quote:

Hi,
I hope you are doing better. I was using a cream called ScarZone for the scar from my neck dissection, and it really helped it, I then used it on the radiation burns on my neck and it really cleared it up a great deal, it was quite raw and blistery and in a matter of a few days it cleared up. It is an over the counter product.
Good Luck with all!
Best Regards,
Pamela

Link: Scar Zone website

Just to add to the good suggestions already noted -- some things we found helpful for Stephen’s neck and face during radiation for aggressive tongue cancer:
~Putting straight vitamin E oil on areas of skin that have become very irritated (AFTER daily radiation though, not before, so no residue is on skin) – this can help when anything else makes it sting, and the skin heals up quickly. (A bit gooey and can stain shirt collars, though -- I squeezed the oil out of capsules until I found some bottled oil through drugstore.com.)
~Mixing vitamin E oil with Special Care Cream (made by Bard, provided by our doctor's office)-- about 1 part oil to two parts cream, so it absorbs quickly into the skin -- healed all skin that was slightly irritated in a matter of days, even as radiation continued, but we made sure to not apply within a couple hours before radiation treatment (our doctor said cream or lotion residue on the skin can distract the beams from having full effect on the targeted area).
~Putting Clarins Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream all over his neck and lower part of his face at the beginning of a shower helped keep moisture in and soothe the irritated skin during the shower. (This gentle cleansing cream can just be gently wiped off – doesn’t need to be rinsed.) It’s expensive cream, but amazingly non-irritating and very moisturizing, so it is a great help.
--Susan

Thanks so much for the heads-up on this product. I contacted them to see if they ship internationally, which they do, accepting all credit cards but American Express. I ordered it only minutes ago and hope it comes in time to make a difference; in the meantime, I have aloe vera gel and Aquaphor.

Thanks Dr. Joshi and everyone else.

Hi Mimi

How is going, hope you are well and not suffering to much from the R/T.?
Just one thing about creams during R/T treatment you need to be careful with certain creams in that they can effect the way the R/T is working.
Things with sun block or zinc based should be avoided, always check with your team who are treating you before using.

Take care

Regards


Tony

Tony, thanks for asking!

So far I've had only two treatments with the third one in about 3 hours. The weekend was in the middle and yesterday was a holiday, President's Day. No side-effects yet, but I'm waiting!

Will keep you posted.

Mimi, don't forget about my experience..... Nurse gave me a prescription cream... i guess i didn't follow instructions or something....

after using it and then having a treatment it felt like i had been cooked.... next treatment told the tech they sure cooked my neck yesterday.... she looked at my neck and asked me what i had on there.... told her and she said no we can't start the treatment before we get that stuff off.... used alcohol to wash my neck.... that stuff was like grease in a frying pan.... so after that my neck went naked.... and my problems were only minor....

Hi Mimi, Hope you are doing well. Can you please tell me more about this cream. My husband Andy starts radiation/chemo soon. We have heard how the neck will burn and blister and the skin from the scars will go really tough.
Thanks jilly

Jilly,

The cream is the Radiance Gel that Dr. Joshi refers to in the original post on this thread. After reading what he and what subsequent posters had to say, I thought it sounded like the best cream/gel/whatever to use. I've ordered it but it hasn't arrived yet. In the meantime, I've been applying aloe vera gel although my skin hasn't changed color. I'm too new to this to know how my skin will change, so I guess I'm just preparing for what might come.

Trev in Australia advises Sorbelene, something that is not sold here; others have different applications that they swear by. I suppose we'll have to see what works for us individually. I'll certainly let you know how this gel works for me. With radiation for breast cancer, I used Aquaphor which worked well; however, I think my skin type may have had something to do with it. I've got half-Irish, half-Croatian skin (a wonderful mix!) that went from red to purple but never itched, peeled, blistered or hurt. Someone on my breast cancer board advised emu oil (another Aussie product but also sold in the US), and it was seconded by a big bunch of people. Who knows?

In the post right before yours, Pete228 has the best advice of all. When your husband goes for treatment make absolutely sure that he doesn't have any residue of creams/gels/etc., on his skin. This will only cook as Pete said, "like grease in a frying pan."

I think in this same thread that Dr. Joshi has advice about caring for scarred skin.

Good luck to you and your husband, Jilly! I cared for my Mom when she had cancer and think sometimes that the caretaker has it as rough as the patient. Remember to breathe. Remember to get away from it every so often. Take care of yourself too.

Mimi

Ouch, I still remember the horrified look on the tech faces after i told them of the burning sensation (physical) from my last treatment as they looked down at the grease like cream on my neck as they were preparing to give me another dose....

tech got out the rubbing alcohol and cleaned my neck up before the treatment got started....

I was never told anything about what cream or anything to put on, allI rember my face burning inside and out and they would screw down the mask even when I was in pain.
I DID GET CREAM EVENTUALLY AFTER SCOURING THE NET.
i STILL HAVE GREAT PROBLEMS WITH MY SKIN AND TEETH SINCE THE rADIO 6 YEARS AGO.

BTW hAPPY eASTER

pAUL

hi all I am new to this I just found this site but I am going in for my first radiation treatment on mon. and after reading about the burns wow can i get some advice thanks

It isn't inevitable that you with get burnt skin and scarring. Bill's neck and face just looked like he had had too much sun. He only used E45 cream after each session.

thanks angiebaby thats positive and may I ask what e45 cream is and what did you husband use?
Take care
mbt

REMEMBER TO KEEP THE FAITH -FOR IT WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH IT ALL

E45 is a very inexpensive, perfume free, hypoallergenic moisturiser, mild enough for babies. Bill used it each time he returned from r/t - which was every day for 4 weeks. I am sure it is available in the US, seem to remember buying some there whilst on a visit.

ok thanks I will look for it here. I have been using aloe vera gel and a cream my mother got me.do you have any more advice for the things I have to come?
take care
mbt



REMEMBER TO KEEP THE FAITH -FOR IT WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH IT ALL