[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) › [Medical–surgical nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/areas/med-surg/) › Radiation therapy: skin care, fatigue, and safety with implants and radioactive sources # Radiation therapy: skin care, fatigue, and safety with implants and radioactive sources - Safe practice The nurse protects the treated skin, eases the side effects of the treated area and follows radiation-safety rules when the source is inside the patient. Updated Nov 13, 2026 ## Key points - Wash the treated skin gently with mild soap and lukewarm water and pat it dry; do not scrub, scratch or rub. - Do not apply lotions, powders, perfumes, makeup, tape, heating pads or cold packs to the treated area unless the radiation team approves. - Wear loose soft cotton clothing, avoid wool and tight fabrics, and keep the area out of direct sun. - Report breaks, blisters or open areas in the treated skin. - Internal sources: follow the institution's radiation-safety rules; time, distance and shielding are the three ways to reduce exposure. ## What it is In external radiation the beam comes from a machine outside the body and is aimed at marks on the skin; in internal radiation (brachytherapy) radioactive seeds or sources are placed in or near the tumour, and some treatments are radioactive liquids given by mouth or vein. Side effects depend on the area treated and build up over the course: skin changes usually start about two weeks in, hair is lost only in the treated area, and tiredness is common. The nurse teaches gentle skin care, watches for skin breakdown and area-specific effects, and, when a source is inside the patient, follows the radiation-safety instructions for staff and visitors. ## What it requires - Which type of radiation the person receives, which area is treated and which side effects to expect. - A daily look at the treated skin and the area-specific effects. - Skin care teaching before skin changes start. - For internal sources: the radiation-safety instructions from the radiation team, posted and known by everyone on the unit. - Support for fatigue, nutrition and emotional coping over the whole course. ## How it is applied (and why) - Find out the type of radiation and the area treated — side effects depend on the area, such as the mouth, chest, abdomen or pelvis. - Teach gentle washing with mild soap and lukewarm water, patting dry and no scrubbing — irritated skin breaks down easily. - Ask the radiation team before any cream or powder is used on the area — products can irritate the skin or interfere with treatment. - Advise loose soft clothing, no tape or tight straps on the area, and sun protection — friction, adhesive and sun all harm treated skin. - Inspect the treated skin each day and report redness that worsens, peeling, blisters or open areas — early care limits damage. - Ask about tiredness and use the fatigue measures on the side-effects page — tiredness is a common effect of cancer treatment. - For an internal source, follow the posted rules on time near the patient, distance and shielding — less time and more distance mean less exposure. - Tell visitors the unit's rules, especially for pregnant women and children, as the radiation team indicates — some implants need limits on close contact. ## In nursing practice - External beam radiation does not leave the source in the body; the precautions for staff and visitors apply to internal sources. - With permanent seeds, the team may advise limiting time close to children and pregnant women; the radiation fades over weeks to months. - High-dose-rate brachytherapy sources are removed after each session, so no ongoing precautions are usually needed afterwards. - Patients who receive high-activity radioactive liquids are usually isolated in hospital until they no longer pose a risk to others. - The treated skin stays more sensitive to the sun after the course ends, so sun protection continues. ## Common mistakes - Scrubbing the treated skin or rubbing it dry. - Putting a heating pad, cold pack or tape on the treated area. - Applying any cream without asking the radiation team. - Treating all radiation patients as radioactive, or none of them: the rules depend on the type of treatment. - Staying near a patient with an internal source longer than the task needs. ## Test yourself Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it. ## How should the skin in the radiation field be washed? Gently, with mild soap and lukewarm water, then patted dry, without scrubbing or rubbing. ## When do skin changes from external radiation usually begin? About two weeks after the treatment starts, and they can increase over the course. ## What are the three principles that reduce exposure near a patient with an internal radiation source? Time (less time near the source), distance (more distance) and shielding, applied as the radiation-safety rules of the institution say. [Add to my cards (3)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/nursing/radiation-therapy-skin-care-fatigue-and-safety-with-implants-and-radioactive-sou/) ## Elsewhere in DurgiPedia - [Ionizing radiation injury](https://durgical.com/en/general-pathology/ionizing-radiation-injury/) ## Connections ## Related 1 - [Side effects of cancer treatment: nausea, mucositis, hair loss, fatigue and appetite](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/side-effects-of-cancer-treatment-nausea-mucositis-hair-loss-fatigue-and-appetite/) [← All of nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order. Sources: [Radiation therapy - skin care: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000735.htm) (MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, 2026); [Radiation therapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001918.htm) (MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, 2026); [Prostate brachytherapy: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007385.htm) (MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, 2026); [Radiation protection for comforters and carers in radiology and nuclear medicine (Badawy MK, Anderson A; Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10258637/) (PubMed Central (open access), 2023). ## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake Representative model, for educational purposes only. --- Source: https://durgical.com/en/nursing/radiation-therapy-skin-care-fatigue-and-safety-with-implants-and-radioactive-sou/ License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/nursing/radiation-therapy-skin-care-fatigue-and-safety-with-implants-and-radioactive-sou/