Post-Radiation Skin Changes: Don’t Stop Moisturizing

Once you finish radiation treatment, additional skin and tissue changes might come up during the following year. Don’t stop moisturizing when radiation ends. Continuing to take gentle care of your skin will help it heal over time. 

Note: I am not a medical professional. Please make sure to follow all of the advice given to you by your medical team and bring your questions to them first. Please understand my disclaimer before continuing.

I was so excited to finish radiation treatment. It was two days before Christmas, and completing radiation was a wonderful gift.  

I’ve already shared some of my tips on taking care of your skin gently during radiation treatment and how I walked through radiation fatigue. Please feel free to check out my other radiation posts to learn about what it was like for me during treatment. 

This post is all about how I continued to care for my skin after radiation and what my follow-up appointment schedule was like with my radiation oncologist.  

Immediate Recovery? Not Exactly…

My skin didn’t rebound right after finishing radiation treatment. In fact, it got worse the first few weeks after radiation.  

The last few radiation treatments were a “radiation boost.”  During my boost, radiation was directed at the place where my breast cancer was removed. This area, called the tumor bed, is the most common location for breast cancer to return. By directing radiation at this location, recurrence can be reduced.

More Peeling Ahead

Once I was done with the boost, my treatments were finished. My breast skin continued to darken and turn purple. The area which darkened was quite large. It included locations high up on my chest and also underneath my armpit. That area was the most uncomfortable part for me. I think it was because of the constant rubbing in the area from my arm.  

Once the skin was a dark shade of purple, it peeled again. This was my second complete breast peel, and it happened a few weeks after my radiation finished. While I can’t recall exactly how long it took to peel, this part was the most uncomfortable for me.  

I needed to continue to wash the area gently, moisturize several times a day, and wait to shave my armpits until the skin was healed.  

Here were my favorite creams to use after radiation:

• Calendula
• Aquaphor 
• Avene 

I had a follow-up appointment with my radiation oncologist about three weeks after I finished radiation. She checked my skin to make sure that things were healing acceptably. I got clearance to shave gently once the skin was done peeling, which made me very happy!

Changes a Few Months Out

Once my skin was done peeling, I had some other changes come up with my skin and tissue over the next few months.

Tissue Soreness 

The inside of my breast was sore for months. It felt like the tenderness that I experienced before my period. This wasn’t an issue during my everyday activities, but it was something that I needed to make my husband aware of during intimacy.  

This soreness has gone away now, and things feel normal again. 

Itching and Dryness 

A few months after treatment, I noticed that I was getting itchy on my radiated side again. It would get worse throughout the day. I was surprised because, by that time, the skin looked normal again. I decided to put lotion on again twice a day, and the itching went away.  

Breast Changes- A Little Firmer

My radiation oncologist told me to expect that the radiated breast would end up being a little more firm and perky than my other one.  

I wasn’t sure what to expect when she told me that, but if that is the case, I would say that it isn’t super noticeable. I might be a tad perkier on my radiated side, but it isn’t noticeable once I put on a bra and my clothing.

Scar- Looking Great

One of the best side effects of radiation is that my scar looks fantastic on my radiated side! Sometimes I look down when I’m getting dressed and realize that it is hardly noticeable. It may have been a combination of the radiation or the lotion that made the scar fade into my skin. I also had a benign lump removed on my right side and didn’t have radiation on that side. Of the two scars, the radiated side is much less noticeable.

Continued Follow-up With My Radiation Oncologist

After my mammogram, I had a six-month follow-up with my radiation oncologist and then one more checkup a year after finishing radiation. During these appointments, she looked at my scans, asked me about any side effects that I might be experiencing- like fatigue, and examined my breast.  

After the one-year follow-up, she didn’t need to see me again. I was shocked that this would be the end of the radiation visits. She assured me that if anything ever came up, I could call the office and schedule an appointment. But, after a year, the skin and tissue changes on the radiated breast were completed.

How is My Skin Now?

I’m a year and three months out of radiation now. I’m quite pleased with the appearance of my skin. The color has returned to normal, the scar has faded, and the sensitivity has gone away.  

I still wash my breast with gentle soap and make sure to moisturize it regularly. I haven’t gone back to wearing underwire bras, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever add that back into my wardrobe. I’ve been enjoying the beautiful bras by AnaOno. They are soft, stretchy, and pretty.  

Sometimes I look down, and I’m surprised that my skin looks so normal after radiation treatment. I remember how scary it was to have it turn purple and peel off. I tried to stay patient and keep taking gentle care of my skin. It eventually healed and looks great now.

Don’t be surprised if you continue to experience skin or tissue changes after radiation. Keep an eye on it, and if you’re ever worried, don’t hesitate to call your radiation oncologist!