Carac User Reviews & Ratings

Carac has an average rating of 7.8 out of 10 from a total of 15 reviews on Drugs.com. 78% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 17% reported a negative experience.

Condition	Avg. Rating	Reviews	Compare
Keratosis	9.5	8 reviews for Keratosis	17 medications
Actinic Keratosis	5.9	7 reviews for Actinic Keratosis	11 medications
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Reviews for Carac

pdxbuc
August 9, 2010

For Keratosis "Just finished my 4 week course of Carac cream. Here is my advice. MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE! I went to Rite-Aide and purchased a large bottle of Vitamin E and ALOE gel moisturizer (nothing with alcohol, which will burn or oil, which is difficult to remove) as well as a bottle of Baby Wash (you know, "no more tears"). Only wash your affected area (mine was face and scalp) with the baby wash (doesn't dry out skin) and once the Carac has been applied, wait about 1/2 hour and begin applying the moisturizer. I used the moisturizer heavily 5 or 6 times per day. It soaked right up and worked great. Felt like a light sun-burn with moderate peeling and when I was done and I healed up in a snap."

10 / 10

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213 Report

Anonymous
January 5, 2012

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "I've been using Carac off and on for over a year. I did my face for three weeks, then my chest, then my back. I am now going back over specific areas of my face. This cream is amazing. It is somewhat painful and quite unattractive visually as you are going through the treatment, but the results are worth it. My skin doesn't have rough red patches of scaly skin anymore and no more discoloration. I would definitely recommend it!"

10 / 10

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135 Report

day
December 29, 2009

For Keratosis "I am on day 14 of using Carac. My face is extremely red, tight, itchy and a little sore, but I've had serious eczema in the past and this isn't nearly as bad as that was. It took about a week to show up on my forehead but then a couple more days they started intensifying on my cheeks, chin and sides of my face. It is a little unsightly but once I explained to people what was going on and that it wasn't permanent or contagious they seemed to relax. I tried Vaseline for moisturizing but that seems too greasy. Products with zinc oxide in them seem to give me relief and protect me from the sun as well. Please do not spend ANY time in the sun when using this. The doctor told me it could permanently make your skin darker in those areas!"

8 / 10

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149 Report

Anonymous
September 29, 2010

For Keratosis "I just finished a 14 day usage of Carac, as prescribed by my skin doctor. After the first two days my skin started to turn red, by the 7th it started to flake and the areas that I needed to apply it to ( cheeks, temples and forehead ) turned dark red, like a bad sunburn. Days 8 -14 were the worst as to pain on these areas when showering in lukewarm water or washing from sink bowl, either way I could feel a burning sensation, as well as light bleeding at some areas on the next to last day. Flaking of skin and itchy feeling now that treatment is done. I wonder how long before my skin color returns to normal. Would I do this again? Yes"

9 / 10

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142 Report

MHers...
November 7, 2009

For Skin Cancer "I have used Carac for 4 weeks. After the 1st week I began seeing flakiness, redness, burning and itching. Taking a warn shower was painful, being in a car with the heat on was painful. But I've gotten through it. Layers and layers of skin have peeled off. Underneath my skin is as soft as a baby's bottom and clear. Compared to having these lesions continually burned off, this short term uncomfortable condition was a better method."

7 / 10

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144 Report

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island...
August 4, 2015

For Keratosis "62 year old blonde with blue eyes and fair skin. Spent 50 years in CA and HI getting sunburned. Now....paying the price. I have used Efudex and Carac cream treatments, both burn like crazy, peeling several layers, and red, red, red. I did my whole face at one time, but had to stop after 18 days applying once a day. Had blisters and bleeding, crying quite a bit. It took two months after stopping the treatment for the pinkness to disappear. Using sf 50 every day now under my makeup. Get lots of compliments on how young my skin looks. :o) Now I am doing my chest. ten days into the treatment with 18 day plan. Not as painful as my face since the skin is thicker. Still very red and starting to peel today. Using ibuprofen."

