Radiation and Camis

mocame · September 2019

The plan is to start radiation in October (Still waiting on Oncotype test to see if I need chemo). My RO suggested I wear camis while having radiation treatments. I was just going to try and buy some cheap camis but didn't know 1) Can the creams (My RO suggested I use Aquaphor, which I hear is greasy) leak through the cami onto your clothes? 2) Should I buy a size larger so it isn't too tight and rub? 3) Should I buy without a shelf bra? Would the camis with shelf bra rub the area too much?

I dress up for work so any other suggestions on what to wear underneath good work clothes so they don't get stained or ruined would be appreciated!

Legomaster225 · September 2019

I wore camis a for 6 months after surgery. I bought most of them at Kohls (pretty inexpensive) and I got a bigger size. The softer the better! The lotions and creams do get all over them and that oil does not really come out. At least I could not get them clean and I ended up throwing them away after my skin was healed up. It never went through to my clothes that I can recall though. I had both with and without the shelf bra so whatever you are comfortable with will work.. I am pretty tiny though so I don't really need much support. I also used some ribbed tank tops at times.

Edited to add: I had immediate prepec nipple sparing implants. My PS did not want me to wear a bra at all for 6 months. I did have some pretty bad skin breakdown towards the end of rads. It healed up quickly and looks fine now.

MountainMia · September 2019

I don't know if this depends on things like the size/weight of ones breasts. I have been wearing a regular, non-wired bra when I'm out, and a lot of the time when I'm home. I'm really glad I didn't buy camis, too, because I simply haven't needed them.

I used Aquaphor at home, overnight, with one of husband's old white undershirts over it. During the day while out I've just used a heavier lotion, like Aveeno, or lighter weight Lubriderm in the morning before treatment. Fragrance-free Lubriderm is the one recommended by my RO office.

I am about to finish my 20 rads on Tuesday. My skin is in great shape, a bit tanned, but no sores or problems. I drink plenty of water during the day and that probably helps.

Hope this helps, and I hope your rads go well.

flashlight · September 2019

Hi Mocame, I didn't use the Aquaphor it is way too greasy. Your skin has to be cream free prior to having a radiation treatment. They have you change into a gown that opens up in the front. There are a couple of post one from those receiving radiation in July and one for August that will give you some helpful information. They usually can schedule you around your work schedule. I changed my time twice to help out someone else. I wore my post lumpectomy bra. My treatments finished early March and I couldn't wear my normal, supportive bra until May. I think the shelf bra would be uncomfortable. I bought some loose tops in the next size up. Hopefully some others will be able to give you some ideas. Good luck to you.

mocame · September 2019

Thank you for the replies. My RO only said to use Aquaphor and didn't mention any other lotions. Good to know. I'm assuming the more natural the lotion, the better?

MountainMia, did you wash off the Lubriderm before your treatment or did it just absorb into your skin by then?

I would really like to go to work for almost a full day and then go have treatments at the end of the day but I'm not sure if that is possible. I don't want to ruin my good bras so I will check into some cheap camis or maybe see if I can find some cheap soft no-wire bras. I will check out the other threads.

Thank you!

Spookiesmom · September 2019

My second time around with rads RO recommended aquaphor, aloe Vera gel with no alcohol, and calendula cream. I hated the aquaphor and quit using it. So greasy hard to apply. Skin held up much better this time, no break down, just a little peeling like after sunburn.

Seems each RO has their favorites, if something isn’t helping, try another product. I’m retired and had bmx, so can’t say about camis.

MountainMia · September 2019

mocame, yes, I think each RO or practice recommends their own favorites. The common things seem to be no alcohol, no fragrance. Some people pay $$$ for Miaderm online. I'd say buy cheap stuff first! and only go for that if you need special help.

Yes, I shower first thing, put on some Lubriderm in a light layer, and then have my appt at 8:45. I don't wash the lotion off, and no one has suggested it's any problem.

Bras that can work are the soft cotton ones from Walmart that have about 7 hooks up the front. There's more support than you'd imagine. If you do that, you might want to buy the next size up, so it's slightly loose. Try that. It might be plenty for you to wear with your normal work clothes, especially if you wear camouflage on top like the infinity scarves or a jacket or sweater.

