Radiation-induced skin damage has been and still is the major therapeutic problem in radiation medicine. It is the well-known complication of past as well as present radiation therapy for neoplastic and related diseases even though linear accelerators and other modern teletherapy devices have reduced the unintentional incidence of skin damage remarkably. It is not well known, however, that such damage is also the most frequent presenting lesion in industrial radiation accidents even though redesigned radiography equipment as well as intensive training and radiation safety programs, are in place. In addition, state and national radiation safety officers are carrying out strict site inspections routinely. Someone once said it well when he remarked that engineers can design fool-proof radiation generating equipment, but they can't design damn fool-proof interlocks (personal communication, W. W. Burr 1986). This truism is strengthened by the not uncommon practice of constructing "cheater cords" to permit mechanical adjustments to be done while the device is operating. Numerous anecdotes abound relating how horrible destruction of parts of hands and feet has occurred year after year since radioactivity and x-rays were discovered.