10 / 10

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97 Report

So...
January 1, 2015

For Skin Cancer "This is the 2nd time using this cream....more for a pre-cancerous treatment. I used it only on my nose 8 years ago. I am 10 days in on using Carac cream for my whole face. I thought there would be only a few areas but I have a lot of sun damage all over my face. Nothing on my nose (already treated), forehead less because I had bangs most of my life. During the day I use powder foundation to cover most of the dark red blotches so I can look normal. At night I take NyQuil to sleep. So far I can tolerate it all."

10 / 10

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77 Report

This...
Taken for less than 1 month
November 1, 2018

For Keratosis "I have used this cream 3 times and will use it a 4th this winter. I'm 53 and have light hair and blue eyes so as you can imagine I have light skin. I have had keratosis pop up on my face a few times and several brown spots over the years. This cream has done an AMAZING JOB !!! I use it once a week, for 7 days. My face looked terrible on day 10-21 because it turned red, then all the spots you don't see, turn brown in addition to ALL the other brown spots disappear. I've had no side effects other than you look embarrassing and people ask what happen to you? But the end result is worth it"

9 / 10

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46 Report

Anonymous
February 13, 2009

For Skin Cancer "I have had great success with Carac treating pre-cancerous condition on my entire face area. The results were astounding! I am currently one week from finishing treatment on both forearm areas and looks like the results will be similar."

10 / 10

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91 Report

Julie...
October 17, 2016

For Actinic Keratosis "21 day treatment. This stuff is brutal but it works. Make sure you give yourself a full two months for treatment and recovery. This treatment is lengthy and there is a process to it. Try to plan your treatment in the winter or fall months when its cooler. Believe me you will not want to go outside. Your face will be unsightly and you will become sensitive to the sun. Use the medicine at night and aquaphor during the day or at least two hours after you apply the cream. Cool the cream in the refrigerator for a bit for instant relief. You WILL get itchy. I used a q tip dipped in aquaphor to gently relieve the itchy. Be careful around the crevices by your nose. You don't want cream to accumulate there. Hang in there."

9 / 10

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53 Report

MBFitz
Taken for 6 months to 1 year
February 6, 2017

For Actinic Keratosis "I have extensive AK on my face & chest and have had 5 Basal Cell & 1 Pre Melanoma lesions removed via surgery. Because of the extensive AK & my history - my Derm tried Blue Light (Levulan). I only made it 8 minutes & had 2nd Degree burns. Due to my reaction my Mohs Surgeon recommended Carac in a modified application as I am in sales. I use the cream 7 days then am off 3-4 wks. I plan by time of year & my schedule as you can't be in the sun. The Carac cream has been AMAZING!! I put it on before bed. I documented my reaction and have found that about Day 6 I can see red trouble spots, Day 7/8 itching, Day 10 scabbing. Overall my AK has diminished by 80% after 4 cycles since last spring. I took summer/fall off."

10 / 10

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41 Report

Retired
March 27, 2015

For Keratosis "Keratosis on my scalp is an ongoing problem...Carac proved to be a great treatment to remove these unsightly pre-cancerous growths...On it for a two week treatment period...No pain, just some small patches of redness...The only problem I have with this medicine is the outrageous cost for a tiny tube. Be certain to wash hands immediately if you apply it that way, or even better use a cue tip."

10 / 10

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48 Report

Angry...
June 27, 2016

For Actinic Keratosis "The cream works wonderfully. It is a little bit hot and you really feel the burn. The outcome is worth it but it is CRIMINAL how much the drug company charges for this medication!!! It has been around since 1957 and in 2009 it cost $157.00 per tube, today it costs $2,865.00. Absolutely abuse!"

10 / 10

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40 Report

afool...
January 15, 2018

For Actinic Keratosis "I wish I had done my homework before using this medicine. I feel my dermatologist withheld the following key info from me: 1) Carac is topical chemotherapy 2) AK has less than 10% chance of ever becoming squamous cell cancer 3) Death from squamous cell cancer is extremely rare Had I known those 3 things, I would have never used Carac. I had a terrible reaction from Carac. On Day 3, I became violently ill with vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, and chills. I called the derm and she said to stop using it until my symptoms subsided and then start again. I stopped for 3 days and then resumed. All of the side effects came roaring back. A year later, I still suffer from chronic diarrhea. This medication is way over-prescribed."

