
What is Carac? Carac (for the skin) is used to treat scaly overgrowths of skin (actinic or solar keratosis). Carac is also used to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Full Answer
What are the long term side effects of Carac treatment?
Most patients using Carac get skin reactions where the medicine is used. These reactions include redness, dryness, burning, pain, erosion (loss of the upper layer of skin), and swelling. Irritation may continue for 2 or more weeks after treatment is over.
What is carac used to treat?
Carac is indicated for the topical treatment of multiple actinic or solar keratoses of the face and anterior scalp. Fluorouracil may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.
How long does it take for Carac to work?
Treatment with Carac Cream for 1, 2, or 4 weeks is compared to treatment with vehicle cream. Outcomes from 1, 2, and 4 weeks of treatment with vehicle cream are pooled because duration of treatment with vehicle had no substantive effect on clearance. Results from the two Phase 3 studies are shown separately.
Is carac safe for children?
Carac is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of Actinic (Solar) Keratoses and Superficial basal Cell Carcinoma. Carac may be used alone or with other medications. Carac belongs to a class of drugs called Dermatologics, Other; Antineoplastics, Topical. It is not known if Carac is safe and effective in children.

What are white crusty patches on skin?
Here are common causes of dry white patches on the skin: Eczema. Seborrheic dermatitis. Psoriasis.
What are the hard crusty spots on my skin?
These spots are called actinic keratoses, but they're commonly known as sunspots or age spots. Actinic keratoses usually develop in areas that've been damaged by years of sun exposure. They form when you have actinic keratosis (AK), which is a very common skin condition.
How do you know when fluorouracil is done working?
This usually takes at least 3 to 6 weeks, but may take as long as 10 to 12 weeks. During the first few weeks of treatment, the skin lesions and surrounding areas will feel irritated and look red, swollen, and scaly. This is a sign that fluorouracil is working.
Can you scratch off actinic keratosis?
On occasion, an actinic keratosis will disappear on its own, but it will return when the skin is exposed to the sun again. If you scratch a lesion off, it will grow back. If treated early enough, an actinic keratosis can be removed before it becomes cancerous.
What does skin look like after fluorouracil treatment?
After five to ten days of treatment, the sun-damaged parts of treated skin become red, scaly and tender. As treatment is continued, sores and crusts may appear. These raw areas result from the destruction of defective skin cells.
Can you pick off seborrheic keratosis?
Most seborrheic keratoses do not cause any symptoms and do not require treatment, however, many people are bothered by their cosmetic appearance and want them removed. The growths should not be scratched off. This does not remove the growths and can lead to bleeding and possible secondary infection.
What is the erosion stage of fluorouracil treatment?
The skin began to separate and would bleed when it dried after applying Efudex. This is called the erosion phase. In addition to the cracking, some areas of skin turned darker and peeled leaving open, oozing spots. At this stage, wearing any clothing across the area of treatment becomes almost impossible.
Is 2 weeks long enough for fluorouracil?
Adults—Apply to the affected area 2 times a day for 2 to 4 weeks.
Will fluorouracil remove seborrheic keratosis?
Fluorouracil effectively destroys clinical and subclinical actinic keratoses (AKs) by targeting rapidly proliferating cells while sparing normal skin. This effect was initially reported in patients treated with systemic fluorouracil for solid internal malignant neoplasms.
How do you remove actinic keratosis at home?
At-home treatment for actinic keratosis5-fluorouracil (5-FU) cream: You apply this once or twice a day for 2 to 4 weeks. ... Diclofenac sodium gel: This medication tends to cause less of a skin reaction than 5-FU, but it can still be very effective.More items...•
Is fluorouracil like a chemical peel?
Chemical peeling can also be done to remove actinic keratoses. Chemical peeling works as well as fluorouracil for treating actinic keratosis and can be done in a single-treatment.
What is the fastest way to get rid of actinic keratosis?
