- Cells sensitive to radiation include anagen hair follicles, germinal basal cells, melanocytes and endothelial cells
- Early changes:
- Erythema, epidermal blisters and oedema, erosions and ulceration
- Healed by scarring, hyperpigmentation with lower doses and hypopigmentation with higher doses
- Temporary or permanent alopecia
- Chronic changes:
- Scarring, altered pigmentation, alopecia
- Epidermal and adnexal atrophy
- Degeneration of vascular and elastic tissue
- Fibrosis of dermal and subcutaneous tissue
- Ulceration
- In severe damage, squamous cell carcinoma may develop