Radiation: Skin Basics

With radiation therapy, I found the key was to moisturise moisturise moisturise ... everywhere!

The products I found most useful were the "Skin Basics" range, which you can buy in most pharmacies and even in some supermarkets.

1. Aqueous Lotion
I used this for washing the sensitive skin during radiation therapy. I started using it long before the skin became thin and red so I could adjust to it. It's not like a normal shower gel or cleanser in that it doesn't foam, so that took some getting used to. But it was lovely and soft on my skin AND I have since found that it is perfect for shaving my legs! I chose the pump bottle because it was easy to use in the shower.

Ingredients:  Purified Water, Paraffin Soft white, Paraffin Liquid, Emulsifying Wax-anionic, Phenoxyethanol.

2. Sorbolene Cream
I used the rich cream as a moisturiser after showering and after treatment. I didn't know how much of my skin was being radiated when treatment started and my advice for anyone would be to moisturise absolutely everywhere near and around the treatment area. I missed a patch and you can see on my photos that it's much redder and more raw than other parts of my skin. I chose the 100% pure cream in a tub. I used it a lot and I didn't want any additional ingredients such as glycerine, aloe vera or vitamin E. (I also used this product prior to radiation to moisturise my hands and feet when I was taking Taxotere.)

Ingredients: Purified Water, Paraffin Light Liquid, Paraffin Soft white, Cetomacrogol 1000, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol,  Diazolidinyl Urea, Methyl Hydroxybenzoate, Propyl Hydroxybenzoate

3. Zinc and Caster Oil
I wasn't able to use this until after my treatment had finished, but it was a wonderful thick and heavy moisturiser which made my skin feel, although heavy and greasy, nice and cool and healing.

Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 75mg/g.
Also contains Peanut (Arachis) Oil, Castor Oil 500mg/g, Cetostearyl Alcohol, Beeswax White.