I go to the dermatologist regularly to have spots of actinic keratosis (pre cancerous cells) frozen off. This time, she said, "Lets try something a bit more vigorous" and prescribed a solution I was to put on my face twice a day for 2 weeks.
She said something like, "It doesn't look like you have that much damage, other than these few spots so you shouldn't have a very strong 'reaction.'"
OHHHHH BOY!
By day 3 or 4, my face was burning and itching so I looked up this stuff, flourouracil, and discovered it is a topical chemo therapy drug. It essentially attacks any damaged skin (as you can see I have a lot!) and dissolves it. Then when the cells start repairing themselves it attacks the faster replicating cells, which are often the cancer cells, by killing some portion of the DNA within the cells.
Who thinks this stuff up? Man!
Anyway, by the end of the 2 weeks I was in terrible pain. I would fill my sink with ice water and stick my face in it for some relief!
The scarring has all gone away now. But I think I have the same old face. My sister thought it was great! Like some kind of spa treatment covered by insurance. But it was pretty terrible.
This is Day 13 (whole blogs are dedicated to warning others about how awful this stuff is, by the way).
This is one week after stopping. I know I still look awful. But I was so happy becuase it quit hurting!
I have to see the dermatologist week after next and I KNOW she's gonna want me to put this stuff on my chest, which she's very concerned about. Great, just great!
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