How To Treat A Radiation Burn

Course Of Antibiotics

Patients who undergo radiation therapy have an immune system that is suppressed or does not work as well as it should. Radiation burns can cause the development of blisters, sores, and ulcers as the cellular damage in the skin tissues of the area to accumulate. Blisters, ulcers, and sores provide a way for foreign and malicious pathogens to enter the patient's body, where the immune system is not functioning well or at an optimal level. To help prevent the colonization of bacteria in the wounds caused by radiation burns, an individual may need to take a course of antibiotics.

Antibiotics are a type of drug designed to slow down the growth of bacteria or destroy bacteria in a patient's body. Some types of antibiotics are more effective at the eradication of some types of bacteria over others. A patient who is prescribed antibiotics to prevent or treat an infection in their body due to their radiation burns cannot stay on this type of medication for a long duration. Bacteria can learn ways to avoid the effects of the antibiotic when a patient takes them for too long, which decreases the effectiveness of the medication.

Wear Loose Clothing

When a patient experiences radiation burns on the skin in areas where they usually wear clothes, they can help the healing process by wearing loose clothing. Tight clothing can increase the amount of friction that can occur and cause the affected area to become further inflamed. Clothes worn over radiation burns should be cotton in composition as other types of material can constrict airflow to the area and exacerbate the effects of friction. A radiation burn that is raw in any part requires a steady supply of air to heal appropriately.

Cotton allows the covered area to breathe but also protects against external factors. If any raw parts of a patient's radiation burn are near areas where a bra or waistband would touch, they should avoid wearing these garments until the burn is no longer an open wound. An individual who has a radiation burn should only go in the sun when they are wearing loose cotton clothing over the affected areas to minimize the risk of further damage to their fragile skin tissues.