A Patient’s Guide to Understanding
Cutaneous Lymphoma
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With that in mind, it’s important to recognize the signs of skin infection
and know when to contact your physician. Signs of skin infection may
include the following:
•
A red area on the skin that is painful, swollen, and may be scabbed
over or weeping fluid.
•
Tender redness surrounding a skin lesion.
•
A skin lesion that does not itch but hurts.
•
Lesions that develop a thin, yellowish crust.
While waiting to see your physician, increase the frequency of your
bathing or showering from once daily to perhaps twice daily and apply
double antibiotic ointment to skin lesions that have become crusted and
tender.
You’ll want to urgently contact your physician if any of the following occur
(which could indicate the beginning of cellulitis or blood infection):
•
You develop fever and chills associated with abrupt onset of fatigue
and weakness.
•
All of your skin lesions suddenly become tender and red, especially
with streaks of redness, extending from the lesions toward your
trunk (armpits or groin).
Bathing and Showering
When bathing or showering, be sure to use lukewarm water – not
hot – as hot water tends to melt the natural oils from our skin that keep
it hydrated and can leave our skin drier than before. Hot water also
causes a surge of blood flow to the skin, which can increase itching
once patients emerge from the shower or bath. Excessively hot water
may temporarily relieve itch, but it is not recommended because it may
aggravate skin and worsen itch long-term.
Keep baths and showers brief, no longer than 15 minutes. Also, the
best time to apply emollients is after bathing, when skin is still moist.
Applying moisturizer (or topical medication in an emollient) on damp
skin helps seal hydration into the skin’s outer layers.
Soaps
With regard to soaps, less is better. When patients feel the need
