User Reviews for Efudex topical

I read a lot of horror stories online which was a mistake. I found this treatment to be nothing as harsh as others have related here. I did the upper lip for 10 days forehead and nose for 14. I have less wrinkles and less precancerous cells on my face. It was easy to use...just dont go online and read the horror stories

My dermatologist has a different approach for his patients. Once a week for a month then twice a week for 5 months. Few side effects. I'll finish next week. Dr said none of his patients would use it the other way.

I could not go thru this again, it's so painful and the itching never lets up, the itching is the worst, my head feels like it's on fire, can't sleep, the only temporary relief is to put a piece of towelling soaked in cold water and squeeze out the excess water, gives relief for 30 to 60 minutes, then the towelling feels so hot almost like it would catch fire, do not do this until you have removed the excess Efudix this is after the full cycle, as the cold water has a very painful reaction, warm to fairly hot water is okay, I did the full 28 day treatment.I consider myself to be able handle pain fairly well, having had 2 bad accidents, but these were nothing compared to this, good luck what ever your decision. I notice here in Australia the product is called slightly different Efudix as opposed to Efudex but it looks like the symptoms are at least similar.nhRead More Read Less

Face full of AK's and Bowens disease. Told to use efudex on full face. First week not too bad but then kicked in. Face was truely a mess of lesions and ulcers. Pain was incrediable. Worst I have experienced and was constant. Shaving new degree of pain. Pain so severe sent me into deprssion for 3 months. Healing slow but the results were excellent. My skin was smooth and clear. Word of warning. Do not get this stuff on your genitals. I accidently did and the result was agonising pain for two weeks. If I had to do it again I would do it in sections, not all at once.Read More Read Less

Very important , before applying the cream to wash in warm salty water, it speeds the process up, scabs form and drop off faster- allow to dry before applying Efudix, don't towel dry allow to air dry,

I use Efudex (fluorouracil) regularly to treat precancerous melanoma lesions and sun damaged skin. It is normal for this product to turn skin at treatment site very red or ruddy brown to red within the first two days of treatment; after that the red skin color dissipates, the skin returns to its natural color and pain, if any, ebbs away. I have used this on some pretty serious skin lesions, moles and bleeding melanoma freckles with great success; the abnormalities and lesions healed and disappeared within just a few days. My wife uses it on Age Spots, also with great success; the skin pigmentation dissipates and returns to normal (matching the surrounding skin) and and the age spot ceases to be visible to the naked eye. I get the best use from this product when I apply it to my forehead and rub it into my scalp through my hair at the temples. First time users should expect ruddy red skin coloration at treatment site and some pain (not much); skin color will return to normal in a few days and lesions will start to heal. Good Luck with this! John George Granville County Read More Read Less

My skin specialist prescribed it for use TWICE A WEEK - with instructions to stop if the skin blisters in any way and then continue again once the skin heals. Repeat. I find this approach entirely bearable.

I used Efudex 2% cream in 2000 at age 35 to treat huge brown blotches on my face from sun damage. It works by slowly burning off the discoloration over a 3-4 week time period, then it takes an additional 2-3 weeks for the burn to heal. It's been seventeen years and the horrible blotches never came back. Efudex is a wonderful treatment and I highly recommend it. I was so impressed with the results of the medication that I kept the box as a reference in case I ever needed it in the future. Today, an out of state friend was describing the same blotchiness on her face, so I pulled out the box and gave her the name of the cream. I wasn't even sure if it was still being manufactured. Now that I know it is, I plan on getting another prescription for the brown age spots on my hands and arms. I don't recall experiencing any itchiness or other side affects some of the other people claim. I do remember the medicine working miraculously, though. I also remember that the blotches were so bad that cosmetics couldn't even cover it up.Read More Read Less

Applied twice daily for 2 week just as directed. Took a few days to start seeing a color change in my face, and then for about 10 days it was tough-stinging, itching, and sudden irritable feelings on my face. A thick coat of Vaseline was about the only relief. Peeled for about another 7-10 days. Have redness for about another 10 days. It is about a 4-6 week process, but it ends with good results.

