Many cancer patients receive radiation treatments, often in addition to chemotherapy and surgery. In the best case scenario, there is little damage. Very often, radiation can alleviate pain when nothing else works. For example, when cancer spreads to a rib, a few sessions of radiation can make all the difference in the world. But with radiation, there often come side effects that warrant serious attention from family caregivers.
One of the most important side effects can be the radiation burns that result. Very often, these build up over the course of treatment. You might see an increase in redness on the skin at the sites where your loved one is radiated. It looks a lot like a really bad sunburn, and it’s hot to the touch. It can also be uncomfortable to endure. Many radiologists recommend skin creams to soothe the fragile skin. Why should you encourage your loved one to use these? Skin is vulnerable after radiation. And when it is, infection can follow.
It’s important for cancer caregivers to remember that very often cancer patients have compromised immune systems. It’s hard for them to fight off infections. Protecting the skin after radiation means lowering the risk of infection. That’s why, if the radiology team recommends a certain type of skin product for after treatment, you should not only make sure you obtain it, you should strongly encourage your loved one to use it.
Sometimes cancer patients are reluctant to involve family members in seeing the damage done by the treatment, especially if they need assistance in applying the skin product. They may want to spare you the unpleasant moments. But if you educate yourself about these side effects, you can help your loved one cope better. The cancer treatment team is there to answer questions and recommend ways to ease the discomfort of radiation burns, whether it’s itching or pain.
But what about eco-conscious caregivers? It’s tempting sometimes to substitute natural and organic remedies for products the medical team recommends. After all, if it’s just a soothing balm, there’s no real problem in substituting a natural healing remedy, is there?
Many people don’t realize that a number of “natural” products contain allergy-inducing ingredients. (As an allergy sufferer, I can attest to the number of times I’ve had an allergy attack triggered at the hair salon by a well-meaning hairdresser who thinks “organic” is harmless.) If you know your loved one has allergies, you need to read all labels before providing natural and organic skin products to your loved one.
A word of caution — Many people are unaware they have allergies, and often just think they are repeatedly suffering from itchy skin or a lingering cold. If you’re not sure about symptoms your loved one has, ask a medical professional to explain to you the difference between eczema and contact dermatitis and a cold and an allergy attack.
What is the likely outcome of using natural and organic skin products with an allergy sufferer? He or she can wind up with dermatitis, and if that becomes inflamed, the chances of an infection increase, especially if the skin breaks. Other symptoms also include breathing difficulties, runny nose, and the normal symptoms associated with allergies. For cancer patients, having a skin or sinus infection as the result of an undiagnosed allergy can be a serious complication, especially if the immune system is struggling.
What kinds of ingredients can trigger an allergy attack? Many of the natural and organic skin products use emollients from almonds, argan, coconut, macadamias, peanuts, and even seeds like sunflower. They may or may not trigger contact dermatitis, depending on the allergies your loved one experiences. Today, many products, even those not certified as organic, use ingredients like chamomile. They are in skin lotions, shampoos, conditioners, and other beauty products. Always read the label and be aware of the potential.
But there are also other potential allergy triggers, especially for skin that has been damaged by radiation. Some products use fragrance, and that can also increase itching, which often results in scratching, and that can break the skin.
Sometimes the simplest solutions are the tried and true, the products without a lot of bells and whistles. That’s why you should take the advice of the medical team on what products work best with radiation burns, and how best to use them. Don’t think that skin will be okay on its own after radiation. Do your part to understand radiation burns and how to protect your loved one from further harm.