Some Rad questions....

Akiss4me
Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hmmmm....I was just wondering. I noticed some people started using lotions from day one and some (Like me) was told that when you start to turn red (in about 2 weeks) we will give you all the lotions you need. How many think it is more benefical to use them in the beginning?
I was also wondering....they told me do not shave (was too late the morning I started because they called me to come in that day!!) and no deoderant. Now the deoderant I understand due to the metals in it. But isn't my underarm going to get a little gross when I haven't shaved for 2 months? I mean not that I ever let the hair grow out, but I'm kinda thinking that I shave every day!! So it has to grow that fast (enough for me to do it every day!). Am I going to be able to make braids here or what? Did anyone shave anyway?
As always....Thanks in advance for sharing. :) Pammy

Comments

  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #2
    I'll share
    Hmmm, Pammy. My hair still just barely grows in my underarm that had radiation (almost a year ago). So almost 50% of your armpit shaving job has now been officially cut. Sorry, no armpit dreads.

    Thanks to chemo brain(or early onset dementia), I don't remember when I started Aquaphor...I think I asked about it, and then was showered with it as often as I asked. But WHEN I asked, I have no clue. When the burn started itching, near the end of treatment, I graduated to Regenecare HA (I think it has lidocaine in it, but I'm not sure). Really, I've burned worse at the beach when I was a teenager, than I was burned by rads. I hope that your rads are as gentle or gentler on you. xoxoxo Lynn
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #3
    lynn1950 said:

    I'll share
    Hmmm, Pammy. My hair still just barely grows in my underarm that had radiation (almost a year ago). So almost 50% of your armpit shaving job has now been officially cut. Sorry, no armpit dreads.

    Thanks to chemo brain(or early onset dementia), I don't remember when I started Aquaphor...I think I asked about it, and then was showered with it as often as I asked. But WHEN I asked, I have no clue. When the burn started itching, near the end of treatment, I graduated to Regenecare HA (I think it has lidocaine in it, but I'm not sure). Really, I've burned worse at the beach when I was a teenager, than I was burned by rads. I hope that your rads are as gentle or gentler on you. xoxoxo Lynn

    Thanks Lynn....
    So theres a possibility I lose the hair during rads? That could be a plus. Tomorrow is my dexascan in the AM and rads in the PM. I'll have to be sure to ask what they use at different stages. :) Pammy
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #4
    Akiss4me said:

    Thanks Lynn....
    So theres a possibility I lose the hair during rads? That could be a plus. Tomorrow is my dexascan in the AM and rads in the PM. I'll have to be sure to ask what they use at different stages. :) Pammy

    I consider my hairless armpit a plus
    In my wildest dreams, a year and a half ago, I would never have been able to imagine the subject title I just wrote! :D I just have a whisper line of scant hair in my radiated armpit. That armpit, for better or worse, does not sweat either - deodorant problems be gone! Best wishes on the rest of this week's rads. xoxoxo Lynn
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    #5
    lynn1950 said:

    I consider my hairless armpit a plus
    In my wildest dreams, a year and a half ago, I would never have been able to imagine the subject title I just wrote! :D I just have a whisper line of scant hair in my radiated armpit. That armpit, for better or worse, does not sweat either - deodorant problems be gone! Best wishes on the rest of this week's rads. xoxoxo Lynn

    I didn't start using the
    I didn't start using the lotion until I was red when I had pelvic radiation and I had more problems with burning. On the breast area I started the lotions from the 1st day. It can't hurt to start now so I would recommend that you do that. Remember the rads are working from the inside and outside. I used 99% pure aloe (that they gave me) from day 1 and added aquaphor to the mix when it began to show the first hint of redness. I continued using these for about a month after. I had minimal discomfort. Hair loss in the radiation area should occur so the dreads won't be a problem. Many have not had their hair return. Mine is sparse but it did return. I didn't use deodorant during treatment, don't really need to. I do now. My favorite is an arm and hammer product that is paraben and aluminum free and costs 1.99. It works, smells okay and is cheap. Hope this helps.
    Do me a favor? If the hair doesn't go away and you do develop dreads, take pictures for us. I doubt anyone of us has seen armpit dreads. Well, I guess we really don't want to. LOL
    Stef
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #6
    Why don't you just let it
    Why don't you just let it all be a big surprise??? No, on second thought, education is a good thing!

    I was given goopy aquaphor ointment from Day One~ being that I showered daily ( what a concept!) with the Aveeno, natural sponge routine I told you about, I liberally moisturized my skin... By the time I was red, it was getting itchy, and then came the RX for hydrocortisone. Shaving was a non issue; my pits were pretty smooth to start with and radiation all but kills any further hair growth. 6 years later, I have just a few "stragglers", and virtually no odor or even sweat. The other arm makes up for what is missing on the BC side, sadly!

