Dermatitis affects 95 percent of patients undergoing radiation therapy. According to a review published in Drugs in Context, the symptoms of radiation-induced dermatitis include pain, ulceration, swelling, itching, burning and physical and psychological discomfort. In some cases, opportunistic infections may also arise. While initial treatments involve moisturizers, dressings and antihistamines, more severe cases are treated with topical corticosteroids and antibiotics. 

Seventy breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment participated in a 2024 randomized, double-blind study published in Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications to test the effectiveness of Alantel, a topical body cream that contains concentrated levels of aloe vera, chamomile and thyme. Half the group applied Alantel during the four-week trial, and the control group applied a standard moisturizing emollient cream that contained beeswax. The Alantel group had significantly lower incidence of lesions and a significantly lower duration of dermatitis than the control group.