User Reviews for Zyclara topical

I am a 63 year old fair-skinned male, pretty much as bald as you can get. I just finished my first 2 week course of Zyclara 3.75%, for actinic keratoses. After the initial 5-7 days of treatment with no noticeable effects several red sores popped up seemingly overnight...they are now very swollen bumps on my dome (not painful however), with several in close proximity it's like a small archipelago of inflamed AK's! Now after 2 weeks they have started to dry up and crust off but still very pronounced red bumps. I'll wait the 2 weeks and do the second course of treatment. I have previously (several years ago) done a few sessions of photodynamic therapy (blue light) without much success, then I did a course of Efudex that was highly effective across my dome, brow, and temples. After 2-3 years a few AK's reappeared so my dermatologist put me on this Zyclara treatment instead. Hopefully these bumps will start to recede one of these days. It's worth noting that while I spend a lot of time doing outdoor activities (cycling, kayak etc), I've been smearing #50 sunblock on all exposed skin including my dome even when wearing a hat (which is pretty much always) for at least the past 20 years, so beware...sunblock won't necessarily stop these AK's from developing and/or recurring. Your mileage may vary ;) Contrary to what many people have stated here, my treatment has not really been painful at all. I look like hell, wear a baseball cap even at dinner parties, but it is what it is!Read More Read Less

Great to stop the bad cells before they are even visible. Very successful!! Doc prescribed 2wks on, 2wks off, 2wks on. On treatment weeks I used 1x/day at bedtime (8hrs). No impact on healthy skin, really bad mouth sore (which I am prone to), and eruptions all healed within the 2-wks off. 2nd round I had very few and minor eruptions that healed within that week, so my entire protocal was complete in 6weeks. I now only treat one side of my face/neck each year, and start Valtrex for mouth sores in advance of the Zyclara. Limiting the size of the treatment area, has helped me sustain results, but with much greater physical and psychological ease. Read More Read Less

After a long career as a Petroleum Engineer working in the outdoors in the middle east ,South and Latin America I am now facing a battle with facial skin cancer. I have tried many solutions EFUDEX ,PDT therapy and some MOHS surgery.Just recently I discovered ZYCLARA ,,,,and it is the best that i have discovered so far. Yes,,,you need to set aside about 6-8 weeks of your life while undergoing this treatment but so far so good. At times you will look like a monster but when all is said and done is is a good solution.Read More Read Less

It left me with that side of my face having the pigment removed and permanently scarred. I still have spots that come up and it was very painful to use and it looked like my face had been burnt.

I experienced hearing loss and increased tinnitus during the course of treatment.

I just finished two weeks on and am on my first week off. I will restart in another week for two additional weeks. The first two weeks were rough. After ten days my face was subject to open sores, bleeding, painful, very difficult to shave. In the mornings I felt nausated. Late in the afternoon My body felt like it had the flu. My body ached from head to feet, especially the back. I felt fatigued and lost my appetite. Finishing my third week. I was hoping to feeling better, but not so. My body stills aches and I feel fatigued. But the face is looking better. But why the fatigue and aching feelings between the two weeks off and then restart?Read More Read Less

I am on day 8. First time user. Dr advised two weeks on then two off then two on. I am hoping for good results. But right now my face doesn't look to great and feel to good. Lots of red patches. They are ready to scab. Face is itchy, hot ,tender and very sore. Side affects: tired, achy muscles and very sore back and minor sick feeling. I am 72 and in good physical condition . I did not expect this side affects. Some but not all I am receiving.

I am only on day 6 of my treatment. I do have several red bumps that are starting to scab and also my face is very red and sensitive in a lot of areas. I researched this drug and decided with all of the complaints of lip sores that I would apply VERY HEAVILY vaseline ointment on and around my lips and on my nostrils prior to my treatment every night. I have noticed my lips being very dry, but am applying chapstick every few minutes during the day. Also, in the mornings after I wash the medication off, I apply a pretty thick application of Aquaphor to my entire face. It really soothes your skin. I leave it on for a couple hours and then apply my make up. I still have burning and itching, but it's really helped. I am hoping the last week of my first treatment will continue to be uneventful.Read More Read Less

This is my third year of doing the application. It works great for me. Some observations: try to take when you have a couple of weeks at home. Week one is fine to work, but by week 2 the face will look jacked up. Week 3 it starts to sluff off and if "angry spots" they will be very pronounced, and scabbed over. Week 4 your face should clear. Do not put around your mouth. It can lead to you drinking through a straw, and making showering very painful. I put on right before bed, and then shower it off in the morning. I also moisturize even more than normal during the day as it will start to itch around day 5. All in all I think its a great product and love the look and feel after. Each year I have gotten less and less breakouts.Read More Read Less

It's not easy going through the nastiness of using this medication for excessive actinic keratosis, but it gets rid of it. At least it gets rid of surface AK. If you've been exposed to the sun like I have, the AK places are more than one layer of skin deep. This has become a yearly routine for me!