    I dare say you won't get Rasta-Pits; so just forget about designing cute but tiny multi-colored rubberbands and hair ties for the ultimate in radiated underarms~it isn't in your money-making future :-)

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    #7
    Akiss4me said:

    Thanks Lynn....
    So theres a possibility I lose the hair during rads? That could be a plus. Tomorrow is my dexascan in the AM and rads in the PM. I'll have to be sure to ask what they use at different stages. :) Pammy

    Not Much to Add, But
    Pammy, someone on this board--Tasha, I think--recommended the deodorant Crystal Clear or Tom's of Maine. (You can't use either on the armpit being radiated, of course.) Both brands are aluminum-free and can be found at Walmart and drugstores. Anti-perspirants are not recommended during chemo because of the risk of infection. The same would apply, I think, to rads which can also lower your white blood cell count. I stopped using anti-perspirants and aluminum products awhile back.
  • rjjj
    rjjj Member Posts: 1,822 Member
    #8
    chenheart said:

    Why don't you just let it
    Why don't you just let it all be a big surprise??? No, on second thought, education is a good thing!

    I was given goopy aquaphor ointment from Day One~ being that I showered daily ( what a concept!) with the Aveeno, natural sponge routine I told you about, I liberally moisturized my skin... By the time I was red, it was getting itchy, and then came the RX for hydrocortisone. Shaving was a non issue; my pits were pretty smooth to start with and radiation all but kills any further hair growth. 6 years later, I have just a few "stragglers", and virtually no odor or even sweat. The other arm makes up for what is missing on the BC side, sadly!

    I dare say you won't get Rasta-Pits; so just forget about designing cute but tiny multi-colored rubberbands and hair ties for the ultimate in radiated underarms~it isn't in your money-making future :-)

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    use little pink ribbons;}
    haha. actually my hair does not grow under the arm pit but they did tell me to use baking soda to keep it dry so skin rubbing on skin doesn't irritate. I used aquafor from day one,they passed them out like candy (which they also had bowls of in every room for us to take ) i liked the laffy-taffy the best. I then graduated to hydrocortizone..then silverdene..then open to air..then gauze strips moisted with saline to lay on the burns. You probably won't need all this. I was just one of those freak people who burned severly. And i always always had a nice summer tan and never burned, so go figure! Everyone is different i guess. Good luck to you
    hugs, jackie
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #9
    rjjj said:

    use little pink ribbons;}
    haha. actually my hair does not grow under the arm pit but they did tell me to use baking soda to keep it dry so skin rubbing on skin doesn't irritate. I used aquafor from day one,they passed them out like candy (which they also had bowls of in every room for us to take ) i liked the laffy-taffy the best. I then graduated to hydrocortizone..then silverdene..then open to air..then gauze strips moisted with saline to lay on the burns. You probably won't need all this. I was just one of those freak people who burned severly. And i always always had a nice summer tan and never burned, so go figure! Everyone is different i guess. Good luck to you
    hugs, jackie

    22 down 11 to go
    I've got the finish line in sight ... but I'm trying not to think about what my boob is going to look like by the time I'm finished.

    It is really interesting that we all get such different advice on what to use and what not to use during radiation. I must admit that I did NOT start putting anything on the rad site until about the 10th treatment which I think was a mistake. If I had it to do over again ... I'd start on day one.

    I use Eucerin cream (in a jar) at night ... and just glob it on. It's like old library paste and quite thick. Then in the mornings after I shower I use my prescription for Biafine since it soaks in pretty fast so I can get dressed for work.

    Right now I think I'm about "medium well-done" ... and it's quite red, burny and itchy. The doctor told me I could use cortisone cream but then I asked about using straight aloe and he said OK. I've always used that for sunburn and insect bites so I'm giving that a try... and so far so good. It's available at drugstores ... is clear and has no scent etc... but ask your doctor for the OK.

    Also ... on the deodorant ... my radiation oncologist gave me something called ALRA at the very first appointment. It's a stick like regular deodorant ... is non-metallic, no scent .. and it's basically just aloe vera gel and oil of cypress.

    Anyway ... my advice is start greasing yourself up now ... and maybe it won't get too bad on down the road.

