Day 38 - Few weeks after stopping - post day 18

Everything is back to normal except the new skin areas are slightly pink, especially when I shave, or shower or if I exercise.
Lumps around my chin have all disappeared. It all feels smooth and keratose free so far.

Remember to keep using sun screen! I have the most daggy fishing/cricket dad hat that I keep in my backpack along with a tube of sun screen.


Here's me today at breakfast on a cloudy day.

Day 31 - Post Day 11

On waking up I look practically normal, then once I wash or start moving my face gets a little pink.
Nothing much seems to be changing now, just a pink glow every now and then and some flaking here and there.  Where there were pimples around my chin/beard area there are now flat lumps, which I think are starting to reduce.

Here's the last photo for a while.

Will check back in when something significant changes, but hopefully that's it!

Day 30 - Post day 10

Still flaky, still pink.

I think I'll wind up the posting in a few days until something changes. The suggested healing times are quoted from 1 to 2 months. I'm up to 10 days since applying the cream.

Day 29 - Post day 10

Still pink, still flaky. Still have some lumps on the chin I hope will flake off, which I think was either typical reaction in the beard area, or pimples brought on by too much paw paw cream for a week.

Estimates of healing time are 2 -4 weeks after finishing the cream, and 3 months for all the pink areas to fade away.

Here's me before any shave this morning at coffee time.

Day 28 - Post day 9

Just pink marking and some pimples on my chin, and a lot more flaking today.

Very pleased with the result so far. In the morning it looks quite normal, but after a wash and a shave it's still very pink.

Day 27 - Post day 8

Lots of peeling yesterday. Most of everything seems to have come off or is about to.

Looking nearly normal, except my festy chin, and a pink glow.

I'll skip shaving today to let it all calm down.

Day 26 - Post day 7

At last! A major improvement yesterday, suddenly a lot of the in flamed areas are reducing, there's a lot of flaking and I no longer feel hot and itchy. Now it's just minor uncomfortable.
I have developed a chin full of pimples where my chin folds, that's I guess too much paw paw. Didn't even apply anything going to bed last night. It is as if yesterday afternoon the fever broke.

Pictures soon as I work out how to pair my phone with my iPad which seems to not want to Bluetooth airdrop today.

Phew.

Day 25 - Post day 6

Yesterday I noticed some small pimple around my chin which I think is because of the paw paw ointment. I will try to reduce that, unfortunately it's the only thing that doesn't sting and feels so good once it's on.

A lot a skin flaked away yesterday, was like being in a tiny corn flakes storm.
 There's section on the my right side of the chin that used to react whenever I didn't shave for a while ( before the treatment - had been doing this for years) and I think perhaps this may have been some pre cancerous activity, because that section has swollen and got very red during the treatment. If so it might be quite deep, and I expect a lot of peeling in that area. It's also where some of the pimples are at. Will need to think how to deal with these. I don't want any infection in the area.

here's a bad shot of today which shows some improvement I think, but still have crusty and pimply chin area.

Day 24 - Post day 5

I have developed a bad habit of unconsciously scratching my face. Skin is starting to peel off and I can't seem to help myself from fiddling on my forehead. I woke up last night itching and scratching at my chin and forehead, so obviously I'm doing it in my sleep!

I Facetimed my brother and his kids, and grossed the boys out. They kept saying 'stop putting the camera so close to your face.' My sister in law screamed

Yesterday was the most comfortable day since it got bad. I am managing the itchiness with plenty of the paw paw ointment (Brauer brand, the chemist assistant said it didn't have lots of petroleum jelly and was more paw paw than the others). So, I can keep the itch under control using it about 3 times a day. Last night I did get quite itchy though and didn't get much sleep.

Plenty of skin is peeling away now.

Today's shot is after a shower, shave and a gentle rub with a face washer, followed by the paw paw cream. It doesn't look like it's getting better, but I'm sure it is. You can see grey areas where the skin is coming off urrggh. The shininess makes it look worse than it is - that's the paw paw.

