Efudex

1. Efudex may be used over a course of three weeks, usually resulting in an intense reaction, or over a longer period of several months to lessen the degree of reaction. You may wish to discuss this with your doctor.
2. Not all actinic keratoses are easily seen so you may experience a local reaction of the medication in areas you did not expect. As a result, it is impossible for us to predict the exact nature or the degree of reaction you will experience.
3. You will probably have a very obvious red facial rash that may raise questions if your employment requires you to meet the public or handle food in public.
4. Hot weather and sweating will contribute to the over-all discomfort of Efudex treatment.
5. The most common side effects are redness, itching, burning, tenderness, scaling, crusting, and/or swelling. If any of these become severe or if you notice any drainage that is green, yellow, or appears to be pus, please call our office.
6. The side effects of Efudex are generally considered to be topical only so the use of Efudex should not make you sick in the sense of nausea, vomiting, or cause you to experience aches and pains.
7. It is important to keep your face gently washed during treatment. You may apply Aquaphor, Vaseline, or over-the-counter Hydrocortisone ointment to the area treated after applying Efudex. Do not apply prior to Efudex application.
8. It is expected that normal skin will replace the keratosis, but healing can take one to two months depending on the severity of your reaction. This may vary greatly between patients.

For Questions or Emergency Care:
Call the office at 601-984-5160. You may need to speak with the doctor on-call.

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