    Good luck.

    hugs.
    teena
  • tjhay
    tjhay Member Posts: 655
    #10
    well if it gets reall long
    well if it gets reall long you could have your hubby trim it off for, kind of a flat top for the arm pit yanno. hahahaha yep pain pills are effecting my sense of humor.

    you should not have a problem with the hair growth it will probably pretty much stop why you are getting zapped. I used creams from day one, and i had very little burning
    tj
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #11
    Tiny irritants
    It was explained to me that many lotions contain ingredients that are tiny irritants to the skin (like minuscule grains of sand), so in the interest of that first epidermal layer it was important to only use products (like pure aloe) that got a pass by my rad onc. She recommended Tom's deodorants, as well.
  • confused123
    confused123 Member Posts: 251
    #12
    Hi Pammy,
    I finished #23 of
    Hi Pammy,
    I finished #23 of 33 today. I actually started the lotion before treatment because I was told that it is better not to have dry skin. I usually have dry skin so I put a ton of Hydrolatum(like Aquaphor) on every night before bed for a couple weeks before I started. Now I use Calendula Cream twice a day and Auaphor of Hydrolatum at night. My rad onc said using a mixture of them was good. The Calendula is I believe a sunflower extract used for sunburns. It is found in the first aid aisle. I have not shaved because I was told it is not good to because it takes of the top layer of skin and can really irritate the area. I am red but am told that my skin is doing well. If I don't blister I will be happy. I was told I could use non metallic deodorant even during treatment just not to put anything on my skin 6 hours before treatment. I take my lotion to treatment and put it on right after. I was also told to use cornstarch in armpit and bra line, anywhere there is friction. I have heard of people getting irritated in the bra line. I have tissue expanders and those things are not going anywhere even without a bra so I just do not wear one. I was told so many times how fast rads will go by and didn't believe it but it does. 10 more and I am done! Can't wait. Good Luck with yours.

    Kim
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #13
    confused123 said:

    Hi Pammy,
    I finished #23 of
    Hi Pammy,
    I finished #23 of 33 today. I actually started the lotion before treatment because I was told that it is better not to have dry skin. I usually have dry skin so I put a ton of Hydrolatum(like Aquaphor) on every night before bed for a couple weeks before I started. Now I use Calendula Cream twice a day and Auaphor of Hydrolatum at night. My rad onc said using a mixture of them was good. The Calendula is I believe a sunflower extract used for sunburns. It is found in the first aid aisle. I have not shaved because I was told it is not good to because it takes of the top layer of skin and can really irritate the area. I am red but am told that my skin is doing well. If I don't blister I will be happy. I was told I could use non metallic deodorant even during treatment just not to put anything on my skin 6 hours before treatment. I take my lotion to treatment and put it on right after. I was also told to use cornstarch in armpit and bra line, anywhere there is friction. I have heard of people getting irritated in the bra line. I have tissue expanders and those things are not going anywhere even without a bra so I just do not wear one. I was told so many times how fast rads will go by and didn't believe it but it does. 10 more and I am done! Can't wait. Good Luck with yours.

    Kim

    Many, many thanks
    Thank you, Kim, for the heads up and tips!! OK, personal question here....you mentioned that you didn't shave....did you lose your hair under that arm? And if yes, about around which number of rads? I quess being summertime this is primarily my concern as I have been hiding behind tops with sleeves and it is rather hot!! :) Pammy
  • confused123
    confused123 Member Posts: 251
    #14
    I did not loose hair yet but
    I did not loose hair yet but it is growing thin there anyway because I had chemo. I have not worn a tank top yet this year, only t-shirts which does stink but the spot getting radiated is not supposed to be exposed to the sun so I just keep wearing t-shirts. My underarm is the only spot really bothering me right now so I don't want to do anything that will make it worse. It felt silly to me to be rubbing cream on me and not shaving at first because there was no skin chamge for a couple weeks but it will come. I know it stinks(maybe literally) not to shave but it is only temporary. If you must though definitely use an electric razor is what I was told. Good Luck and eat lots of protein but if you are er positive, no soy proteins.

    Kim
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #15
    confused123 said:

    I did not loose hair yet but
    I did not loose hair yet but it is growing thin there anyway because I had chemo. I have not worn a tank top yet this year, only t-shirts which does stink but the spot getting radiated is not supposed to be exposed to the sun so I just keep wearing t-shirts. My underarm is the only spot really bothering me right now so I don't want to do anything that will make it worse. It felt silly to me to be rubbing cream on me and not shaving at first because there was no skin chamge for a couple weeks but it will come. I know it stinks(maybe literally) not to shave but it is only temporary. If you must though definitely use an electric razor is what I was told. Good Luck and eat lots of protein but if you are er positive, no soy proteins.

    Kim

    Congrats
    Congrats Kim on finishing your rads.

    Margo
  • confused123
    confused123 Member Posts: 251
    #16
    Thanks, I have 10 left but
    Thanks, I have 10 left but am hanging in there.
  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #17
    confused123 said:

    Thanks, I have 10 left but
    Thanks, I have 10 left but am hanging in there.

    My eyes
    My eyes deceived me. 10 more almost done.
    That is great.

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