Day 14 And Color Fading?

Howdy all,

So far it's not been too bad but tonight my husband said the spots I have looked faded, not quite as red.   I have had 2 dark spots (very small) come off completely and the remainders feel and look like skin abraisions that are crusting a bit.

Is it common to have color fade or am I being lulled into the 'calm before the storm'?

Truths

Hi Truths...

Have you had a follow-up visit with your dermatologist/doctor yet?

Hi Spanky,

No follow up as yet but I do go in to the Dermo this Friday. I've noticed that today it seems a bit more colorful again.  Some seem to be lifting but not quite to the peel stage while others are dark and holding fast to my face.   I thought that just maybe the process was over for me.  We will see soon enough.

Thanks for responding, Spanky.  It's nice to know the 'board' is still being replied to since I've noticed it seems a little barren of posters lately.

I'll let you know what happens on Friday.

Truths

Sounds similiar to what I experienced using efudex.  About day 11, I noticed a few tiny deep brown spots.  Looked like tiny moles.  Then they seemed to fade or wash off completely.

I think these are damaged cells that surface and peel away. 

Are you done with treatment now? 

The red flared for me also.  I would be flaming red after washing and applying the efudex.  Around day 12, I started to use Aquaphor to help ease the sting and this seemed to calm the "heat" thereby reducing the red.

Good luck with the dermatologist on Friday. 

Truths, are you also a "face man/lady"? 

5-FU does its work for the first weeks pretty much undetected until the "erosion" stage, when the bad DNA can't make the RNA for new cells and all start dying off, so the changes are normally going to be more dramatic about 14 to 21 days.  For me day 20 and my arms went nuts.  Face skin is different of course.  But don't be applying anything until at least 3 hours after applying the 5-FU so the drug can work first.  Regards,  Whitey

Hello again,

Spanky,

I was told to go for 30 days and have applied the 15th time tonight, so far there is not much burn, itch or sting (Shhh, don't tell hubby, I like the attention).  The short term color flare up was from just a few minutes outdoors yesterday but it's already subsided.  I must have very few areas of concern because I appear to be somewhere between this persons (link below) day 5 and day 10 pictures..  and I'm on day 15. 

 http://www.sannerud.com/people/efudex/

My thoughts were that if fading so soon then perhaps there may not be a need to do anymore but the answer will come Friday.

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Whitey,

I am female and doing the entire face only with Carac. You mentioned that all cells start dying off. Do you mean it will strike the non-cancerous cells as well causing a complete skin regeneration wherever cream was applied?  As if to take the good away along with the bad?

I use the Carac after dinner so if I need to use some cream I won't lose sleep waiting for 3 hours to pass. Also, I wash with plain water then use a damp face cloth to catch the drips and air dry for 20 minutes. That could be why I don't feel much discomfort  It's either that or maybe my skin is like a leather hockey mask, I'm not sure.(kidding)

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Getting info from my Dermo is like trying to take the TV remote away from a toddler (Pharmacist isn't much better).  I asked for name of sunscreen and she told me that if I couldn't take it then to stop Carac and apply Hydrocortizone. Puzzled, I assumed she missed my querry and asked again received the same response.  Yep, toddler with a remote. I gave up and had hubby buy Eucerin Sensitive Facial Skin Lotion w/ SPF 30. He said it's my Valentines Day present.  lol    I believe I will also get the Aquaphor for days that I hibernate.

This site has helped so very much. Straight forward information sharing.  Thank you all. 

Truths

The difference between us, Truths, is that I used Efudex-stronger than Carac and applied it twice a day for 14.  Therefore I had 28 applications within that 2 week period (27 actually because on day 12 I skipped the nightime dose...ahhh I needed the break :)).

My guess is that this week you will notice more reaction.  Keep the aquaphor handy and like Whitey said...wait three hours.

Good luck!!

(if i ever have to do this again I'm going to try the Carac as my derm said that you don't get quite as red).

One more thing to add here...the patient in the photos you refer to in your posts was treated with Efudex 5% twice daily.  Therefore your comparison to his 5th day (10 applications) photo and your 15th day (15 applicataions) photo would probably be about right.

Remember Carac is not as strong as the Efudex 5%. 

The other thing we all need to take into consideration when comparing notes is that everyones skin texture, tone and damage is different.

Spanky....your statement  "Remember Carac is not as strong as the Efudex 5%.  is not really accurate.  Again, Carac and Efudex are just the BRAND NAMES, of fluorouracil.  I used the generic and it was simply flourouracil 5%.  Yes, you can get different percentages/stregth and apply 1 or 2 times a day, etc.  But same drug.  Here is another simple description at this link:

http://www.drugs.com/mtm/carac.html

And no, not all cells die off, the point is the flourouracil targets the "bad" cells.  Just read up on floourouracil.  Google it.

Whitey

And here is a good description on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorouracil

Thanks for hanging in there with me.  I did check the dosage and it is 0.5% (not .5%) used once a day and my damage must be minimal due to the number of reacive spots I have. It's natural for anyone to become unsettled by the use of this stuff as no matter what the severity of each case...  it's very personal.  Thanks for all the assistance.

Spanky, I've read some of your blogs... my sympathies in dealing with so much troubles all at once.  Been there, done that.  I see you also have completed the treatments regardless of your concerns for other family members in delicate situations.  I applaud your emotional stamina during difficult times. I do believe the person of the link had therapy more intense than mine.  Good catch on the dosage differences and timeline comparisons.

Whitey, The links you have shared are helpful since I am not a scientific personality.  I greatly appreciate the fact that you explained it simply and offered documentaion links in a simplistic form.  Kudos from all of us scientifically challenged people.   My impression was that this was similar to a chemical peel which effects all cells. Thanks for clarifying that only "bad" cells are targeted.

From Wikipedia: "Like many anti-cancer drugs, 5-FU's effects are felt systemwide but falls most heavily upon rapidly dividing cells that make heavy use of their nucleotide synthesis machinery -- cancer cells, for instance".

Does this mean that borderline cells in other parts of the body may be put into 'high gear' as a result of this treatment?  Do the scientists even know?

Thanks,

Truths