Day 23 - Post day 4

Not much to report so far. Things don't feel like they have changed much since stopping the cream, I am still way itchy most of the day and am now slapping a lot of paw paw cream as it seems to decrease the tight-as-a-drum feeling.  I think I can see a reduction in the coverage of the reaction from 'all over' towards 'spots'. I think my forehead is reducing a bit. I've just gone back and looked at Day 18 etc....I am pretty sure it's getting better.

In hindsight I think I would now recommend doing this in a "week on/weeks off " manner  if that was at all possible. I don't really care how gruesome I look and nor do I care what people think (and frankly have not noticed any weird reaction from anyone so far), and if the week on/weeks off method is less painful then I would try that. The downside is it takes a few months to do three or four cycles, vs this month of hell all-at-once way. 

Or maybe just do sections at a time.

Whatever.

Here's me today before any rinsing or ointment, just after morning coffee..

 and then after a shower, shave and paw paw cream application.

Day 22 - Post day 3

Yesterday had some of the itchiest periods. It comes over like a wave, and somehow it goes away. I used a lot of ice pack in front of tv. I think it gets worse after hot food, or food where I have to open my mouth wide. Whatever, it was quite itchy.

After showering and shaving I showed my partner the result and there was a lot of flaky areas waiting to shed.

This morning I tried washing with a small amount of Aveeno body wash which is meant to be soap free or similar, anyway I was very careful not to use it directly, just washed my hands, rinsed once and then washed my face in warm water.
It's getting easier to wash, and shaving is still ok yet touchy. There were some blood spots during the night, but they seem to wash away gently. It doesn't look like much is abating, but it probably feels a tiny bit less ouch.

Here's after today's shave, and tons of paw paw cream. That I think is the only thing that seems to dependably offer any relief. I think the cortisone cream is ineffective so I'm going without it today, just relying on the physical moisturising of the paw paw which feels lightly greasy in a nice gentle way.

Day 21 - Post day 3

This morning I just rinsed my face as I haven't gathered the strength for a shave. The itching was low level last night and whenever I awoke there wasn't as much outright itchiness as previous evenings. On suggestion from a friend I tried sleeping with my head higher up than normal, on a couple of pillows to see if blood circulation may be an influence. It may have helped.

Today's shot is after a rinse, then pawpaw + cortisone cream.
It still looks and feels like hell, but maybe I'm just wimping out.

I will put Efudix on the two known sites of sun spots today ( top left cheek bone and bridge of nose). That would make 21 days of treatment for at least those trouble spots, 18 days treatment for the entire face. That's it!

I hope the healing accelerates soon. Wherever my beard grows is literally painful to touch.

Day 20 - Post day 2

Yesterday was spent trying to work out how to stop the stinging. I got some stronger cortisone cream and have found the only thing that doesn't hurt when I apply it - a paw paw cream that actually doesn't sting, and seems to keep things moisturised. Apart from that, not much luck and most of the day was spent with a few ice packs in front of the tv.
I still applied the cream to two spots that I think had actual sunspots that I know of, but have now gone 48 hours without any cream all over, though my face is still quite hot and I don't see anything abating just yet.

Last night got woken up a few times with stinging and itching, but somehow resisted the urge to pat or rub my face , and eventually went back to sleep. Where my beard grows is so painful to touch yet I know it will be torture to shave today!

STOP PRESS. This morning I went to the gym but my chin/beard became so unbearably itchy/stinging (8/10) that I got a bit distressed and had to leave, come home, have a shower and shave. I finished with mix of Dermaid 1% cortisone cream and the paw paw ointment..
It immediately felt better, but unfortunately the relief is short-lived, and I"m again itching on my forehead nearly uncontrollably. I will try to remain calm and see if that helps.

Still look like Deadpool. Worse actually, as I've got blood spots.

Day 19 - Giving up the cream - post Day 1

Yesterday after finding no way to stop the stinging, and another night of little sleep I've decided to stop the cream. I have compared my face to the two example faces on the brochure the Dermo supplied, and I am definitely in the 'severe reaction' side rather than the 'mild reaction'. As I've seen a few people who had severe reactions go to their Dermo who immediately said 'STOP', I figure missing three days won't be critical. The reaction has well and truly spread across my whole face.

