Hi
I had bilateral mastectomy November 21st this year and my skin on my chest is so sore. it feels like really bad sun burn and hurts when my clothes touch it and hurts when i’m cold. Its strange as im still numb!!
Can anyone help. is there anything that will help. i am still taking pain killers but its not making any differance to my skin 
Hello Kls,
What you are describing sounds familiar to what I experienced on my arm when I had a single sided mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. It was a weird mix of feeling like my skin was burned and it being totally numb and to add to the fun electric shocks and a twtichy reconstruction! The burn sensation (and the electric shocks) are caused by the nerves trying to sort themselves out after the surgery, which has totally jangled them. Hopefully that will soon settle down. As for the numbness, I am now approaching two years since my surgery and still have no skin sensation on my reconstruction, under my arm or across my back scar; I think this is not uncommon, thoguh some people do get some sensation back longer term. I was advised to moisturise my scars and massage my skin every day as this aids healing and reduces pain. Keep taking the painkillers as long as you need them - but make sure you eat plenty of prunes (or equivalent) as you don’t want the unpleasant effects of being ‘clogged up’ to add to it all!
Take care, it will get easier.
Hi Kls I have the same sunburned sore feeling and I had surgery a day before you. Just wanted to let you know you are not alone and others feel the same sensation at the same stage post op. I find taking a shower always seems to calm it down and notice it gets worse as the day goes on.
Revcat has explained brilliantly (as always) the reasons why
Funki x
yes, I got it too, mainly under my arm, since my axillary node dissection, and now, since my mastectomy it is also around the chest scar.
Due to nerve damage, It is hypersensitivity, and does feel very like bad sunburn. I keep checking it, expecting to see it bright red!! I have some gel cooling packs, which you just soak in cool water, and they stay cool and moist for hours! That seems to help a little.
Just a reminder: as the sensation in that area is impaired to a greater or lesser extent, be extremely cautious applying either heat or cold therapy, and check the skin visually and feel it with your hand to check the temperature. (BACK of the hand is best)
There is a real danger of suffering second degree burns or worse if you don’t feel what is happening!
Hi ladies, I have also used sudocream on my scar - as it helps to dry the scar. I massage my under arm and the area around my scar. This helps with the tightness of the scar.
Is that sudocream with lavender? I have some, and wondered if it was safe to use it on my scar. I love the smell.
Hi poems, its the ordinary sudocrem.