Journal Articles

Using honey to treat skin damaged by radiotherapy

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Using honey to treat skin damaged by radiotherapy

Val Robson
1 March 2009

About 95% of people who have radiotherapy have an adverse reaction in the surrounding tissues. Nonhealing ulcers may develop at any time following radiotherapy — even decades after. There is little evidence to support the use of any interventions or products for the care and treatment of radiotherapy skin reactions. However, it has been shown that honey may be useful as a topical antimicrobial for radiotherapydamaged skin. It may also be able to interrupt the early damaging effects of radiation on cutaneous tissue. This article looks at the nature of radiotherapy damage and the evidence behind treatment methods.

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