skin burns

kellydinniss
kellydinniss Member Posts: 16
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
does anybody have any good advice for dealing with radiation skin burns-my husband is 3+ weeks into radiotherapy and has developed some sore patches of skin-they have suggested aqueous cream but has anybody found anything else that was useful-also does it get better when treatment stops? thanks kelly

Comments

  • StacyGleaso
    StacyGleaso Member Posts: 1,233 Member
    Hi kelly...

    I didn't experience any radiation burns, but I do remember SpongeBob from this site telling others that he used a type of Mango cream. I think it was from a bath-type shop (like Body Works or something similar to that). Good luck, and hope the rest of your experiences go smoothly!

    Stacy
  • lklus
    lklus Member Posts: 3
    last oct. my husband went through 6 weeks of radiation and the burns were terrible. They healed after the radiation stopped but it was awful, the skin just peeled off in layers. They told him while going through the radiation it is best not to put anything on it, it will only intensify the affects of the radiation. The Dr. did prescribe some cream that had an analgesic type affect that helped some, make sure the Dr. knows about it, my husbands burns got so bad that after radiation he had to see a Dr for a few weeks to make sure they did not get infected and eventually healed.
  • grandma047
    grandma047 Member Posts: 381
    I had pretty bad burns in the 5th and 6th week of radiation. My doctor told me to use Aquaphor and he would give me samples each week. It worked pretty well, but just make sure you wipe it off before going for radiation. They said if you don't that it just acts to burn you even more. Good luck to your husband with his treatments. And, yes, it does get better after treatments stop. I still have really brown skin in the front, but it doesn't hurt.
    Judy H(grandma047)
  • Moesimo
    Moesimo Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    Tub baths helped me alot, and it will definitely get better after the treatment stops.
  • nettie4
    nettie4 Member Posts: 145
    Hello. sorry he is having trouble with burns. i did 5 weeks rad but i did not burn. it is true that any cream or substance u use can intensify the radiation. they told me if i did to put very little on but to make sure there was none there during treatment. i too have brown skin and yes you do heal. they also told me to not let clothes rub on the area that was being treated try to keep it free from irritation. hope things go better.

    nettie
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    So sorry to hear about your husband's radiation burns. Yes, I had pretty bad burn with my radiation. Very, very sore. As others have said, I was told not to use any creams without checking with my dr. as it could interfere with treatment. I was given a steroid cream which I used twice a day for 2-3 days. That helped quite a lot (I did that twice). Sitz baths. I sat in ?potassium permangent? solution - it stained my skin purple! What a time. The good news: the burn goes away. And the radiation really does end! Wishing him and you all the best.
    TAra
  • Shelmar
    Shelmar Member Posts: 2
    My wife had skin burns from radiation as well. we used Sween Cream. It really did the job. If you can't find it on the shelf the pharmacist can order it. The bigger size is more economical and you will use it. follow the directions..
    stick with it..
  • KrisS
    KrisS Member Posts: 229
    My radiation oncologist told me to use aloe skin cream at first, but when it got more irritated that stung. He prescribed Biafine ointment which helped a bunch. It is fairly expensive though if you do not have prescription drug coverage.

    The skin burns go away within a few weeks after treatment.

    Kris
  • Sarahjoy
    Sarahjoy Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2017 #10
    KrisS said:

    My radiation oncologist told me to use aloe skin cream at first, but when it got more irritated that stung. He prescribed Biafine ointment which helped a bunch. It is fairly expensive though if you do not have prescription drug coverage.

    The skin burns go away within a few weeks after treatment.

    Kris

    Biafine

    Its now available on ebay for $33 and its 186gr tube. Hope this will help. Biafine is definitely the best post burn treatment.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Sarahjoy said:

    Biafine

    Its now available on ebay for $33 and its 186gr tube. Hope this will help. Biafine is definitely the best post burn treatment.

    Very, very old thread

    2004. Dang, I can't even remember back that far. 

    Hello Sarah, this is good information, but the last time someone posted to this thread was in 2004.  Why not start a new thread on the forum home page http://csn.cancer.org/forum/128   (P.S. The only thing that worked for me was Witch Hazel.  We're all so different)

  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    edited February 2017 #12
    burn

    Try "RADIAGEL" available at Wallmart.  Sure did the trick for me!