Legs and arm treatment did not hurt just itch.Full chest area very painful,itchy,and burning sensation.This is second time in a year to use.Hoping the red spots will heal better.

I'm near the end of a 30 day treatment period. I've been treating my forehead, cheeks, nose and ears; the treatment is precautionary for precancer cells after having a squamous cancer removed from my ear lobe. I've applied a thin coating twice a day after washing my face and waiting at least 10 minutes. The first week to 10 days was barely noticeable. Since then, all of the areas treated have shown increased signs of inflammation, particularly on my forehead. There is some scabbing, and also some minor weeping. The level of pain or irritation has been about 1.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. So, it looks like it would be painful, but other than some very minor (and very occasional) itching, it has not been uncomfortable. My guess is that I did not have much sun damage; I did have several bad sunburns as a kid and young adult and only minor sunburns since then.Read More Read Less

I started on this to treat dry flaky skin on my nose and some patchy areas on my forehead and at the corner of my lip. I had many reservations about starting this medication (I'm a former cancer nurse) and I wish I'd listened to my gut. The pain and burning was more than I could tolerate. I developed every side effect documented, poor sleep, emotional instability, constant bleeding from both nostrils, and a huge cold sore on my lip that is weeping and bleeding constantly. I have roseacia and my skin is worse now than prior to starting the Effudex.Read More Read Less

Two weeks of application on face and chest; first few days only red cheeks; by middle of second week face was entirely red as was chest and some spots on neck; then the crusty lesions developed on cheeks; very uncomfortable but tolerable with the right attitude. Throw vanity to the wind; it looks hideous; lesions weep into pillow and face sticks to pillow as lesions pull away during the night. Most of this starts to happen during late in second week and for the next two weeks until all lesions are gone. Side effects for me: swelling of eyelids and lips during the night but subsided within an hour or so after I was up; extreme tightness of skin on face (use moisturizer as directed); two weeks after application lesions had all pulled/flaked away, and skin was red; very irritating sensation of stinging pinpricks on chest and then itching on chest (Benadryl cream helped this for me); developed excruciating itching in cleavage below treated chest area. Try to keep a sense of humor, knowing that it is all temporary. Read More Read Less

Fourth or fifth treatment over the years.Effective earlier but I think I have become sensitized?? A little pain after the very first application. By third application was very red, crusting, weeping and painful. Symptoms eased within a day of no application. A year ago I applied to normal skin never exposed to sunlight and within three days developed red, raised, itching rash. Doesn't sound to me like normal reaction. Haven't found mention of sensitization in literature.

what can I use to take away the itch - the continual itch from Efudex?

I have used bothe efudex and carat in the past ....this time, i started efudex on my nose on 1.14 evening, using 2x/day.....within 24 hrs, my face blistered and oozed, my nose throbbed, itchy and painful....had to stop on 1.18, used aquaphor and today 1.23 my face is completely healed....i hope it was able to do its job in just 4 days, but i could not stand the discomfort another minute

I've done an Efudex treatment 3 times on my face and once on my neck and arms. It's painful but really great results and worth the pain. Skin clears of the pre-cancerous lesions and looks better. Once I was able to use Carac which I only had to apply once/day.

I have used several times in the past. Usually 2 weeks 2x day is sufficient. When it starts to bleed stop! Scabs don't occur until you quit using the creme. DO NOT get it on your eyelids or anywhere around eyes as this is extremely sensitive skin. You will look like someone has hit you. Good product and good luck.

I am three weeks into treatment on my forehead and have now commenced using paw paw cream. I hope the final result is pleasing because the itchiness, burning and discomfort is almost unbearable. I am not sure if I had known about this beforehand, that I would have done the treatment and I would not be keen to do it again. I was not pre-warned about the degree of discomfort with this treatment.

This is my second go around with Efudex. This time it is much more painful and the itching is driving me nuts. I use a CPAP for sleep apnea and my nose area is so raw I can hardly sleep. I am using the Efudex on my chest and face,and my chest is so painful it wakes me up if I try to roll over in my sleep. I am on day twelve of 14 days twice a day and I'm done. I can't finish,I itch/hurt so bad.