Another skin question

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Diane26
Diane26 Member Posts: 14
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Can anyone offer suggestions for healing open, oozing skin from radiation? The area under my breast is so tender and nasty. I started with Aquaphor, moved on to saline soaks, and now am treating with a gel the doctor gave me. The skin keeps blistering and peeling and I can't get any relief. It won't seem to dry up. I've had 27 out of 30 radiation treatments so far. The doctor tells me to be patient but I'm anxious to speed up the process because I have to get 4 more chemos in before Christmas (I hope). Any ideas out there?

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  • lindatn
    lindatn Member Posts: 229
    #2
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    I had the same problem and the only thing that worked for me is wash it carefully with boiled water, take a aloe leaf and put pure aloe on it.Aloe plants are available most everywhere. I have two huge ones. Also try for a hour or two to lay down and lift the breast up to air the burn. Worked for me. Best of luck you are nearly done with the radiation. Linda
  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #3
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    lindatn said:

    I had the same problem and the only thing that worked for me is wash it carefully with boiled water, take a aloe leaf and put pure aloe on it.Aloe plants are available most everywhere. I have two huge ones. Also try for a hour or two to lay down and lift the breast up to air the burn. Worked for me. Best of luck you are nearly done with the radiation. Linda

    General rule with skin, 'if it's dry soak it, if it's wet dry it'. Easier said than done with the breast eh? Here's some things that I did....they make a kind of sports bra that is more like a tube top. I'd put it on a lift the breast, then tuck the tube top under so tissue's not touching tissue. Now if it's really oozey and this sticks don't pull it off, soak in warm water and let it loosen. You can also place a gauze bandage under breast or even wrap gauze around chest to keep it from slipping. As it gets drier apply aloe or whatever cream they gave you, now that mine is healed I use baby powder to keep area dry and from breaking down again. Make sure you're not diabetic as this will slow healing. Also don't apply any creams before radiation as this just tends to 'cook' area. Lastly, as Linda said, air dry as much as possible. Hope this helps, just remember this too shall pass. God bless. hummingbyrd
  • DeeNY711
    DeeNY711 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #4
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    hummingbyrd said:

    General rule with skin, 'if it's dry soak it, if it's wet dry it'. Easier said than done with the breast eh? Here's some things that I did....they make a kind of sports bra that is more like a tube top. I'd put it on a lift the breast, then tuck the tube top under so tissue's not touching tissue. Now if it's really oozey and this sticks don't pull it off, soak in warm water and let it loosen. You can also place a gauze bandage under breast or even wrap gauze around chest to keep it from slipping. As it gets drier apply aloe or whatever cream they gave you, now that mine is healed I use baby powder to keep area dry and from breaking down again. Make sure you're not diabetic as this will slow healing. Also don't apply any creams before radiation as this just tends to 'cook' area. Lastly, as Linda said, air dry as much as possible. Hope this helps, just remember this too shall pass. God bless. hummingbyrd

    I purchased two stretchy undergarment tubes before surgery and have never seen them since. They were so helpful post-op when it was too soon to wear a bra. I used to stick my 3 Jackson-Pratt drains in there and it looked more like my old lumpy self than the anatomically perfect prostheses! If I ever see them again, I'll post the source. They were in the underwear section of a catalogue over a year ago.
  • DeeNY711
    DeeNY711 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #5
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    lindatn said:

    I had the same problem and the only thing that worked for me is wash it carefully with boiled water, take a aloe leaf and put pure aloe on it.Aloe plants are available most everywhere. I have two huge ones. Also try for a hour or two to lay down and lift the breast up to air the burn. Worked for me. Best of luck you are nearly done with the radiation. Linda

    If you do the exposure of the area to air under a ceiling fan, it is mahhhhhhhhvelous!
  • ksfc
    ksfc Member Posts: 251
    #6
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    Hi Diane, I second the ceiling fan or even put a small fan directly where it can get to the problem. My rad onc gave me some cream called sulfadine that helped, but I was very raw. At one point, they stopped treating one area for a week and let it heal a little bit. I also used sterile gause between my breast and my bra while it was oozing. If it sticks, you can wet it and remove it. I had some cotton knit leisure type bras that were pretty comfortable. Good luck from another Diane
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #7
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    Dear Diane
    My skin was so badly burned (my own fault-long story-lack of information) that i had to hault my treatments for 10 days. But you are soooo close I dont know if you would want to do that. Buy the time you read this you'd be done anyway. Just take it slow. it heals. I have a nice scar as a memento--matches all my ohter ones..LOL.
    Good luck dear and God Bless
    jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #8
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    Dear Diane
    My skin was so badly burned (my own fault-long story-lack of information) that i had to hault my treatments for 10 days. But you are soooo close I dont know if you would want to do that. Buy the time you read this you'd be done anyway. Just take it slow. it heals. I have a nice scar as a memento--matches all my ohter ones..LOL.
    Good luck dear and God Bless
    jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #9
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    Dear Diane
    My skin was so badly burned (my own fault-long story-lack of information) that i had to hault my treatments for 10 days. But you are soooo close I dont know if you would want to do that. Buy the time you read this you'd be done anyway. Just take it slow. it heals. I have a nice scar as a memento--matches all my ohter ones..LOL.
    Good luck dear and God Bless
    jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com
  • bullfrog13
    bullfrog13 Member Posts: 213
    #10
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    Dear Diane
    My skin was so badly burned (my own fault-long story-lack of information) that i had to hault my treatments for 10 days. But you are soooo close I dont know if you would want to do that. Buy the time you read this you'd be done anyway. Just take it slow. it heals. I have a nice scar as a memento--matches all my ohter ones..LOL.
    Good luck dear and God Bless
    jerilynfrog13@yahoo.com
  • mc2001
    mc2001 Member Posts: 343
    #11
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    Hi Diane,
    First let me say that I dont have breasts. I am a leukemia survivor of almost 7 years! I read your description and what you have seems to be pretty common with radiation therapy. I believe this is a process of wet desquamation. This is the body's way of gettin rid of the older and damages cells, and replacing them with brand new cells. However this process is a annoying, sometimes pain occurs, and seems to take a long time. But there are ways to treat the symptoms. Someone said let them air dry. Good idea. Also with the ceiling fan, that is clever too. Someone mentioned baby powder. While that helps some, the added ingredients for scent may irritate the area. I recommend starch powder as an alternative if baby powder does not work for you. While I was in remission I designed and still maintain a leukemia and lymphoma website. It is comprehensive and has a lot of information for other cancers as well. Here is the link: www.geocities.com/leukemia_lymphoma
    click the Radiation THerapy link... then click the radiation side effects link. You might find more helpful advice. Well, take care and God bless.
    -Michael

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