This morning shaving was torture, and nothing seemed to not sting, neither water, cortisone cream, moisturiser, nothing. The only thing that seems to dull the pain is gentle pressure like my hands or dabbing the towel. And cold packs. I might try a stronger cortisone cream instead of the 0.5% i've been using so far.


Not sure how to approach the healing, whether just to let it go on its own, or to apply creams etc. I figure it will get a bit worse before it starts to get better, as the reaction is probably still happening.
The brochure suggests two-four weeks of healing, but could be longer. I'm estimating 8 weeks before you can't notice anything.

I enclose another picture of Saint Damien of Molokai, The Leper Priest.

This might be a good 'before' and 'after' shot for Efudix treatment.

Before	After

Day 18 - Compromise

After a pretty miserable day yesterday I think I'm going to spend the last 4 days with only one application (in the morning) instead of two per day. For the last few nights I've been woken by pain and itching on my face, around 2:00 3:00 am. For most of the day I can get by with it ok and can nearly ignore it ( let's say 4/10), but for some parts of the day (early afternoon, and very late at night) the level rises significantly and it's close to, let's say, 7/10. I used ice packs yesterday which felt wonderful but the cooling effect stops immediately you remove the pack so it's very temporary. I'm not prepared to do that in the middle of the night in bed....So last night I skipped the evening application, figuring that about 6 hours after one applies the cream that the cell suicide starts (and the pain).  I still got woken around 2-3 but not so badly.

What a wimp!

A lot of skin flaked off this morning, it's definitely having the desired effect. My brother in law has done this but he was advised to do one section e.g. forehead, at a time, and one week on, three weeks off. Would I do the same maybe? I'm not sure. I like the idea of doing it all at once ( his way means each section needs to be done for at least 4 months!) but I don't think I would ever recommend anyone going through my days 12 -18!. I was imagining mild aggravation. This has turned out to be major discomfort and constant major aggravation, and near to 'god it hurts'.

The two people I know who have done this both only did it for two weeks, and I'm being urged to do the same. I figure a compromise will be to do the whole recommended 21 days, but for my last 5 days only do one thorough application in the morning. That should keep the cell suicide going but reduce the severity.

Good Luck !

Day 17 - Ouch

Most of yesterday was pottering around the house, shopping, quiet stuff, and by the afternoon treatment my face had settled down to the point where I'd sometimes not feel and forget the treatment. Going to bed I was much the same, but come 3:00am my god it's like all of a sudden there's stinging and itching that kept me awake the rest of the night.
I'm not sure if there are any factors that increase the uncomfortableness, maybe it's overlap of treatment, lying horizontal..Don't know. But I'm not looking forward to another night of waking at 3.

This morning was very sore and tight, so a gentle face wash with warm water and a cloth, and then the cream, plus I've started taking a couple of Panadol (paracetamol, acetaminophen or 'Tylenol' to those readers who only  know brand names)..the theory being ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory

and my partner is suggesting that maybe the cream is meant to have an inflammatory action so best not to fight it with. 

It all feels ok now, but I'm now thinking of stopping this before the scheduled Thursday because I'm well and truly over it - only 4.5 days left.

Here's today's shot, showing me in a fetching shade of 'burns victim pink'.

Day 16 - Return home

After a pleasant flight home with the air conditioning vent cooly calming my face, I returned home. But, sleep was difficult as my face was the most itchy and stinging it has ever been, and I'm now suspecting maybe putting my face in the air flow on the plane was not the best idea....or, I've reached a new stage where sleep will now be tricky.

I might try the Dermaid again to see if I can keep my face more moisturised at night. Or an ibuprofen sandwich.

Only 5 more days to go.
I hate this. The photo this morning is hideous. I have become Deadpool.

Day 15 - The last week starts!

Leaving Perth to return to a hopefully cooler climate of Sydney. I hope i don't scare the other passengers.

Skin starting to peel off now, around my nose. The uncomfortableness factor is about 4/10, sometimes 6/10. Sometimes it stings, sometimes it just itches. Either it is plateauing, or i"m getting more resilient.

I am noticing tiny red spots like blood, in the extra angry areas. Someone warned me this may happen, it's bleeding. Hardly noticeable today, I will watch it.