Actinic keratoses can be removed by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. Your doctor applies the substance to the affected skin, which causes blistering or peeling. As your skin heals, the damaged cells slough off, allowing new skin to appear. Cryotherapy is the most common treatment.
What is Carac used for?
Carac is indicated for the topical treatment of multiple actinic or solar keratoses of the face and anterior scalp.
Why did Carac discontinue treatment?
Thirty-one patients (12% of those treated with Carac in the Phase 3 clinical studies) discontinued study treatment early due to facial irritation. Except for three patients, discontinuation of treatment occurred on or after Day 11 of treatment.
How long should you wait to use carac cream?
Carac Cream should be applied 10 minutes after thoroughly washing, rinsing, and drying the entire area. Carac Cream may be applied using the fingertips. Immediately after application, the hands should be thoroughly washed. Carac Cream should be applied up to 4 weeks as tolerated.
How long does carac cream last?
Treatment with Carac Cream for 1, 2, or 4 weeks is compared to treatment with vehicle cream. Outcomes from 1, 2, and 4 weeks of treatment with vehicle cream are pooled because duration of treatment with vehicle had no substantive effect on clearance. Results from the two Phase 3 studies are shown separately.
How old do you have to be to use Carac?
if you are under 18 years of age. Carac should not be used in children.
What to do if you have diarrhea while on Carac?
9. If you develop abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or chills while on Carac therapy, stop the medication and contact your physician and/or pharmacist. 10. Report any side effects to the physician and/or pharmacist. 11.
What are the adverse events of Carac?
The following were adverse events considered to be drug related and occurring with a frequency of ≥1% with Carac: application site reaction (94.6%), and eye irritation (5.4%). The signs and symptoms of facial irritation (i.e., application site reaction) are presented below.
What is fluorouracil used for?
This medication is used on the skin to treat pre-cancerous and cancerous skin growths. Fluorouracil belongs to a class of medications known as anti-metabolites. It works by blocking the growth of abnormal cells that cause the skin condition.
How to report fluorouracil side effects in Canada?
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345. Precautions. Before using fluorouracil, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to flucytosine; or to capecitabine; or if you have any other allergies.
Are you currently using Carac Cream?
This survey is being conducted by the WebMD marketing sciences department.
Why did Carac discontinue treatment?
Thirty-one patients (12% of those treated with Carac (fluorouracil) in the Phase 3 clinical studies) discontinued study treatment early due to facial irritation. Except for three patients, discontinuation of treatment occurred on or after day 11 of treatment.
What is a carac?
Carac is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of Actinic (Solar) Keratoses and Superficial basal Cell Carcinoma. Carac may be used alone or with other medications. Carac belongs to a class of drugs called Dermatologics, Other; Antineoplastics, Topical.
How long does it take for Carac to work?
Carac (fluorouracil) should be applied up to 4 weeks as tolerated. Continued treatment up to 4 weeks results in greater lesion reduction. Local irritation is not markedly increased by extending treatment from 2 to 4 weeks, and is generally resolved within 2 weeks of cessation of treatment.
What are the side effects of Carac?
The most common side effects of Carac include: skin redness, followed by dryness, tenderness, and crusting, skin peeling or flaking, skin darkening or scarring, small blood vessels under the skin, mild rash, and. mild irritation where the medicine was applied.
What to do if you have diarrhea while on Carac?
If you develop abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, or chills while on Carac (fluorouracil) therapy, stop the medication and contact your physician and/or pharmacist. Report any side effects to the physician and/or pharmacist.
Can you use Carac in the sun?
Avoid sunlight or other ultraviolet light (such as tanning booths) as much as possible while using Carac (fluorouracil) . Sunlight may increase your side effects. When exposed to sunlight, wear a hat and use sunscreen.
Can Carac pass through milk?
if you are nursing a baby. We do not know if Carac (fluorouracil) can pass to the baby through the milk. If you have dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) enzyme deficiency. The active ingredient in Carac, fluorouracil, can cause serious side effects in patients who are DPD enzyme deficient.
