End of this Round

My cheek is finally finished peeling, almost three weeks after I stopped the 4-week application of Efudex. This was a much longer and stronger reaction than when I only used the Efudex for two weeks, and I think it is more likely to have been effective. Here is what the final week looked like:

12 days after stopping Efudex

13 days after stopping Efudex

16 days after stopping Efudex. All clear except faint redness.

This will be the final entry for this round. I have another appointment with my dermatologist at the end of June and might start another "Efudex experiment" on my cheek after that.

Four weeks and done

I kept applying the Efudex to my cheek twice per day for four weeks, which ended a week ago. When I did it 4 months ago, I only applied it for two weeks, which didn't seem to be long enough. This time, I got about the same reaction in the first two weeks -- the skin turned very red and peeled in a few places. There wasn't as much additional change in the second two weeks as I expected, although there were a few spots that started to ooze blood, especially an area right below my eye, and there was extensive peeling. During the week since I stopped the Efudex, the bleeding areas have scabbed over and the the other areas have continued peeling. The peeling is much more extensive than when I only used the Efudex for two weeks, and it is easier to picture that it is actually shedding the layers of sun-damaged skin cells.

18 days of Efudex

4 weeks - Last day of Efudex

One week after stopping Efudex

This second application on my cheek seems to have achieved the reaction that most people describe. I think my dermatologist is just too conservative when she recommends only two weeks and says that it is done when it turns red. Other users, and even the official web site for the Efudex product, talk about a treatment of 3 to 4 weeks and a "destruction" phase when the skin ulcerates and peels. In any case, I will probably do another "Efudex experiment" after my next derm appointment at the end of June to see if the cheek reacts to a third application. If the sun damage is really removed, it shouldn't react so strongly the next time!