There's a lot more flaking of skin on my forehead. It feels hot and irritated all the time now, though I haven't had any problems sleeping or anything, more a constant annoyance. I have not used the Dermaid cream yesterday, I think it didn't really do much. I think ibuprofen might be better for reducing the discomfort. You can't take that stuff all the time though. I didn't take any yesterday, and didn't really notice.

I have been told by a few people to stop after two weeks, however I am handling it ok so I will press on for the remaining SIX DAYS!

Day 14 - two weeks

I have started to gently peel on my forehead, like first skin after a sunburn. Where the bridge of my nose meets my forehead is sore and starting to crust. I try not to raise my eyebrows in surprise as it hurts!

I used some Dermaid (0.5%) gentle cortisone cream, for the first time yesterday evening, waiting a few hours after applying the Efudix. It seemed to tone down the heat/itching/scratching feeling, but not that much. It could have been the 2 ibuprofens as well.

My face is feeling quite warm and tight, and I am reluctant to smile or be very animated. However, yesterday I went out with Dear Cousin and had a huge hamburger, thanks Sabrina. Also had a great dinner with old school friend last night. This morning I think I might have grazed myself shaving, but couldn't see it as everything is red anyway!

Two people I know only did two weeks before stopping - one has suggested I should do the same thing. I'll try a few more days and if it becomes totally unbearable I'll consider that at least I got 14 straight days in. 

Here's today's progress.

Day 13 - slightly 'ouch'

The itchy & scratchy is kind of there all the time but low level enough to not interfere too much. Watching tv I find myself patting my face gently as it tickles/tingles from time to time. I don't think I should do this as I don't want to risk infection.

My face feels like it's very sunburned, ok until you frown or raise your eyebrows and then it's 'ouch'.

Across my nose and cheekbones the spots are joining up into a 'mass'. Where my glasses sit on the bridge of my nose is tender so I didn't put any cream on that spot this morning and will likely reduce the amount I use around there. Last night I used a little section of folded kleenex to pad where my glasses nosepieces were sitting, that seemed to help.

One thing I've noted is to be careful applying cream to folds or creases in the skin, like around the outsides of the nostrils join your face, and where my chin folds, as  I think you can get irritation in those spots.

Anyway, another day down. Having lunch with my cousin and then dinner with a school friend.

Day 12 - 9 days left!

So this is getting a bit old now. Some sections are starting to gently peel like sunburn. My cold is giving me sinus headaches..well I hope it's the cold and hope it's not the cream doing it.

Between the brows and across the bridge of my nose looks ready to start peeling. I hope this is not painful.  Nothing much seems to have changed since yesterday.

I might go out to the city today, scare some shoppers.

Day 11 - Life Goes On

"Oh the pain, the pain" (Harris, Jonathan - 'Dr Smith' in 'Lost In Space')

Yesterday was a little bit miserable as I have a cough/cold and feeling ratty, plus I have started to be able to feel the itchy & scratchy most of the day. However, I had a very nice dinner with some friends one of whom has been through a Efudix treatment before so we had a lot to talk about.


This morning I hope my cold retreats a bit, and I am now more than half way through the application days....and then have to deal with the healing days that kick off April Fools Day (1/4/16). And I talked my credit card company out of a late payment fee that they charged, so a good start to the day.

Here is today's gorgeous portrait.

Day 10 - Itchy and Scratchy

The mild tingly sunburn feeling is getting stronger, and it's now a noticeable dull sting, especially after washing my face in the morning. It feels better to put the cream back on as I imagine the slight greasiness of it helps.

My spots are getting larger and appear to be joining together a bit. I am hoping it will not become like some of the images I have found on the net from searching for 'Efudix' or 'Efudex'. There are a couple of people there that had almost complete coverage in activity after the first few days. On contacting their Dermo some of them were told they had an aggressive reaction and were advised to stop the treatment right then. So, I'm proposing that not everyone has such aggressive reactions to the cream, but if you do have a reaction that looks extraordinary FOR GOD'S SAKE speak to your Dermo.

 I imagine the itchy & scratchy gets more uncomfortable as it goes on. Not harming or affecting my sleep, and it's mostly in the morning that you notice it.

But again it's only Day 10 - only 11 more to go before I can stop putting the cream on.

