Mepitel and Mepilex, What is the difference?

Hi, about to start radium early October. Sounds like I need to look into this Mepitel rather than just moisturiser.  I am to have 4 wks of radium once my chemo finishes this month.

Hi @Abbydog,

Yes, they will only take it completely off if it comes off too much on its own. If it stays on on its own, they advise you to keep it on as long as possible. Having said that, it is very nice to have it off on the weekend and allow the skin to breathe a little, plus to moisturise it, and because it does roll back quite a bit it’s a good excuse to do that. Mine came off around the underarms too, and on the chest. No matter how hard I tried it would peel off in those areas. Plus under my breasts. So those areas got burnt, whereas the actual breasts were in great condition. Massive difference. I was sooooo happy I used it. I couldn’t imagine that pain everywhere. Luckily salt water soak and aloe Vera plus QV fixed the burns quickly. Just try to avoid water and sweating as much as you can, and if it peels off in certain areas they’ll just patch it up. Good luck and ask more questions if you need to Xxx

I did know but I'm dragging the memories out these days but a quick search shows that it appears to limit moist desquamation.  What is that you may ask? Definition: Moist desquamation is a description of the clinical pattern seen as a consequence of radiation exposure where the skin thins and then begins to weep because of loss of integrity of the epithelial barrier and decreased oncotic pressure.

I can say that it was very effective for me and I did appreciate being able to take it off on the weekend - in fact, the nurses at RAH strongly advised me to take it off but to really care for the skin during that time.

If @JoeyLiz is reading this, she may be able to give you a more accurate answer.

Dear Sister,
I'm going to LMH. The nurses there  advise that the Mepitel only works by way of stopping skin friction with anything the skin touches. That it doesn't do anything specific during R/T. They don't advise taking it off unless it peels off. It could stay on for my full 5 weeks, if it stays put. I had thought having it off for the weekend would be nice. I haven't found any accurate information on how Mepitel protects the skin.

Are you at the nRAH @abbydog?  That's where I was and they would patch it during the week, I'd take it off Friday arvo and then it would be replaced before treatment on Monday.  Moisturiser only used after taking it off and over the weekend.  Just wondering, is the area completely clean (no moisturiser) before you get it put on?  And are you keeping the area well out of the water and steam in the shower?  I also wore quite soft bras only when I was out and about during treatment - the rest of the time was loose clothing and no bra.

I have just started, and luckily the hospital is supplying it and applying it too. The front pieces covering my flat chest are sticking well. But the pieces under my arm and toward my back keep rolling up. My understanding is, it doesn't get taken off until too much peels up/off. 

Do it. It will save your skin. I had absolutely no burns thanks to the mepitel. It’s fiddly and difficult but keep applying it. Without it, burns are bad and excruciating 

I always say I had Mepitel because it's the common one everyone knows but it may have been Mepilex - same, same as far as I know although there may be differences in different grades of dressings.  My suggestion is, go for it!  I had very little skin breakdown (what I had appeared about 3 weeks after treatment ended) and I know it has worked for others.