weeks I will call back radiation team.

    Yes, patience:)

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