What effect does radiotherapy have on the skin?

In general, the effects of radiotherapy on the skin vary from person to person, but usually include redness, dry spots, pruritus, skin ulcers or stiffness similar to sunburn In some cases, people who receive radiotherapy will also have skin swelling and tenderness These effects are usually temporary and will disappear soon after stopping radiotherapy Since the adverse effects of radiotherapy on the skin can cause obvious discomfort, the person receiving this treatment should consult the doctor for relevant skin care knowledge Radiotherapy is a common method to treat cancer The skin at the treatment site will react to radiation For many people, this means that the skin produces an inflammatory rash similar to sunburn This can cause burning, tenderness, and a sunburn like appearance Sometimes, the skin will appear itching, drying and peeling and other similar symptoms of sunburn On the other hand, because radiation therapy kills skin cells, skin needs time to regenerate, which will lead to moist, raw skin patches and even ulcers Although these effects of radiotherapy on the skin are often temporary, poor skin care during the treatment can cause other problems For example, if the skin that has been stimulated by radiotherapy is exposed to sunlight, it is easy to cause serious sunburn In addition, pruritus may force the patient to scratch, rupture, or even infect the skin Patients with radiotherapy may also receive ointment or other skin treatments to cause further irritation Patients receiving radiotherapy should consult a doctor or nurse to understand the consequences for the skin They may recommend cleaning and moisturizing products that are safe for use in affected areas of the skin Because radiotherapy affects the skin and causes irritation, patients should seek advice to control itching or relieve skin irritation In addition, patients also use soft, natural, non irritating fabrics (such as cotton clothes) to cover the skin.