10 Side Effects of Radiation

By james

Reviewed: Dr. Mera

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Radiation is often considered to be something of which to keep well clear. When we think of radiation we tend to think of nuclear weapons, nuclear waste and creatures being born with gross deficiencies. While it should be treated with caution, though, radiation can also be very useful to us. Among other things, it can be used to help treat cancer.

Bombarding cancer cells with radiation will cause damage to the cancer cells’ DNA. This can cause them to break down, after which they are then be carried away from the body.

The treatment can be used to slow the spread of cancer and even reverse it in some cases. As is to be expected, though, the treatment does have some side-effects.

Radiation Side Effect #1: Hair Loss

Your hair can often tell people a lot about your overall health. A poor diet or illnesses can have an effect on your hair, while various treatments can also make an impact. If someone undergoes radiation therapy, they are likely to find that they begin to lose hair.

Hair loss generally begins around 2-3 weeks after treatment is started. The amount of hair that is lost will vary from person to person. It will usually grow back, although the loss can be permanent with heavy treatment. Hair loss will only be experienced in the area of the part of the body that receives treatment.