Day 9 - Light tightening on face

Woke this morning with a tight feeling across my face, I suppose this is the precursor to having the flaking and peeling phase. Nothing major, just like feeling mildly sunburned.  Spots are getting a bit stronger but no total coverage of any region yet.

After showering I noticed it is a bit like being sunburned, prickly and sensitive.

Here's me just after morning treatment.

Day 8 - Start of Week 2

This morning I could feel a gentle stinging when I applied the cream. I'm also going to try it on a spot on my forearm that has a few lumpy flaky bits, to see what will happen.

I have been using three small blobs of cream - about the size of a chick pea - one for my forehead, one for cheekbones, temples and nose, and the third for chin and jaw and cheek.

Now I will use one more for the spot on the crown of my scalp, and the flaky bit on left forearm.

These photos are a bit creepy but hopefully will be of help to someone.

I have my fingers crossed that my course of treatment will not be as painful as some of the other people's that I have stumbled across on the net. There are a couple where their entire face has become one contiguous affected area, rather than the spots I'm having (so far, maybe I'm talking too soon).

Whatever, maybe this will be helpful as a comparison to theirs, in that not all Efudix treatments need be as excruciating. Mine so far has been mildly uncomfortable at most....but then it's only the end of the first week!

Day 7 - One week down, nothing unbearable yet

Last night was the first time I could feel a slight warmth or gentle stinging as I was going to sleep. I can definitely see which areas are going to be affected now, quite a lot around my chin (which I would sometimes see after not shaving for a few days and wondered 'what are those?' - must have been some kind of pre cancerous lesion...)
Any way, day 7 passes peacefully.

Day 6 - Visit Dad

I have come to visit my father in Perth, probably not the best place to be right now because Perth is So Sunny, but I have a few hats and a lot of sunscreen.

Today I can really see how bad this might become. In the bathroom lighting at the airport I could see my forehead looking like it might be covered entirely with spots, though now in the normal light it's not so obvious. 

Anyway, I think I can see a lot of Efudix action about to happen.

Yikes!

Day 5 - Can see what might happen

Today I tried applying just a tad more than I was the first 4 days. I had been using it much like tretinoin cream ( very thinly). I can see a lot of areas that look like they will get affected. Took a couple of shots, nothing much more dramatic than more spot.

Day 4 plus graphic images!

This photo is after the morning treatment, Day 4. Some slight spot reddening. I think I can see where  some areas look like it's going to be pretty bad, though at the moment don't see much and don't feel anything.

Day 3 Nothing really.

Expecting to see more activity than is there. A few red spots, and still getting used to applying it. Am trying to do it very thinly yet evenly, and I have also started doing a patch on the top of my scalp under the hair that has been scaly for some time, but I fear it's already changed into some kind of skin cancer already and may not get affected by the cream. Whatever, it's a little experiment I decided to do after seeing at a medical site how it had been applied to someone's scalp, with hair on.

Later this evening I could see some reddening around the chin but I sometimes look like that anyway at the end of a hot day.

Day 2

I should give some background. I'm 54 years old, born and raised in Perth Western Australia which is probably one of the sunniest places that people live, not far from the southern hole in the ozone layer. As a kid we romped carelessly in the sun for months on end. Every summer was a time of beaching, burning and peeling. Plus, I'm of very Anglo Saxon genes with fair, pale skin. So, all stacked against me for having sun damage in my adult life. I've had a few laser sessions to remove veins and red marks, the odd sun spot frozen off around my nose and forehead, but Dermo has decided now that there's too much to do spot by spot, and so I am embarking on Day 2 of 21 days, twice a day.

 Nothing to speak of today. Oh, this guy has blogged the whole thing, his inspired me to do the same. I hope it goes smoother than his did! http://efudexed.blogspot.com.au/p/treatment-journal-from-beginning.html And, I've seen the cream named 'Efudix', and 'Efudex', so will tag both.

Day 1 Starting to use Efudix

So, my dermatologist has advised me to do a course of Efudix creme on my face, three weeks, twice a day. Today is day 1 - 11 march I'll try to document as I go. i found someone else's blog and it was very helpful/scary to see what lies ahead!