United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

That the bp arm can get sunburned more easier then the non bp arm.

and also is it okay to get shots taken in the affected arm...because the one post says about a medical bracelet being on when in the hospital/? Thanks for all that reply!!!

Frankie is now 16 and from my experience over the yrs yes his bpi arm does burn faster and worse even with sun screen so I used to buy him the wet suit shirts plus anywhere there are surgery scars must be protected Dr Nath says sunburn there has an increase of skin cancer.
We also never let shots or blood drawn in the bpi arm Frankies bpi is the worst and he has poor circulation so the shot would just coagulate in that arm.
Mare

Yes, it's true. BPI can affect the sympathetic nervous system, so things like inflammation, circulation, edema, etc can all be different in the affected arm. So reaction to the sun can be very different from one side to the other, either a much bigger reaction than the other arm, one that shows up more slowly, etc.

We don't allow shots into Joshua's left arm. His deltoid was really impacted by his injury with reduced mass, and that is the muscle they would put the shots in. Besides the lower circulation and possible higher pain because of that, I just don't want to do anything to threaten that arm which is already weakened by this injury.

Kate

Yes,Take extra care lifelong.
Carolyn J
LOBPI adult

Yes, too true, my son's arm (AFFECTED) sunburns about 3 times as fast, in other words, if he would burn in 30 minutes his arm right arms gets sunburnt in 10 minutes !!!!!!

Maia got 2nd degree burns, mostly on her bpi side, last year from an hour on the beach on a completely foggy day.

Her whole left (bpi) arm was burned, as was her face. The righ arm (non bpi) had much less burn. Now we have to use COTZ (major) sunscreen and she wears SPF clothing and hats, etc.

Be very careful. It was a very scary time especially when the burn started to get infected.

Maia has very sensitive skin (allegies & eczema) and does better with titanium and zinc sunscreen.

I just found out that my BPI arm gets sunburned MUCH faster than my good arm. I live in NH and after a very rainy June the sun finally arrived just in time for July 4th...which we spent at my brother's pool. My BPI arm got so burned it blistered and then scabbed. OUCH!

MB

My right (bp) arm doesn't burn faster or worse than my other arm that I've noticed, but that's probably because I am able to put tons of sunscreen on it and I reapply often. With my left arm, however, I have to find someone else to put sunscreen on it so I apply left often. That's just me, though. Because of my fair skin, I'm used to having to use lots of sunscreen so it's something I'm just sensitive/aware about.

I never get shots or blood drawn in my bp arm. The circulation is far too poor.

Hi
I have already had a skin cancer in my robpi arm. I was shocked for several reasons.
a) I am a redhead so was never allowed to play in the sun.. and when on a beach I had long sleeves on at all times.

b) it was on the inside near my elbow and because I have a pronated hand/arm that side of my arm has never seen the sun. My skin is as white as this page except for the scar I have where they removed the Squamous cell cancer.

I have always worn sun screen and it's been water-babies. I have had two more bouts of skin cancer since the first one last year and one was on my right leg... also thinner and poor circulation due to bpi...

I can't feel my arm if it gets burned on the top of my forearm because I can't feel any heat there.

I am 69 and was NEVER allowed to have a shot or bpi taken on that side per the orders of my family doctor. I guess he was a man way ahead of the times.

When I had the lesion removed I was in pain for months and it's still sore to the touch. Yet on my leg i had Mohs surgery and it was not painful. It is best to protect the bpi arm from insult of any kind.

I have my arm banded for no bp or iv stick when in the hospital but they don't always get that it is partially paralyzed. I have to explain the length difference and the fact that I look almost normal but cannot use it to drink, eat or even take off my eyeglasses... They just don't get it!

I had a stent put into my right CA and they could not get a pulse in my right leg at first without a doppler and then told me it was weaker and in the wrong place...LOL.

There are many little things that people and doctors do not realize when treating obpi/children and adults.

I almost forgot... I have Horner's syndrome and the right side of my face burns easy and I don't really feel it until it's too late. I was sunblock 55 under my makeup that has sunblock in it... I wear sunblock winter and summer.

Kath robpi/adult

I have never noticed a difference in how quickly my OBPI arm sunburns compared to my unaffected arm.

As far as shots, my mother NEVER let doctors give me shots in my OBPI arm when I was a kid because she was afraid it would damage it more. She also wouldn't let them give me shots in my other arm. She was afraid it would be damaged and then I'd have no "good" arm. You have to remember that these were the "dark ages" of the 60s and 70s and my mom barely even understood what had happened to me! But, knowing what I know now about the circulation issues, etc, I'm glad she tried to protect that arm when she could.

However, every single dang shot I got (until I was about 15 and said "NO MORE!") was in what our GP's nurse always called the "hip." She was trying to fool me but I KNEW she meant my BUTT! I HATED shots even more than other kids!

Lisa, 41
LOBPI