Fluorouracil topical and Bleeding: What Users Say

• Lar...
• March 5, 2013

Fluorouracil topical for Keratosis "Used the product on my face for 6 weeks twice a day for two days every week. Depending on the extent of sun damage, the effects are dramatic and nasty looking. After the 2nd week, the treated area looks like a bad sunburn, it itches, peels, weeps, bleeds and burns. But the results after stopping for 3-4 weeks are very good."

• Anonymous
• September 29, 2010

Fluorouracil topical 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 the 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 the skin and an itchy feeling now that treatment is done. I wonder how long before my skin color returns to normal. Would I do this again? Yes."

• isl...
• August 4, 2015

Fluorouracil topical 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 SPF 50 every day now under my makeup. Get lots of compliments on how young my skin looks."

• Gra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2020

Fluorouracil topical for Actinic Keratosis "I am using Efudex, and the spots were getting raised and crusty as expected, but then it got damp in the shower and came off with a bit of bleeding. It has settled down now. But I was worried if this has set back the process. I would appreciate your comments."

• Jof...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 27, 2019

Fluorouracil topical for Keratosis "Treatment with Efudex on both arms for keratosis caused damage, had a bad reaction creating an auto-immunity situation; still being treated by a dermatologist after 12 months. Itching unbearable on arms, bleeding after scratching and left with a watery mess. Relief from ice packs helps and then moisturizing. Treatment from Prednisolone, Cyclosporin lasts for a few weeks and then I break out again. Been around this way 6 times now! Efudex: seek all the info you can before treatment."

• MrT...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 26, 2014

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "My doctor found what he thought might be burgeoning skin cancer on my bald head. First time, he 'burned' them off with whatever he sprayed on my head. Next visit (way later on), he said the spots hadn't gone away. He prescribed 'Carac' (fluorouracil) if I could afford it. Over $400/tube! But my insurance paid up to the $20 I had to pay, so I went for it. Four weeks of dabbing this stuff on my head, and the pre-cancerous spots are gone. During the treatment, my head got all scabby and red. I had to buy some cheapo pillowcases because I would end up bleeding on them at night. I guess the scabs got rubbed off as I tossed and turned. Anyway, I'm totally satisfied with the outcome and would recommend this cream to anyone who can afford it."

• In...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 8, 2020

Fluorouracil topical for Actinic Keratosis "I spent years in the sun, scuba diving and hiking in Mexico and Arizona. For years, I've constantly had to use lip balm because my lips were so dry. I tried many products, and they never worked. My lips would crack and peel all the time. Just recently, I got diagnosed with actinic cheilitis. I have been prescribed Efudex 5% once a day for 3 to 4 weeks. I am at Week 2 and experiencing severe, almost unbearable burning pain because of deep sores with massive amounts of oozing and crusting and now bleeding, tightness, and severe dryness. I will try to endure another week, but I think I would rather have surgery any day than this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2015

Fluorouracil topical for Skin Cancer "Like many other topical creams for skin cancer, it has a burning effect. Dryness, then flaking on the areas applied. It helps when the flaking has stopped and your skin has had time to repair the dead drying, and sometimes a bit of bleeding in my cases. But seems to get rid of the skin cancer. So for about a week, you will look a little scaly, best used before or after any family photos."

• Sun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2020

Fluorouracil topical for Keratosis "Dermatologist prescribed Efudex for keratosis, 1 week on and 3 weeks off x 4 to treat my face, but said not to apply on chin. After a few days, freckles appeared, and by day 7 today, my skin feels quite irritated, itchy, and a slight sting - especially the sides of my nose. One spot above my eyebrow has bled slightly last night and tonight after washing my face. My dermatologist said I could continue to wear foundation but to wait 15 mins after applying cream."

• AGa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2019

For Basal Cell Carcinoma "Had a few basal cell lesions on my face removed by freezing and Mohs surgery in my early sixties. At age 67, topical fluorouracil was prescribed by a dermatologist due to wide-area precancerous facial lesions that I was not even aware existed. Applied daily over most areas of my face for twelve days - doctor prescribed two weeks, but skin ulcerated so badly I had to stop. Red spots then bled and my whole face looked so bad I didn’t want to leave the house! After another week or so, the skin scabbed over, and within another week or two, I started to look presentable. About six weeks or so after I started treatment, my face looked great. The doctor was pleased and could find no precancerous areas. Moral of the story is that after six decades of sun exposure, my skin had been irradiated badly, and I had no idea that basal cell cancer was about to erupt everywhere. I recommend applying over portions of my face instead of trying to do the whole job at one time. Medication is a miracle drug!"

