Radiation "scars"?

star2017
star2017 Member Posts: 827
edited July 2018 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I'm a little over two weeks out from my last radiation treatment. My skin seems to be healing well, but the skin is darker at the borders of the treatment areas. So there are basically darker grey/brown lines marking the treatment area. Do these "borders" fade, or am I stuck with these scars?

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Comments

  • Puzzlewoman
    Puzzlewoman Member Posts: 171
    edited July 2018

    I’m not sure. I have a one month post-treatment f/up appt with my rad onc in a coupe weeks. Do you have that scheduled? I would ask them because as far as I can tell everyone’s skin reacts differently but over time I thought these “scars” would go away. I hope so anyway!

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  • JosieO
    JosieO Member Posts: 314
    edited July 2018

    Star,

    Sure sorry to read your post.Can’t say i’ve ever heard of this. My own ulcerated area is healed, and I have some skin darkness, but there is no uniformity to it. Just some blotchiness. Hope you can get an answer.

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  • CindyNY
    CindyNY Member Posts: 1,022
    edited July 2018

    I think right afterwards I had a perfect rectangle of "tanned" skin. I'm 6 months out and I don't notice it any more. Just asked BF if he sees it, answered no. Hoping yours will fade too!

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  • Zoisite
    Zoisite Member Posts: 27
    edited July 2018

    I am two years out and I had a square of tanned skin for a long time but it has faded. You can’t see the square anymore but it is still a little darker than the area around it. I hope yours heals faster than mine.

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  • Legomaster225
    Legomaster225 Member Posts: 672
    edited July 2018

    I’m about 8 months out and it has definitely faded. I can still see the edges if the radiation field but it is getting lighter. My skin was very raw and red by the end of radiation. A million times better now

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited July 2018

    It does fade over time, but for some people it remains (for example, darker-skinned people seem more likely to have it over time). My mother is lighter-skinned than I and doesn't have much residual darkness from radiation. I continue to fade but the bottom of the treatment rectangle is still quite distinct.

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  • star2017
    star2017 Member Posts: 827
    edited July 2018

    Thanks, everyone. In addition to the treatment rectangle and square on my back. I have spots on my collar/neck that got irritated during treatment (due to bra straps and just general friction). So those areas also have skin that's distinct (lighter) than the older areas. Those are more visible and obvious.

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  • Bagsharon
    Bagsharon Member Posts: 200
    edited July 2018

    I'm a little over a year and a half out of radiation and I still have a light tan on that breast. It is very light. You would have to know to even see it. You just need to be careful to not expose that area to sun. I'm a runner and don't wear sun screen because it gets into my eyes. My medical oncologist noticed my tan and lectured me on it. He pointed out that my skin is already permanently damaged (the tan) and exposure to the sun is dangerous.

    Aside from the tan, the location of of the tumor was on lower inside part of my breast and the radiation caused the scar tissue from my lumpectomy to adhere to my chest wall, pulling the rest of my breast down and under. The light tan was the least of my worries. I'm currently going through a series of fat grafts to fill that area back out.

    Ain't cancer fun?

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