Radiation Skin Injury: Cellular Mechanisms and Herbal & Alternative Treatment Approaches for Recovery

Nearly 90% of patients get moderate-to-severe skin reactions as a result of radiation therapy, making radiation-induced skin damage (RSI) a common side effect. This can hinder the treatment of their illness and drastically lower the quality of life for patients. There isn't yet a gold standard for treating RSIs, despite how common they are. In addition to discussing the pathophysiology of RSI, this article gives a summary of topical drugs that are used to treat it. In modern clinical medicine, it acts as a point of reference for clinicians to direct how they manage RSI. A serious side effect of several medical procedures, including radiation therapy for cancer, is RSI. Uncertainty surrounds the exact mechanisms underlying radiation-induced skin damage. Recent developments in cellular and molecular biology have uncovered a sophisticated web of pathways that contribute to the skin's radiation response. In this study, we go over the several processes and mechanisms that lead to radiation-induced skin damage, such as DNA damage, reactive oxygen species formation, inflammatory cytokine activation, and direct skin cell damage. We also go over how crucial it is to comprehend these pathways in order to create treatment plans that lessen radiation-induced skin damage. We also look at herbal remedies as possible complementary or alternative treatments for RSI, emphasising how they might aid in skin restoration and promote healing. In order to manage RSI more effectively, this review aims to support doctors in combining conventional and herbal therapeutic alternatives in a complete strategy.