• one...
• November 26, 2019

For Actinic Keratosis "Treating the whole face for 2 weeks, twice a day. Actinic cheilitis on lips, so am applying it to lips too. Aquaphor on the inner lip before application to block it. Lips react before the rest of your face, and treatment is shorter-7-10 days. The lips will crack, blister, bleed, and hurt. Use a straw. If you had any kind of sensitive skin or rosacea, or even hormonal irritable skin around the mouth and nose prior to treatment, this will erupt almost more than areas with cancer or AKs. ‘Normal’ skin definitely will be affected and will actually tend to scar and discolor more than cancerous areas after treatment. My first doc told me none of this, my second one did. I'll continue to put on AK areas, but not in those other zones. Get a good doctor. If they tell you to do your whole face, question that or get a second opinion-I now know I didn't need it, and spot treatment would have been much more appropriate, and that much of this suffering was not needed."

• dou...
• June 10, 2011

For Keratosis "So glad to find this forum. I'm 8 days into treatment and boy, am I splotchy bright red on my face. I can tell it's working, but I didn't follow my doctor's suggestion that I wait until late fall to start treatment. About my 3rd day of treatment, I slathered Banana Boat SPF 30 sunscreen right after applying fluorouracil. It burned for 3 days. I'm 60 and have a fair complexion. I've spent many hours on the water, and my forehead, nose, and temples were cracking and scaly, often bleeding when irritated. The doctor said my damage was too widespread for other methods of treatment. I think it's working, but I'm sure looking forward to getting this next week over. I'm using baby oil and Neosporin, as well as some fancy oil my wife gave me to keep my skin moist."

• Dut...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2020

For Keratosis "2 weeks of applying cream to my face only probably has pushed me into early peri-menopause. Started having some unusual bleeding about 8 days after starting treatment; saw doctors and had ultrasounds, etc. Nobody thought there was a link to the Efudix cream, and I finished my 2 weeks of applying. It is now 12 months later, and it is confirmed I am in peri-menopause, for which I've been put on medication as I am only 43. I have since found information that Efudix cream can cause menopause; just Google the two together and you'll find it. If you don't absolutely need this treatment, don't have it before your normal menopause. I wouldn't have if I had known."

• Ste...
• August 9, 2015

"I went deep sea fishing, and a spot on the side of my face started bleeding, so I asked my nurse/practitioner for some cream because my wife had used it, and it had worked. I spread it on both sides of my face to make sure, and to my surprise, two large areas turned red with elongated splotches of black. At night, my pillow is covered in blood and lymph fluid. After 3 weeks, I'm stopping because it keeps getting worse and doesn't seem to heal."

• Sus...
• December 6, 2022

For Actinic Keratosis "Used Efudix 5% cream on solar keratosis of the upper lip. The dermatologist prescribed it for two weeks, warning of a 'cold sore-like' localized reaction. On day 10, my upper and lower lips blistered badly, where the cream had not been applied. Very painful, but I persisted with the treatment until the end. Warm, salty water applied regularly relieved some of the pain. At night, I slathered my lips with Ungvita Vitamin A cream, then a thick cream for nappy (diaper) rash on top. Both lips were blistered, cracked, and bleeding. They're healing now, and I hope the keratosis is gone."

• Pal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2021

For Keratosis "My doctor gave Carac to me to clear up AK above my eyebrow. I used it morning and night for 3 weeks. By then, I had a cracked, bleeding little spot, and my doctor said I could stop. I should say that I didn’t know I should’ve been more careful to only put Carac right on the spot-but I was sloppy with it, so it made a much larger red area than needed. It was probably the size of a thumbprint on my forehead when the AK was only the size of a pea. After treatment, I put vitamin E oil on it religiously and was left with a clean pink spot that I easily covered with makeup for 6 months until the pink was gone. There is no trace of AK on the spot. If I had had that removed with a laser, it would have left a white scar forever. I think this cream is great, and well worth the annoyance of a pink spot for a few months. Also, my doctor gave me a $100 coupon to give to the pharmacist for the cream. I can’t remember how much it cost me out of pocket."