Skin burn at neck

Purplemountain
Purplemountain Member Posts: 119
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

After 25 bouts of radiations to the neck area, my entire neck is red with skin peeling off.  Very sensitive and itchy.  No pus or watery discharge though.  I've been using fresh aloe vera and neosporin to the open skin which is pink.  Does anyone have any suggestion in managing the burned skin?

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
    I remember it well

    Purple

    Silver Sulfadiazine Cream, works wonders and takes all the pain away.

    It is a bit messy, but well worth the hassle.  The neck burn was my worst side effect, terribly painful.

    Matt

    If is is bad buy the 400ml size not the 50ml

  • alligatorpointer
    alligatorpointer Member Posts: 131
    #3
    Brand Name Neosporin Problem

    Purple, your mention of Neosporin raised a concern in my mind because my husband recently had mohs surgery to remove a skin cancer on his forehead and was told to avoid any use of Neosporin during the post-op healing of that area because a high percentage of patients have an adverse reaction to the neomycin that is part of the Neosporin formulation.  Here are a couple of links with some articles that acknowledge this concern:

    http://skinscan.blogspot.com/2007/07/im-using-neosporin-but-my-wound-keeps.html

     

    http://www.gotknowhow.com/answers/whats-the-difference-between-neosporin-vs-polysporin

     

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #4
    yes, but

    If you have this much reaction after 25 sessions, you need help from your treatment team ASAP.  The effects of radiation on the skin are more than additive, so you will need full court press from the experts to get through the rest of your sessions.  I'd run this problem up the pole and get them to give you  a specific treatment plan.

     

    best

     

    pat

  • mls351w
    mls351w Member Posts: 90
    #5
    longtermsurvivor said:

    yes, but

    If you have this much reaction after 25 sessions, you need help from your treatment team ASAP.  The effects of radiation on the skin are more than additive, so you will need full court press from the experts to get through the rest of your sessions.  I'd run this problem up the pole and get them to give you  a specific treatment plan.

     

    best

     

    pat

    neck burns

    I agree with Pat. In my case it got much worse than itchy redness. I think if you are reacting in this manor, you may have more difficulties to deal with than dead skin. I had 40 bouts of rads and towards the end I had 2nd degree burns on both sides of my neck. My wife would have to clean my neck daily with a wash cloth...very painful. Before the end, I was prescribed morphine patches for the pain. I finally found that a good, warm shower was all that was needed to loosen and cleanse the dead skin. I tried different ointments and was told that most of them were more harmful than helpful. I have very sensitive skin. Maybe that caused the burns.

    My neck is a mass of wrinkles on both sides, but I connsider them trophies of my victory! I will be 7 years out this Thanksgiving. SSC bot.

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #6
    Neck skin...

    The effects of radiation to the neck can be terribly uncomfortable. I'm with CivilMatt....get a script for some Silver Sulfadiazine Cream....it works wonders! My loved one applied it after every treatment and it really helped with the pain and healing. Be sure to wash it off well, but carefully, before each treatment.

    ~Cureitall

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    #7
    ask about burn victim remedies

    I read somewhere once about someone who was using some special material they use on severe burn victims. It sound like some moisted gauze material that allowed the skin to remain cool and moist and comfortable (as much as a burn can be). Sorry, but other details elude me. good luck, don

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