Understanding and Caring for Radiation Burns Resulting from Cancer Treatment
Let 's start by taking a look at the underlying cause of radiation burns and what they are. Radiation therapy as a form of cancer treatment involves the use of targeted high-energy radiation or any one of a number of radioactive substances. These treatments are meant to help reduce the number of cancerous cells or eliminate them completely. As this radiation passes through your skin, the area being treated can become damaged.
If you are undergoing frequent treatments, your skin cells may not have enough time between treatments to regenerate and repair themselves. In this case, the exposed areas of skin might flake off faster than it can regrow, which can lead to ulcers …show more content…
As the treatment continues, your skin may turn bright red (similar to a sunburn) or become darkly tanned. At the same time, your skin might become dry and flaky, it may also start to itch. A small number of people have been found to develop a rash or have blisters appear in the area being treated. The blisters might even burst open and then peel off. The good news for most people is that most of these side-effects will probably fade away approximately one month after your treatment has ended.
Are Radiation Burns a Common Part of Radiation Treatment?
Unfortunately, there are a number of unpleasant acute skin reactions considered to be a common side effect of radiation treatment for cancer. These can range from a minor rash all the way up to skin that is severely blistered or ulcerated. According to the latest research by Current Oncology, approximately 85 percent of all patients undergoing radiation treatment are likely to experience some form of skin reactions to the treatment that range from moderate to severe in nature. These acute reactions typically cause pain and itching that can significantly impact your quality of
Let 's start by taking a look at the underlying cause of radiation burns and what they are. Radiation therapy as a form of cancer treatment involves the use of targeted high-energy radiation or any one of a number of radioactive substances. These treatments are meant to help reduce the number of cancerous cells or eliminate them completely. As this radiation passes through your skin, the area being treated can become damaged.
If you are undergoing frequent treatments, your skin cells may not have enough time between treatments to regenerate and repair themselves. In this case, the exposed areas of skin might flake off faster than it can regrow, which can lead to ulcers …show more content…
As the treatment continues, your skin may turn bright red (similar to a sunburn) or become darkly tanned. At the same time, your skin might become dry and flaky, it may also start to itch. A small number of people have been found to develop a rash or have blisters appear in the area being treated. The blisters might even burst open and then peel off. The good news for most people is that most of these side-effects will probably fade away approximately one month after your treatment has ended.
Are Radiation Burns a Common Part of Radiation Treatment?
Unfortunately, there are a number of unpleasant acute skin reactions considered to be a common side effect of radiation treatment for cancer. These can range from a minor rash all the way up to skin that is severely blistered or ulcerated. According to the latest research by Current Oncology, approximately 85 percent of all patients undergoing radiation treatment are likely to experience some form of skin reactions to the treatment that range from moderate to severe in nature. These acute reactions typically cause pain and itching that can significantly impact your quality of