I was afraid to try this medication after reading posts and seeing pictures. However, I had a block of three weeks where I wasn't working or had any events planned so I thought I'd start treatment. I was to apply in a line from cheek to cheek over the nose. After about 4 days five red spots emerged. Only two were "angry" and opened up; one over my eyebrow on the left side and the other on my right cheek. My cheek looked like I had a paw print on it for about five days. After two weeks spots are almost gone and the two bad sores are scabbed over and almost healed. Will start second treatment after Thanksgiving. No bad side effects. Glad I tried it. Read More Read Less

47 yr. old male with light skin (Irish) here. Was reluctant to try and put it off for years. Finally, this summer my doctor talked me into it. It was rough, no doubt. I knew what to expect and was ready. The first few days of session one, nothing - then it began. Cold-like symptoms lasted about a week (sore throat, cough) and face was pretty beat up just as advertised the rest of session one and into the beginning of the two-week off window. I wore a hat when outside or in public - that helped. Took about 5 days after session one to go back to normal, but wow! There was a lot of Actinic Keratosis spots I had no idea I had. Praise God I did it. Second session took about a week for anything to show, but eventually they did - not as bad, but still more AC spots and more than I expected for the second session. All-in-all, very happy I did it after avoiding the treatment for years. I'd do it again, but not for a few years - hahaha! It's only a few weeks, but you get years of hidden sun damage and pre-Cancer areas treated - I highly recommend it.Read More Read Less

By week 2, severe canker sores in mouth and upper lip blown up. Two weeks off did nothing to ease the red spot on top of my lips. Upper lip area appears to be eroding all skin layers. Rest of skin in complete eruption on forehead, nose and eyebrows. These become open wounds, weep, and eventually scab over. Recommend meds for canker sores. Certainly, my dr did not prepare me for the acute pain while applying during 2nd application. First round included severe weeping, crusting, scabbing. Unable to go to work.Read More Read Less

I used Zyclara a few months ago only targeting red and dry areas of my scalp. The results were good with few side effects. I have now been instructed by my dermatologist, at Mt. Sinai, NYC, to cover my entire scalp,forehead and sides of my face. I am on day 6 and many areas are reacting to the medication. I have muscle aches in my arms and lower back. Pretty high fever, which I started treating with Acetaminophen with good results. There is no way I will last 2 weeks. I'm trying for 8 days!

Just finished my 6th week (2 wks on, 2 wks off, 2 weeks on). Don't know yet if effective. I Experienced side effects of fever blisters, skin break down, fatigue, lightheadedness and nausea. The second round produced greater side effects than the 1st 2 weeks on.

By day 13 of first two weeks use, I have 3 large fever blisters on my lower lip, small blister on corners of my mouth, getting blisters on my tongue and maybe in the roof of my mouth. Zyclara pump used on one small area on skin below my nose and above my lip.

41 female . 2 bsc surgeries on my face. Derm suggested this 2 weeks on 2 off 2 on. One last week on to go. I expected to look worse. Few spots flailed up the first round, nothing makeup couldn't hide. Did have headaches and feel achy and chills. But anything to avoid surgery again is worth it. Could still run 4+ miles a day feeling crapy .. Almost finished with it all! Side affects went away quickly during the two weeks off.

When I have used this type of medication in the past, as the actinic keratosed are gets reddened and angry looking during the course of treatment, but begins to resolve before treatment period is over. I have finished the regime of 2 wks on, 2 weeks off and 2 weeks on to complete and I still have a huge "Christmas light" on my face...not sure if I have a bigger problem or not? I am putting Boudreaux's Butt Paste on it to soothe and help heal. Not sure this is as good as other products?

This is day 13. I am using Zyclara all over my face. I look like I have been battered and burned. My mouth is completely blown up with fever blisters, and my lower jaw aches. The mouth pain is debilitating. I don't know if I can do one more day of treatment. I have used Carac in the past with good results, and no fever blisters. Zyclara is very easy to use, and it is obviously very very effective!