Medicine

Patient information for Translation

Skin care during radiotherapy

Important: Please tell us if you have a pacemaker as we will need to monitor your heart during your treatment.

Please let us know if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.

It is important to remember that you need to use contraception whilst receiving treatment for cancer in order to prevent pregnancy – please see our leaflet  

‘Avoiding pregnancy during radiotherapy and chemotherapy’

How will my skin react?

A skin reaction from radiotherapy is one of the most common side effects of treatment. Unfortunately, we are unable to prevent this but we can advise you how to best look after your skin during radiotherapy.

The radiation will only affect the skin over the area being treated; the rest of your skin will not be affected.

We would expect to see a reaction approximately halfway through your course of treatment. The skin can become red or darker in colour.

You may find the skin is sore and sometimes there may be some blistering. If the skin blisters, you may need a dressing to protect the skin from the outside environment and to prevent infection. The nurses in the department will be able to organise this for you.

Washing my skin

Your skin will feel more sensitive than usual during treatment. It is important to avoid extreme temperatures; therefore, we recommend you wash with lukewarm water and avoid long hot baths, hot water bottles and ice packs.

Pat your skin dry with a soft towel and avoid any harsh soaps and exfoliator creams/gels.

Make up, perfume, aftershave

Please do not wear any make up, perfume or aftershave on the treatment area. These products contain metals and will make your skin reaction worse.

Deodorants

All patients can use deodorant as they normally do. If you are having treatment to the breast or chest wall, and you notice your armpit gets sore, stop using deodorant on that side for the remainder of your treatment.

Hair removal

• Do not wet shave in the treatment area during radiotherapy and for 4 weeks after treatment. You can dry shave with an electric razor if you wish.
• If you are having treatment to the pelvis, do not remove hair from this area during or 4 weeks after your treatment.
• Do not wax or use any hair removal creams in the treatment area.

Please note you can use your normal hygiene/personal care products on the rest of your body – just not in the treatment area.

What creams can I use?

Below is a list of recommended creams to use:

• Enopen cream

Free from the radiotherapy department

• E45 cream

£9.49 350g Superdrug

• Aveeno Daily moisturising lotion

£5.15 300ml Sainsburys  

• Simple hydrating rich moisturiser

£2.29 150ml Superdrug

• Derma Care daily moisturising lotion

£4.50 150ml Boots

• Oilatum cream

£9.99 500ml Superdrug

• Dr Organic Aloe Vera gel

£5.99 200ml Holland and Barrett

• Cetraben Cream

£12.25 475ml Boots

Prices correct as of October 2022.

Apply your cream of choice twice a day, making sure you do not apply the cream immediately before having your radiotherapy. It is important the cream has been absorbed into the skin before having your treatment.

If your skin breaks or blisters stop using any current skin product and tell your nurse or radiographer – they will give you a gel to use on the broken skin.

What not to use on your skin

It is very important NOT to use any oils such as bio oil, coconut oil or baby oil and avoid barrier creams such as Vaseline, Sudocrem, nappy rash cream or sun cream on the treatment area during radiotherapy. This will make your skin reaction more severe.

Please stick to the creams listed above for guidance. If you are unsure whether a cream is safe to use, please show it to a member of staff who will check for you.

Miscellaneous

• Wear loose fitting cotton clothing on the treatment area.
• If you are having your pelvis treated, choose cotton underwear.
• If you are having your breast treated, avoid underwired bras and try to go without a bra when possible.
• Please avoid swimming pools during and 4 weeks after treatment as chlorine can irritate the skin.
• Ensure the treatment area is adequately covered with clothes and sun cream of SPF30 or above if you are in the sun.

Contact Us

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy Basement, King George V

Wing (KGV), St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE

0203 465 5222 Radiotherapy Reception

(Mon-Fri 8.45am-5pm)

07917 093 738 Emergency Hotline (when the department is closed)

Maggie’s Centre @ St Barts

St Bartholomew’s Hospital, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE

Tel: 0203 904 3448 Drop in Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm 

https://www.maggiescentres.org

Macmillan Cancer Information Centre

Vicky Clement-Jones, Ground Floor, West Wing, St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Just drop in Mon-Fri 10am-12noon and 2-4.30pm. Or call on 0203 465 6611.

Large print and other languages
This information can be made available in alternative formats, such as easy read or large print, and may be available in alternative languages, upon request. For more information, speak to your clinical team.
 

এই তথ্যগুলো সহজে পড়া যায় অথবা বৃহৎ প্রিন্টের মত বিকল্প ফরম্যাটে পাওয়া যাবে, এবং অনুরোধে অন্য ভাষায়ও পাওয়া যেতে পারে। আরো তথ্যের জন্য আপনার ক্লিনিক্যাল টিমের সাথে কথা বলুন।

Na żądanie te informacje mogą zostać udostępnione w innych formatach, takich jak zapis większą czcionką lub łatwą do czytania, a także w innych językach. Aby uzyskać więcej informacji, porozmawiaj ze swoim zespołem specjalistów.

Macluumaadkaan waxaa loo heli karaa qaab kale, sida ugu akhrinta ugu fudud, ama far waa weyn, waxana laga yabaa in lagu heli luuqaado Kale, haddii la codsado. Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah, kala hadal kooxda xarunta caafimaadka.

Bu bilgi, kolay okunurluk veya büyük baskılar gibi alternatif biçimlerde sunulabilir, ve talep üzerine Alternatif Dillerde sunulabilir. Daha fazla bilgi için klinik ekibinizle irtibata geçin.

یہ معلومات متبادل فارمیٹس میں دستیاب کی جا سکتی ہیں، جیسا کہ پڑھنے میں آسان یا بڑا پرنٹ  اور درخواست پر متبادل زبانوں میں بھی دستیاب ہو سکتی ہیں۔ مزید معلومات کے لیے، اپنی کلینکل ٹیم سے بات کریں'۔

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Reference: BH/PIN/904

Publication date: November 2022

All our patient information leaflets are reviewed every three years.

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