How can you take care of your skin after breast cancer surgery?
The recovery process following breast cancer surgery,
such as a lumpectomy or mastectomy, is completely dependent on the patient.
This is because it takes at least a year for the skin to soften and four to six
weeks for surgical incisions to heal following surgery.
We've asked a renowned dermatologist, a wound care
expert, and a breast surgeon to provide their best skin-care advice in the
sections below. Continue reading to find out more about this crucial aspect of
recovering well from surgery.
Ø Embrace
bodily healing
Make it a mission to refrain from lifting, pressing,
and tugging for many weeks after surgery to protect your skin, advice
dermatologist Donna Hart, MD, of Austin, Texas, who was just diagnosed with
breast cancer.
Your drains, which are "the thin tubes implanted
in the chest and underarm that allow collected fluid to exit after
surgery," according to Dr. Hart, are more prone to develop issues the more
you move.
You should avoid applying any topical lotions in or
around your sutures, she advises, even though your skin may appear purple, red,
or bruised following surgery. You can immediately start applying petroleum
jelly, Aquaphor, or an antibiotic ointment once or twice daily if your doctor
advises it. Once the skin has completely healed, your doctor could advise using
silicone gel to treat any wounds. Some silicone gel is available in strip form.
Since scar tissue is frequently extremely stiff, these
gels aid in the scar's softening, according to the expert.
Avoid using antibacterial creams and ointments, such
as Neosporin or Bacitracin, directly on the wounds.
Additionally, if you've received radiation, your
recovery may be severely hampered. In this situation, make sure to go over
skin-healing options, such as postsurgical gels, with your doctor.
Emollients can also be used to treat radiation burns
and prevent radiation dermatitis, according to the expert.
Ø Watch
out for your skin
Healing problems could occur after a lumpectomy,
mastectomy, or even (though less frequently) a biopsy, according to Dr. Harold
Brem, chief of the division of wound healing and regenerative medicine at
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and RWJ Barnabas Health in Newark, New
Jersey. Dr. Brem is a professor of surgery at Rutgers New Jersey Medical
School. This might be the result of radiation exposure, an infection risk
factor, or even an undiagnosed antibody problem.
Whatever the cause, inform your surgeon as soon as you
see any skin changes. This includes the presence of pus emerging from the site
or a blackened area, which may indicate skin necrosis (or insufficient blood
flow to the wound).
Necrosis causes skin discomfort that is typically
black or red, but in someone with dark skin, it may take on a purple change in
hue, advises Dr. Brem. Always assess these changes in comparison to the
opposite breast.
Act promptly, send your surgeon pictures of the
affected skin through email, and if required, schedule a telemedicine session
so he or she can view the affected area.
Additionally, Brem warns that although breasts are
"favorable" for effective wound healing, there may be problems with
the moisture that collects in the lower or underside of the breast next to the
chest wall, which can result in fungus.
According to him, using antibiotics after surgery
increases your risk of developing antibiotic resistance.
Fortunately, Brem says, some medications help speed up
wound healing. These include topicals like Iodosorb, an antibacterial gel, and
MediHoney, a gel wound and burn treatment. Other options include collagen
therapies that support the formation of new blood vessels and the removal of
damaged tissue from a wound, FlexHD Structural, a biologic made from human
tissue, and even the possibility of receiving allograft tissue, the tissue that
is transplanted from one person to another, to aid in your healing.
Your results will improve the sooner you report any
wound issues. Depending on how complicated the problem is, you might need to
visit a specialist.
You should be sure to consult a doctor who deals with
wound issues frequently, advises Brem. You want to find the best expert to help
you – as soon as you can. Most talented plastic surgeons usually don't see a
lot of complex wound healing concerns.
Ø Be kind to your skin
If you choose breast reconstruction with implants, you
should watch out for problems including skin stiffness and thickness.
According to Lisa Schneider, MD, a board-certified
plastic surgeon in New York City who specializes in difficult reconstructive
and aesthetic procedures, such as lymphedema and breast surgery, this
condition, also known as capsular contracture, happens because the rim of skin
and fat around the implant is so thin and the implant itself is firm and made
of nonliving tissue. "As a result, the skin and scar around the implant
get tighter. You will constantly battle the skin's propensity to constrict and
harden if there isn't healthy living tissue underneath.
Dr. Schneider advises waiting several months before
putting any topical medication on your incisions to treat the skin itself.
She explains, "I constantly advise my patients to
pamper that skin like a baby." Avoid perfumes, colors, and other
irritants. On that skin, you definitely wouldn't want to use a scrub or a peel.
You should pad the region surrounding your drains to
protect the skin there from pulling and tearing or pressure sores caused by the
drain tubing pinching the skin.
"You can also pin your drains to your
clothing," she advises, adding that she sends her patients home wearing a
surgical bra with a compartment for their drains. Additionally, keep the skin
as dry as you can, and for added comfort and support, think about tucking a
square of a clean cotton T-shirt around the entry point for your drains.
After breast surgery, the skin is extremely sensitive,
she claims. You should strive to handle the entire region as softly as
possible.