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Itchy skin after completing radiation therapy?

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Dec 8, 2024 | Replies (17)

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@marshgirl24

I'm new and did not expect to feel itchy on the third day! I'd been using real aloe. Sliced it up each morning, etc, slapped it on after treatment. Used aquaphor at home. I thought, oh no! when I felt the itch. It was so early. So I switched to Fruit of the Earth aloe gel, which I'd also bought ahead of time but had not yet used. (You can find it on Amazon or a pharmacy.) The gel provided a thicker layer than the genuine stuff and seemed to be quickly absorbed. The itching stopped. I put it on every two hours. Also, be sure to hydrate. I drink a lot of water and I'm avoiding any Christmas cocktail or caffeine for now. Both are dehydrating.

Fingers crossed. I am just starting on my second of three weeks. Holding my breath (literally, during treatments) . Best of luck to you!

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Replies to "I'm new and did not expect to feel itchy on the third day! I'd been using..."

It sounds like you are doing great. If it's working, keep it up! So here is the rest of my story - I went back to my radiation oncologist, who recommended that I use a prescription strength hydro-cortisone ointment twice a day, which is helping. Also he told me that I didn't need to wait four months to contact him. (I just kept hoping it would get better!) Of course, it got to the unbearable point during Thanksgiving holiday (maybe due to the hot tub?) when his office wasn't open, and I didn't feel like going to the emergency room just for itchy skin. So, to those who may still have itchy skin more than a month after finishing treatment, the best thing is probably to call your doctor's office. He also suggested that I just try one moisturizing product per week, just to make sure I am not allergic to any of them. Even though they are all hypo-allergenic, it is still possible (though unlikely) to be allergic to one of the ingredients. I have had sensitive skin all my life, and it runs in my family, so this probably doesn't apply to most people. I'm still glad I got a lumpectomy plus radiation rather than a mastectomy. And my six-month (after surgery) 3D mammo and ultrasounds were totally clear!