What is white wax scale?
White wax scale. Also known as waxy scale, this type of scale is known to be ‘soft scale’. They are easier to see due to their build up of natural coating around them, which makes them harder to treat. For the smaller, ‘hard scale’, click HERE.
How to get rid of waxy scale in garden?
The best time to get rid of waxy scale in your garden is when the scale are juvenile and travelling between plants. Don’t use oil-based sprays on ferns or fine-leafed palms.
Where can wax scale be found?
They can also be found at weaker points on a plant, such as a fork where branches divide.
How to get rid of scale on cactus?
Mix a quart of water with 1 tablespoon of insecticidal soap (4 to 5 tablespoons of soap per gallon of water). Mix the solution then apply it evenly on the affected plants and leave it to sit for 10 minutes to kill the scale on the cactus. Use a sponge or soft brush to scrape the dead scales off.
What is the best way to control cactus scales?
When treating scales on cactus, you can introduce lacewings, Mealybug Destroyer, or ladybugs to feed on soft-bodied scales.
What is cactus scale?
Cactus scales are scale insects that attach and feed on the sap of cactus plants. There are many different species of cactus scale such as Diaspis echinocacti and Dactylopious spp, but they all look almost similar.
What does scale look like on cactus?
All armored cactus scales are oval and round, have dark coloration, and are a centimeter long in diameter. Soft scales are relatively small in size and have a different color other than gray/brown/black.
What is the best way to kill scales on succulents?
Undiluted isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) is effective in killing scales and other pests that infest succulents. This method is preferred on cactus species that are easily damaged by other methods of treating scales on cactus.
What does scales on cactus look like?
Massive scales infestation on cactus appears like cottony white mass on the surface of the stems and leaves . Common signs to look for include:
Where do cactus scales grow?
Cactus scales are widespread in North America on imported and native succulents including cactus. Usually, adult females produce eggs in the spring, which hatch into young scales known as crawlers. These crawlers grow and move to other parts of the plant where they start feeding on the plant juices. As they feed, they excrete honeydew (tiny sugary droplets) which accumulate on foliage below.
What is the difference between armored scale and soft scale?
Scale insects are usually divided into two groups: soft scale, and hard or armored scale. Soft scale is covered with a protective waxy substance and is somewhat easier to kill than hard/armored scale . 2 Armored scale secretes a hard shell over its body for protection from predators. The shell also makes it difficult to use a pesticide because it has trouble reaching the insect inside.
How to combat scale insects in garden?
Scale insects in the garden can be combatted in a number of ways, the best of which involves prevention or removing infested plant material before the insects can spread. 3
Why are scale insects so hard to detect?
Because there is such a vast number of different scale insect species, there is a good chance you will encounter them in your garden or on your houseplants at some point. Scale insects vary greatly in color, shape, and size. 1 They are often somewhat rounded, but not always. Different varieties of scale can be white, black, orange, or a color that blends in with the plant's coloring, making them even more difficult to detect.
How to identify scale insects?
Because there is such a vast number of different scale insect species, there is a good chance you will encounter them in your garden or on your houseplants at some point. Scale insects vary greatly in color, shape, and size. 1 They are often somewhat rounded, but not always.
What is scale in plants?
Scale sounds and looks a lot like a plant disease, but the term actually refers to infestation by any one of more than 7,000 species of tiny sap-sucking insects. Scale insects typically adhere to the stems, branches, and sometimes the leaves of plants to feed on sap, and they have a shell-like bump appearance, which sometimes causes them ...
When to spray horticultural oil?
Spraying your plants with horticultural oil is effective in late spring just before the leaves unfurl. Scale insects can overwinter as nymphs or eggs tucked away in tree bark.
Is soft scale harder to kill than hard scale?