Here are links for the August and July rads starts

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/70/topics...

gb2115 · September 2019

I couldn't tolerate anything but a cotton undershirt, no bra or cami would have worked because of rubbing, but I had a weeping allergic rash on the area. Maybe buy a couple of different things and if you settle on something you like you can buy more. I bought things but ended up raiding my husband's undershirt drawer, lol. Nothing soaked through. I was even put on petrolatum based steroids (put on after treatment not before), and the undershirts kept it from ruining my clothes.

Runrcrb · September 2019

I had bras that I wore post mastectomy all the way until I went back to work after my reconstruction 15 months later. I needed the support. During radiation, at the recommendation of my RO I applied aquaphor morning and night. In the late stages I added alovera. I would suggest that you follow your RO’s advice and then work with him or her if your needs change. I found that during my treatment I didn’t need most of the items that women have suggested and I quickly stopped trying to get “prepared” by buying things.

Good l

MountainMia · September 2019

Runrcrb, I agree: 'I found that during my treatment I didn't need most of the items that women have suggested and I quickly stopped trying to get "prepared" by buying things.'

I bought a lot of stuff that was never used, or was used once. So many scarves and hats! So many self-care products! I'm a pretty simple person, really, and would have done better sticking to the minimal versions of what people recommend. Would have saved money and also the stress of trying to track things down.

DogMomRunner · September 2019

I will start radiation (hopefully) in the next couple of weeks. My RO did not recommend any lotions so I'm going off what I've read here. My BS was pretty much the same except for the suggestion of Vitamin E oil for the incision sites. I found some aloe lotion at my local natural food/products place. And I've got cheap bras from Walmart that I bought after my surgery that I'll use with the aloe and any other lotion I decide to use . I don't mind those bras getting messed up.

On the September radiation thread PinkArmor posted about a lotion that her RO recommended. The woman who makes/sells it went through BC and apparently her stuff is non greasy and works well. I'm thinking I might get some

Ingerp · September 2019

I wore old, soft cotton bras. The markings will likely stain whatever you wear, so I recommend women save the new undies for a post-treatment treat. ;-) I also don’t think it matters much what kind of cream you use, more that you put something on a few times a day. I had calendula cream, Aquaphor, and Desitin. I’d just grab whatever was closest.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx · September 2019

I lubricated with pure aloe vera gel and my clothes stuck to my skin! It was hard to take it off. Fortunately my skin is still fine, it would have been a disaster if the skin were blistered. Now I am careful to use aloe vera with something a little more greasy, so it does not stick. My RO recommends me to use scarves or pieces of cotton cloth between the bra and the skin.

mocame · September 2019

Wow! Great advice everyone! The cotton bras from Walmart...Are those the ones with the front hooks? I used those when I was diagnosed the first time and had BMX. I'm not very big so I don't need a lot of support. I thought maybe those would be too tight and didn't know if the hooks would irritate the skin if they happened to touch? My husband doesn't wear undershirts so I might have to just get some and pretend I'm buying them for him. LOL! Maybe I'll try like gb2115 suggested and buy a couple cheap camis, a couple cheap cotton bras from Walmart and maybe a couple undershirts and see what I like the best. The bras and camis I can wear for work and undershirts for at home.

I guess I'll try the Aquaphor and see how it goes. I also have some Aveeno Naturals Lotion, fragrance free. Has anyone used that? I use that on my hands when they get dry and cracked in the winter. Thank you!

Ingerp · September 2019

I tried close-front bras and found them harder to deal with than something that just slipped over my head. I ended up giving them away. mocame if you're small, a soft cotton t-shirt/undershirt might be great!

flashlight · September 2019

My RO told me not to have any lotion on prior to treatment. Maybe that was because everyone uses a different type. He liked Lubriderm the best. I used Aveeno intense moisture in a jar and that worked for me.

PinkArmor · September 2019

there is a lady in Athens,Ga that makes a great Gel all natural that has really great stuff in it. She is a breast cancer survivor and has created this gel especially for radiation patients. I have been using it and I don't have any issues with my skin and I am 12 txs in- the clinic recommended this to me. The gel contains botanicals of ten fold aloe(ten times normal strength), Japanese Green Tea, Calendula, Irish Moss, and Tamarind seed extract (Tamarind holds approximately 960 times its weight in water to the skin).

essentialsoapsinc.com is her website if you want to look around..

Radiation and Camis

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