Topic: Post radiation skin care

Glad it helped you Missy - thanks for sharing the name

Where did you purchase it?

I finished Rads,last November and used Pure Emu Oil -not only on my blisters and cracked skin from Rads but also on my bilateral Mastectomy incisions.  My surgeon and Rad. oncologist couldn't believe the results!  I bought the oil online at uniquely emu products - I continue to use it on my incision scars and the areas that had been fried with radiation.  The burns scars have disappeared completely and my incisions have healed beautifully!!!  I highly recommend this product!!!

Dragonfly,     I think I will always continue to use the Emu Oil.  As you said, it made the deep lines disappear on your chest.  I also use it on my face and neck.  I love it because it absorbs into the skin and doesn't leave you feeling greasy and shiny!!!  I have read the reason it works so well is that it's absorbed 3 cell layers deep thus great healing from the inside out.!  Katiejane

Hi Ladies,

I finished rads on June 3rd '08 and other than a bit of swelling and sun burn...I didn't have any breaking of the skin. But now I've noticed that my areola and nipple is still peeling and I do have a bit of breakages around the nipple. Do you have any suggestions on what I can use to hopefully help heal these areas.

A study was done in Italy on approximately 250 bc sufferers comparing calendula cream and aqueous creams which are normally recommended in the UK and fewer people using calendula cream had burns.  Yesterday was my first radio therapy treatment and the radiographer told me to stop using calendula cream and stick to the petrol based aqueous cream they have given me.  As you say in USA 'go figure'.

Nena, I did some research on the calendula cream, as I was given a calendula ointment to use. In looking at the active and inactive ingredients, the Calendula ointment only has white petrolatum (Vaseline) in it, while the Calendula cream has Purified water, pegoxol-7 stearate, lauroyl macrogolglycerides, glycerin, cetyl palmitate, sorbic acid, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, methylparaben, propylparaben.

While the cream is less greasy and absorbed quicker, I would have some second thoughts about some of the other ingredients like the parabens.

Boiron (www.boironusa.com) has several calendula products, and that's where I got the ingredients listing. 

Nancy D, 

I have since discovered this great cream.  It is called The Organic Pharmacy Miracle Nipple Cream and it contains Chamomile, Calendula, St John's Wort and Propolis.  It is aimed at breastfeeding mothers but it has a very nice texture and the company which makes it has a very good reputation in the UK for purity of their ingredients.  It is early days for me and I have had some complications from rads but not with my skin.  If you cannot find it in the USA I can send you a jar via a friend of mine who lives in Long Island and is coming to visit UK at the end of September.  When are you starting your rads?

You can buy them at Kroger's, too. 

I've been using Eucerin Calming Lotion and Vitamin E cream on the area under my breast, and on m  incision scar....

Sandy

Animal lover here.  How many emu's does it take to make this oil?

I know St. Johns Wort supplements can be a problem with some of our meds, not sure if that also applies to a cream or ointment.  I'd want to look into it before using.