Efudex Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Efudex is recommended for the topical treatment of multiple actinic or solar keratoses. An actinic keratosis is a precancerous skin lesion that may be caused by sun damage. Actinic keratoses are not skin cancer, but they often turn into skin cancer.

Efudex Dosage

• Apply Efudex cream or solution 2 times a day, or Carac cream once a day,but it should be in an amount sufficient to cover the affected area.
• The usual length of treatment is from 2 to 4 weeks.
• Medical researcher has believed that it may not see complete healing of the affected area for 1 to 2 months after ending the treatment.

Uses of Efudex

• Efudex is used to treat scaly overgrowths of skin.
• Efudex may also be used in the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma.
• Efudex may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Side Effects of Efudex

Common side effect of efudex is redness and swelling of normal skin.

Other side effects may also occur but that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue, worsen, or are bothersome burning feeling where medicine is applied; increased sensitivity of skin to sunlight; itching; oozing; skin rash; soreness or tenderness of skin darkening of skin; scaling; watery eyes .

Warnings and precautions before taking Efudex:

• Do not use Efudex on skin that is irritated, peeling, or infected or on open wounds. Wait until these conditions have fully healed before using Efudex.
• Efudex should be applied preferably with a nonmetal applicator or suitable glove.
• If Efudex is applied with the fingers, the hands should be washed immediately afterward.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you intend to become pregnant.
• Although fluorouracil applied to the skin has not been shown to cause problems in humans, some of it is absorbed through the skin and there is a chance that it could cause birth defects.Appropriate therapy for pre-existing concomitant inflammatory dermatoses should be instituted before using the drug.

Drug Interaction:-

• There are no known drug interactions with topical fluorouracil. But if you are taking Efudex with certain other drugs, then the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. So it is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Efudex with other drugs.
• A moisturizer or sunscreen may be applied 2 hours after applying fluorouracil cream.
• Do not use any other skin products including creams, lotions, medications or cosmetics, unless instructed by your health care provider.

Overdose

Since fluorouracil is applied topically, it is highly unlikely that an overdosage would occur. In the event that this preparation is accidentaly ingested, signs of toxicity may include diarrhea, stomatitis, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia.

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