Soft scale is covered with a protective waxy substance and is somewhat easier to kill than hard/armored scale. 2 Armored scale secretes a hard shell over its body for protection from predators. The shell also makes it difficult to use a pesticide because it has trouble reaching the insect inside.
How to get rid of Cycad Aulacaspis scale?
To manage this scale, wash your plant with a vigorous spray of water to remove any dead or living scales.
What are the scales on cycads?
Newly hatched scales, called crawlers, initially infest the trunk and base of the leaves. These crawlers will also infest the leaves, cones, seeds, and roots of cycads. The damage from these tiny sucking insects initially appears as yellow or bleached-looking spots, eventually making the leaves brown and crispy. Highly infested cycads are almost completely covered with a white crust that consists of living and dead insects.
What are the enemies of the Cycad scale?
In South Florida, two natural enemies of the scale were introduced in 1997-98: Cybocephalus nipponicus, a predaceous beetle, and Coccobius fulvus, a parasitic wasp.
How does Cycad Aulacaspis scale spread?
Cycad aulacaspis scale seems to spread over short distances by wind, and long distances by the transport of infested plants. It can coat a sago within months and kill it within a year. The scale can even affect the roots down to two feet deep.

Carac Description
Carac - Clinical Pharmacology
- There is evidence that the metabolism of fluorouracil in the anabolic pathway blocks the methylation reaction of deoxyuridylic acid to thymidylic acid. In this manner, fluorouracil interferes with the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and to a lesser extent inhibits the formation of ribonucleic acid (RNA). Since DNA and RNA are essential for cell division and growth, the effect …
Indications and Usage For Carac
- Carac is indicated for the topical treatment of multiple actinic or solar keratoses of the face and anterior scalp.
Contraindications
- Fluorouracil may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Fluorouracil is contraindicated in women who are or may become pregnant. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. No adequate and well-controlled studies have bee…
Warnings
- The potential for a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to fluorouracil exists. Patch testing to prove hypersensitivity may be inconclusive. Patients should discontinue therapy with Carac if symptoms of DPD enzyme deficiency develop. Rarely, unexpected systemic toxicity (e.g., stomatitis, diarrhea, neutropenia, neurotoxicity) associated with parenteral administration of fluorouracil has been at…
Precautions
- General:
There is a possibility of increased absorption through ulcerated or inflamed skin. - Information for the Patient:
Patients using Carac should receive the following information and instructions: 1. 1. This medication is to be used as directed. 2. 1. This medication should not be used for any disorder other than that for which it was prescribed. 3. 1. It is for topical use only. 4. 1. Avoid contact wit…
Adverse Reactions
- The following were adverse events considered to be drug related and occurring with a frequency of ≥1% with Carac: application site reaction (94.6%), and eye irritation (5.4%). The signs and symptoms of facial irritation (i.e., application site reaction) are presented below. During clinical trials, irritation generally began on Day 4 and persisted for the remainder of treatment. Severity o…
Carac Dosage and Administration
- Carac Cream should be applied once a day to the skin where actinic keratosis lesions appear, using enough to cover the entire area with a thin film. Carac Cream should not be applied near the eyes, nostrils, or mouth. Carac Cream should be applied 10 minutes after thoroughly washing, rinsing, and drying the entire area. Carac Cream may be applied using the fingertips. Immediatel…
Overdose
- Ordinarily, topical overdosage will not cause acute problems. If Carac is accidentally ingested, induce emesis and gastric lavage. Administer symptomatic and supportive care as needed. If contact is made with the eye, flush with copious amounts of water.
How Is Carac Supplied
- NDC 0187-5200-30 30 g tube Store at 20° to 25° C (68° to 77° F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Keep out of reach of children. Rx only Distributed by: Bausch Health US, LLC Bridgewater, NJ 08807 USA Manufactured by: Bausch Health Companies Inc. Laval, Quebec H7L 4A8, Canada U.S. Patent Number 6,670,335 Carac and Efudex are trademarks of Bausch Health …