An arsenal at your fingertips
- Vanicream Lite Lotion. I use Vanicream products because they are free of dyes and perfumes and don’t further irritate the already raw skin.
- Cetaphil. Cetaphil is another mild product which makes cleaning the area much less difficult.
- Ice packs/cool rags. ...
How to treat skin after using fluorouracil?
What's next?
- Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! I can’t say enough about sunscreen. ...
- Moisturizers. Your skin may tend to be dry and flaky for several weeks once you start the healing after Efudex. ...
- Hands off! We have heard it all our lives, but it’s very true. ...
- Undercover healing. The more you protect your healing skin, the better you will feel. ...
How long to recover from fluorouracil cream?
To use the cream or solution:
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
- Apply enough amount of the medicine to each affected area.
- You may use a glove, nonmetal applicator, or fingers to apply this medicine.
- Do not bandage or otherwise wrap the skin being treated unless directed to do so by your doctor.
What is the average recovery time after you stop using Efudex?
The medication is usually applied to the effected area until the point where the old skin comes off or a lesion forms, and it is at around this time that your doctor will ask you to stop using Efudex. After the period of treatment, which usually lasts two to four weeks, you need another one to two months of healing.
When should I stop using Efudex treatment?
When should I stop using efudex treatment?
- Wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour after washing to apply any lotion or cream.
- Anything burns when first applied.
- Vanicream Lite Lotion is my go-to.
- Wash with water and mild soap in the shower and do not rub the area.
- The ten minutes following a shower or washing are key.
Can you use lotion after fluorouracil?
After using fluorouracil cream, wait 2 hours before applying sunscreen or moisturizer to the treated area. Do not use other skin products including creams, lotions, medications, or cosmetics unless instructed by your doctor to do so.
What should I put on my face after Efudex treatment?
You may apply Aquaphor, Vaseline, or over-the-counter Hydrocortisone ointment to the area treated after applying Efudex.
Can you use hydrocortisone cream after fluorouracil?
After the treatment is stopped, you may use over the counter 1% hydrocortisone cream for 7-10 days to decrease the irritation of the reaction. Complete healing will require up to 1-2 months. 1. Your skin will be more sensitive to the sun during and after treatment.
How long does it take for skin to heal after fluorouracil?
This usually takes about 2 to 4 weeks. However, the lesions may not be completely healed until 1 or 2 months after you stop using fluorouracil. If you are using fluorouracil to treat basal cell carcinoma, you should continue using it until the lesions are gone.
Can you moisturise after Efudix?
After 20 minutes, you can apply moisturisers, sunscreen and/or make-up as part of your usual skin care routine. Efudix can take up to 2 hours to completely absorb into the skin – it is a good idea to apply your evening efudix at least 2-3 hours before bedtime, so it doesn't get rubbed off onto your pillow.
Can you put Vaseline over fluorouracil?
Once you finish the medication, the area of skin treated will be red and raw. It generally takes about 3-4 weeks for all of the inflammation to resolve. You may use Vaseline or Eucerin cream to soothe the skin.
How do you stop the itching from fluorouracil cream?
During treatment Over-the-counter Tylenol and Benadryl are helpful for the increasing pain and constant itch. My dermatologist is one who recommends that no other products be applied to the treated areas during treatment other than water and a mild soap or facial cleanser.
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.
How long does the redness last after using fluorouracil treatment?
Most people using this drug get skin reactions where this drug is used. These reactions include burning, dryness, irritation, redness, pain, and swelling. Irritation may last for 2 weeks or longer after you stop using this drug. Call your doctor if you get a skin reaction that bothers you.
What does your skin look like after using fluorouracil cream?
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.
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 age spots?
Topical fluorouracil, 5%, typically used in the treatment of actinic keratosis, has been suggested for use in reversing photoaging.
What is fluorouracil used for?
It can treat rough, raised areas of heavily sun-exposed skin ( actinic or solar keratoses ).
What is Efudex used for?
Efudex is Fluorouracil topical cream 5%. It is used to treat areas of actinic keratosis and superficial basal cell carcinomas or skin cancers. I had to use the cream on my face twice a day for two weeks.
How long does it take for fluorouracil to fade?
Sometimes a pink, smooth area is left when the skin treated with this medicine heals. This area will usually fade after 1 to 2 months.
How long does it take for a pink spot to go away after taking a sulfate solution?
Sometimes a pink, smooth area is left when the skin treated with this medicine heals. This area will usually fade after 1 to 2 months. Do not stop using this medicine without first checking with your doctor. If the reaction is very uncomfortable, check with your doctor.
Can you use 5% cream on your hands?
The 5% cream is sometimes used on the hands. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor. For skin cancer: Adults—Use the 5% cream on the affected areas of skin two times a day. Treatment may continue for several weeks. Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor. For topical solution dosage form:
Answers
Have you been prescribed anything? Some people are prescribed a specific moisturiser or mild topical steroid to help healing.If you have not been prescribed anything then yes Vaseline may be applied thinly to raw and crusted areas at bedtime. Stop the Vaseline when the crusts and scabs have healed.
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
What is the best treatment for actinic keratoses?
Efudex (fluorouracil) is the leading skin treatment for actinic or solar keratoses–skin growths that can give rise to cancer if left untreated 1.
How to treat efudex?
These are two types of topical creams that doctors usually prescribe on the first and second days of healing after your Efudex treatment has been stopped 1. Mix and apply the two creams on the affected area two to three times daily, but preferably once after waking up and another one in the evening . During this time, expect your skin to crack and bleed and sting, and expect your eyes to swell.
How to treat a stinging scab?
Use an analgesic such as Tylenol to reduce the pain from the fourth to sixth days of healing. Expect a more stinging pain, a bloody broken skin and severe itchiness on the affected part. Apply sunscreen to protect the healing skin when you go out.
How long does it take for Efudex to heal?
After the period of treatment, which usually lasts two to four weeks, you need another one to two months of healing.
Can you use cosmetics on basal cell skin cancer?
Local treatments other than surgery for basal and squamous cell skin cancers. Tips. During the healing process, never use any cosmetics or other skin products. If ever you forget an application of the creams, simply resume application as prescribed by your doctor without increasing or doubling the dose.
Healing after Efudex: your tender, new skin
If you are using Efudex now or gearing up to start treatment, you will soon realize that the area following treatment is nothing like it was when you started. Healing after Efudex can be hard! You may, in fact, wonder if your skin will ever look normal again.
I've finished my Efudex treatment. What's next?
Your doctor may or may not address the next steps with you. From discussions I have had with friends and other skin cancer patients, it seems we all receive varying levels of advice for healing after Efudex.
Your skin after healing from Efudex is fragile!
Keep in mind, redness will likely persist, and you may want to baby that area for a good while. Healing after Efudex can be emotional, difficult, confusing, frustrating, and uncomfortable. When in doubt, give your doctor a call. Your medical providers can answer questions that arise post-treatment.
Emily Hayward's Story: Changing the Way We Look at Skin Cancer
This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The SkinCancer.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.