CancerCompass message board discussion started by Outdoors on 4/22/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,23303,0.htm Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I've read a lot of messages here and appreciate folks sharing their stories. I'm a 44 yr old male. I'm now 4 days past 19 days of treatment on my face with Carac (supposed to be 21 days but I threw in the towel two days short). I've used a steroid cream given to me by the doctor (Locoid, I think?) for the last 4 days but if anything, appearance and pain are worse.  So I thought I would go today without the Locoid and see what happens.  Does anybody have any experience with this?  Or something else that might speed the healing?  My doc told me I'd be largely back to normal a week after treatment, and that clearly isn't going to happen. Thoughts and suggestions welcomed. Outdoors Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT I am 2 months post Carac treatment, and my face is still a little pink. For the first week after treatment my face peeled several times a day and went from very red to red to pink. After 2 weeks it was still pretty pink in the treated area and I was worried if my face was ever going to get back to normal again. My sister is a nurse and she said to me that what I had done was pretty much give myself a third degree burn, and that it takes a while to heal. Right now, it looks as if I got a little sunburn, so I don't worry too much. I was given Westcort to use twice a day for the first week after treament, but I didn't use it as I didn't really want to use a steroid cream. I also take up to 5 grams of fish oil a day. Not sure if it helps, but fish oils are supposed to be anti-inflammatory (I also have facial eczema). Hang in there, it WILL get better. Also, whenever I leave the house, I put on sunscreen. I also keep a bottle in my car, so that if I end up outside, I can apply it (even though I always try to wear a hat outside). Brian  bfoley Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT