3 Practical Tips Patients Should Know During and After Skin Cancer Treatment
Individuals who regularly expose their skin to the sun without taking precautions are at a high risk of suffering from skin cancer. However, the good news is that early detection of skin cancer gives you an excellent opportunity for a successful skin cancer treatment. At this point, patients may require radiation and chemotherapy involving oral drugs or infused intravenous fluids to combat the illness. Although these drugs may improve your health, they may tamper with your quality of life if taken incorrectly. Thus, patients must know how to care for their health during and after radiation and chemotherapy treatments. This article shall explore three practical tips patients should adhere to with skin cancer treatment.
Be Gentle With Your Skin
While undergoing skin cancer treatment, you must understand that your skin is sensitive during this time. Thus, doctors advise you to be gentle with your skin, especially when dressing wounds, bathing, or shaving. At this point, most dermatologists recommend their patients bathe their bodies using water and soap, no sponges, or washcloths that may irritate the skin. Additionally, applying moisturizer and avoiding sunlight is vital for improving skin health. Ultimately, being gentle with your skin during skin cancer treatment may help reduce any risk of bruising, cuts, and the formation of abrasions that may result in fatal infections.
Adhere to the Medication Instructions
Skin cancer treatments often involve using oral or IV medication to kill the cancer cells. However, on most occasions, you may be unfamiliar with the prescriptions and may not understand how to use them. As such, you must take all your medications as prescribed by the doctor. If the doctor says not to take other foods or drugs, including alcohol, please do not. Lastly, always read all the instruction labels based on the packaging and ask your doctor about potential side effects and how to manage them.
Adhere to a Good Nutrition
After surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, your body may become susceptible to infections, translating to a low immune system. At this time, skin cancer patients often struggle with nausea and appetite loss. However, it is a requirement that they feed on extra proteins during and after skin cancer treatment to heal their damaged tissues and fight infections. Thus, they must adopt a well-balanced diet with lots of proteins such as eggs, fish, and soy foods, water to reduce dehydration, fats to increase energy, and vitamins and minerals that act as anti-inflammatories. Ultimately, great nutrition may boost your health and help you recover faster.
To learn more about skin cancer treatment, contact a dermatologist in your area.