Radiation skin damage can occur from radiation treatments for cancer, or from accidental exposure to radiation such as when people come into contact with unsecured radiation sources like food irradiators, radiotherapy equipment, or overexposure from x-radiation from x-ray machines.
Time Frame
With radiation exposure, skin damage may not appear for days or weeks after the exposure, and some effects may not appear for months or even years. It depends on the amount of radiation, what part of the body was exposed and on the particular person how the damage shows up and when.
Symptoms-therapy
The symptoms of radiation skin damage following radiation treatment include redness, tenderness, dryness, peeling, increased pigmentation, loss of hair at the site and itchiness. Later effects may include a thinning of the skin, hardening of the skin and difficulty with wound healing in the area.
Symptoms-accidental
In the case of radiation exposure, the symptoms can include itching, tingling, swelling and redness initially, then hair loss at the site, dryness or weeping of the radiated area, extreme redness, blistering and ulceration in later stages.
Treatment
Treatment for radiation therapy skin damage include avoiding sun exposure, avoiding extremes in temperature like ice or heating pads, using gentle soaps and moisturizers, avoiding rubbing or scrubbing-only patting dry, using lukewarm water on the area, avoiding perfumes or alcohol in lotions or cleansers, avoiding powder, and using approved lotions and vitamin E or aloe vera.
Other Treatments
For radiation exposure, treatment includes immediate care preferably from a burn unit, medications to prevent infection, reduce inflammation, relieve pain and stimulate regeneration and improve circulation. Antihistamines and corticosteroids may be prescribed for itch.
Serious damage
For serious later effects of radiation exposure, doctors will watch and treat any signs of infection and will debride dead skin tissue. Also to stimulate blood circulation, inhibit infection and reduce fibrosis, or thickening of skin tissues, Pentoxifylline, vitamin E and interferon gamma should be prescribed. Plastic surgery may be recommended.
Tags: radiation exposure, skin damage, infection reduce
