X-ray Skin Damage

Repairing Skin Damage Caused By X-rays

Hi,

I am wondering if I could please get some advice from you.

I had to get four x-rays of my neck and now I notice my skin is looking more wrinkled. I am wondering what I could do to help this.

I'm afraid it's done some sort of permanent damage in the collagen, etc.

Could you tell me what I could do that might help and if there's any chance on it improving?

Thanks very much.

Paulina

First, please understand that I cannot give you medical advice. Talk to your doctor. If s/he believes the wrinkles were caused by the x-rays, s/he may be able to prescribe something stronger than what you can purchase OTC to help your skin heal.

There are patent applications in process for at least two glutathione/selenium topical antioxidant creams formulated precisely to reduce and repair x-ray radiation-induced skin damage (U.S. Patents 5667791 and 6630442) but it will likely be years before these creams receives FDA approval.

Glutathione is one of the tripeptides as well as a powerful antioxidant. Selenium is a trace mineral which helps prevent oxidative damage.

You might consider antioxidant supplements as well, if you are not already taking them. Providing your body both internal and external antioxidant support should help speed the healing process. Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new regime.

Yes, there is definitely a chance of your skin improving!

Some OTC Creams That Should Help Speed Skin Healing

In my opinion, the two most suitable topical peptides to address your wrinkled skin are Copper Tripeptide and Syn-Ake.

Interestingly, these are both tripeptides as is Glutathione. Copper Tripeptide is used to treat burns of all types. It is very soothing on the surface and penetrates to stimulate collagen production to fill wrinkles from within.

Products containing Syn-Ake are more costly because this is one of the latest peptide discoveries.

The test results for photo-aging reversal with Syn-Ake are really impressive. Read about the various Cosmeceutical Peptides and where to find them.

X-Ray Risks vs. Benefits

To understand what might have happened to your skin, here is how x-rays work.

An x-ray shoots photons into the area to be studied. A small fraction pass right through the body, but most are slowed down by the different densities of the body's tissues. This allows the creation of an x-ray image.

As the photons pass through tissue, their energy can damage cells. Most such cell damage is soon repaired by the body's internal repair mechanisms.

The amount of cell damage from an x-ray is many times less than you get from the cosmic radiation you are exposed to when you fly in an airplane. As well, we are exposed to background radiation in our daily lives.

In fact a typical neck x-ray is roughly equivalent to two months worth of naturally occurring background radiation exposure. If your x-rays were typical, that equates to eight months of exposure.

Radiologists are extremely careful to use the lowest possible dosage of radiation to avoid radiation burns, heritable defects (in pregnant women) and a small increase in cancer risk (twenty or thirty years later).

Experts feel that these low risks are outweighed by the diagnostic benefits that x-rays afford.

In a different context, one of our readers wrote, "If it means my health over a wrinkle, I would rather have my health."

I hope your health issues have been resolved and that my suggestions bring significant improvement in your neck wrinkles.

This article is for information only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.