Cancer and cancer treatment can have short and long-term effects on a person’s skin. Find out how common treatments may affect your skin, and talk to your pharmacist or doctor for ways to find relief.
Chemotherapy
How it works:
Chemotherapy or chemo chemically kills overgrowing cancer cells and slows their growth and/or spread. In doing so, it may harm healthy cells in the skin and nails and cause side effects.
Potential skin side effects:
Dry, itchy, red, flaky or painful/ sensitive skin; restlessness, sores, infection. Skin may also look bluish due to breathing difficulties, bruised from blood disorders, or yellow from liver problems.
Radiation
How it works:
High-powered x-rays or particles aimed at the tumor from outside the body kill cancer cells, but can also affect healthy skin cells.
Potential skin side effects:
Dryness, itching, blistering, or peeling can happen, depending on what part of the body is being treated. Side effects may improve after treatment.
Talk to your doctor before your treatment starts to find out if and what type of skin changes you should expect and report any new or worsening skin problems to your provider.
Last reviewed 8/6/2018 by Walgreens Clinical Programs and Quality
Sources:
Rugo HS, Lacouture ME, Payne AS. Chemotherapy-induced alopecia. UpToDate. Available at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/chemotherapy-induced-alopeciasearch=hair%20loss%20chemotherapy
&usage_type=default&source=search_result&se1lectedTitle=1~150&display_rank=1. Accessed on February 15, 2018.
ASCO. Hair Loss or Alopecia. Available at https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/side-effects/hair-loss-or-alopecia. Accessed on February 17, 2018.
Rubio-Gonzalez B, Juhász M, Fortman J, Mesinkovska NA. Pathogenesis and treatment options for chemotherapy-induced alopecia: a systemic review. Int J Dermatol. 2018 Jan 29. Dio: 10.1111/ijd.13906 [Epub ahead of print]
Kiernan CM. (2017) Pretty Sick. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group, Inc.
American Cancer Society. Hair Loss. Available at https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/hair-loss.html. Accessed on February 15, 2018.
American Cancer Society. Chemotherapy Side Effects. Available at https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/chemotherapy/chemotherapy-side-effects.html. Accessed on February 19, 2018.
