• Most likely to affect those who are bedridden, underweight, malnourished, or dehydrated.
• Usually occur in bony areas, such as the head, elbows, heels, hips, shoulders, and tailbone.
• Sores are made worse when one rubs against his/her sheets.
• Signs and symptoms:
• Red areas on the skin that do not go away when pressure is removed 
• Cracked, blistered, scaly, or broken skin
• An open sore on the skin's surface or invading deeper, underlying tissue 
• Yellowish stains on clothing or sheets 
• Pain at pressure points

Ulcers – crater-like lesions on the skin.

• Usually caused by inflammation or infection of the area, or an underlying condition that may affect the skin's ability to heal.

Edema – swelling of the skin that is caused by water and salt retention.

• Can occur from certain medications; heart, liver, or kidney failure; malnutrition; and obstruction of veins or lymph nodes.
• Signs and symptoms:
• swelling of feet and lower legs when sitting in a chair or walking
• tightness in the hands when making a fist
• swollen or distended abdomen

Itching – the desire to rub or scratch the skin.

• Can be the result of dryness, allergies, and side effects of medications or treatments.

Rash – bumpy, red, itchy skin.

• Commonly caused by an allergy, irritation, radiation therapy, or certain infections.

Dryness – rough, flaky, red, sometimes painful skin due to a lack of water or oil in the skin layers.

• Can be caused by dehydration, cold weather, heat, and side effects of treatments (such as chemotherapy and radiation).

The BC Cancer Agency maintains a database on commonly used unconventional therapies available to cancer patients.