Chemo side effects on skin

Hi

How did you get on with the dermatologist today? I haven't had chemo but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies. This is probably because this is such a busy group that posts quickly slip off the first page, sometimes before someone with the right experience has had chance to see them. By replying to you it will 'ump' your post back to the top of the discussions list.

You might also want to add this question to the chemotherapy thread within the group as you may pick up a reply there. If you'd like to do this just click on the link I've created.

I do hope you can get this sorted soon.

x

Hi

Please can I firstly check that the dermatologist actually saw you face-to-face..hopefully yes so they got a look at what was really going on (I find that covid seems to have given some medical professionals the excuse to 'hide' behind phone calls...not always helpful!).

Whilst on chemo I had odd things happen to skin, usually have oily skin and it went quite 'normal', had a cracking white head outbreak (tea tree oil did the trick) after cycle 2, multiple instances of candida/thrush all over, spots on head (folliclitus) and eczema- the latter was on eyes & side of nose.  I was prescribed steroids for the eczema (which I hate using) and used very sparingly and like you once I stopped it came back but do believe that time was the better medicine. 

I hope, like me, once these horrible drugs are no longer being pumped in that things return to normal.  Sorry not what you were after exactly...

Sam

Thanks, latchbrook. It worked. Yorkshire defector replied but I may well try the chemotherapy thread. I decided to email the dermatologist rather than ring on a Monday morning. Hopefully I will get a response tomorrow. x

You are right to ask that question and no I didn’t see the dermatologist. However, I sent him a really close up selfie (definitely not the kind you’d put on social media!) and he did respond to the referral from the chemo team really quickly. He also spent quite a time talking to me on the phone, so I feel quite well disposed towards him.

It sounds like you had a bad time of things, skinwise, I was beginning to think it must be an unusual side effect with the lack of response to my post. Unlike you I have dry, sensitive skin but don’t generally have problems with dermatitis or eczema. I am nearly 12 weeks out of chemo and nearly 4 weeks past radiotherapy, so as you say I hope with time I will get all that poison out of my system and things will improve naturally.

I noted you suffered with Candida/thrush and have wondered if that might be behind my skin problem as chemo must play havoc with your bodies natural balance and defences. I emailed the dermatologist today rather than trying to get through by phone on a Monday morning and put that idea out there.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post and hope you are doing well. x