1 / 10

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26 Report

Jiggy
January 17, 2017

For Skin Cancer "10 days into the treatment and my face is borderline unsightly. Had to stop the treatment on my chest because it started scabbing. Just hoping it starts flaking soon as expected! Major pain on my chest when I took it starting around day three. Have not experienced much pain on my face just a little bit of tightness and itching. Trying to avoid putting moisturizer and make up on as my dermatologist says it will slow the healing. That is probably the worst part so far!"

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28 Report

Guss...
November 3, 2017

For Actinic Keratosis "I am in the middle of a Carac cream treatment (2 weeks of twice a day, then 2 weeks off, then 2 more weeks of treatment). This is my 4th time using the cream (face, chest) over the years. The results will be good, but the treatment can be challenging. Here is what I have found to be helpful. Ice packs make all the difference for me. Whenever I feel the itch coming on, I grab ice and leave it on the area until the itch subsides. Also triamcinolone cream really helps. My doctor prefers the ointment, but I find it difficult to remove. The cream goes on easy, helps with the itch and the healing. On the worst days, I took a prescription pain pill which saved me. My doctor recommended it."

8 / 10

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18 Report

Gigi...
January 18, 2017

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "A few months after one basal spot on my nose was removed with Mohs surgery and plastic surgery to correct the dime sized divot, my dermatologist prescribed Carac for three weeks applied once a day to my nose. I had read many reviews/experiences and dreaded starting the prescription. Thankfully I had very little reaction with only one spot that appeared like an irritated white head and that drained and disappeared after about 3 days. The rest of my nose, although a little dry, had no reaction at all. I will say my stomach was a little sensitive about an hour after I applied the lotion for a couple days so I made sure I drank plenty of water and ate something within the hour or so of applying it."

9 / 10

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19 Report

geb
Taken for less than 1 month
April 21, 2021

For Keratosis "This is my second time using the Carac! I have light skin and very light blue eyes. As a child if we went to the beach I would always get blisters on my shoulders. So that's how delicate my skin is. I also love the beach and raised my children on Cape Cod in Mass.So the beach was in walking distance and we loved it. I was always under an umbrella. But between swimming laps and skied all over the USA the sun has done its damage. First time I was in my 40s and it was really hard because I was a hairdresser and could not take a lot of time off work. But saved my vacation time for the last two weeks. Now I am in my 70s and in the Fl hot sun and started a week ago with Carac and wow..My skin looks like it was burnt by fire. But I know in 3 weeks I will have gotten rid of all the red spots that would have taken a lot more money and my time running back and forth to the DR to have him burn off two or three spots and say see you in a month...HAPPY IN FL. THANK YOU CARAC.. MY TUBS LASTED FOR EVER!"

10 / 10

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3 Report

Nadine
September 26, 2013

For Skin Cancer "I have found this cream is fantastic. There is a good deal of pain when using it but it kills the pre cancer cells. Read the directions and follow them."

9 / 10

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75 Report

Skipk...
December 26, 2011

For Keratosis "Was using Efudex which had harsh side effects (redness, sewlling). Doc then switched me to Carac - in same chemical class as Efudex but milder, yet very effective for me."

10 / 10

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73 Report

terap...
February 25, 2009

For Skin Cancer "This stuff is working GREAT. I still have a long way to go but the results of one month of this applied daily has made a WORLD of difference."

8 / 10

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72 Report

Laurie...
Taken for 1 to 6 months
November 12, 2015

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "Was prescribed Carac for use on arms, chest and face 7 years ago. At that time the cream did smooth my skin. After years of discontinued use, my skin where I applied Carac is horrible."

1 / 10

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23 Report

Why
June 14, 2018

For Actinic Keratosis "Why priced out of the average persons cost? Really worked great for my skin condition. Now I can’t afford it. Greedy people"

1 / 10

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17 Report

T T
February 26, 2018

For Actinic Keratosis "Overrated and overpriced. Won't buy again at any price."

2 / 10

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3 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.