I woke up this morning with a forehead many Hollywood-types would be jealous of. Well, except for the red color and dry skin flaking off that is. There was not a wrinkle on it. It was very painful to move and my chin remains very tight unless lubricated with Aquaphor. So much that it's hard to move my mouth to even speak. The skin is not coming off in chunks anymore, but in annoyingly small pieces that are hard to get off. Very itchy too.
The center of my forehead and my chin are still somewhat numb, leading me to think that there is still considerable peeling to happen in those two particular spots.
Two different people this past weekend suggested Cannabis oil would have been a much better way to do this than the Efudex, making about 4 people this week that mentioned it. That video sure gets around. I first heard about cannabis oil about a week before starting treatment. I asked around and no one seemed able to get me any. At the time I chalked it up to some of the other alternative therapies everyone and their uncle seemed to be putting forward. Perhaps I'll put some feelers out again.
They have it at Noah's (the Spadina/Bloor location) (two brands, cannabis sativa and hemp seed oil - same thing, apparently); for $10.79.
ReplyDeleteAs icky and painful as this version is, I'm glad you did it first. Maybe try the cannabis oil on your shoulders?
Also, I was going to call you later anyway - do you need those things we spoke of on Friday night? I can drop them off on the way home from work if so.
P.S. I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE my pressies! Some lovely things in there - thank you so much! xoxoxo
Oh, also - I just found the (a?) study about this for your reading pleasure if you haven't already come across it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jci.org/articles/view/37948
Thanks for the link and the info about Noahs. Re: Friday night items, I'm good but thanks! and I'm glad you liked your prezzies!
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing the blog. I actually got it at the counter at Costco. I follow your progress with my own as a guide. My treatment is 3 weeks and this is the last week. I have swelling but to be expected. I will finish the week.
ReplyDeleteYou mean Costco is giving out information about this Blog?
DeleteWhere are you Max? Maybe I should go into that Costco and introduce myself. ;-)
Good luck with the rest of the week and hang in there! My last few days were *very* difficult but healing starts quickly afterwards.
I have been reading your blog to help me through this treatment. I have 4 days left of efedux on my face and chest. I am in such incredible pain. Showers are so painful now. I can't wait to not be in constant pain anymore. I keep referring to your blog to make sure it's not just me. You honestly are helping me get through this and I thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteHi Libby, by now you are either finished or 1 more day! Hang in there. I know it's tough. Be prepared for things to hurt or hurt a little more for a day or 3 after treatment, before the pain subsides and then you'll probably notice some fading fairly quickly. If you have some Aquaphor, I'd suggest using it for the first few days after treatment RIGHT after your shower before your skin tightens up and gets painful. It's not just you - this is a serious treatment - how many days have you been doing it?
ReplyDeleteI just finished 30 days on my face and chest. I'm using aquaphor a lot now. I noticed it makes my face feel wet and weepy. Showers are still incredibly painful. I can't wait to not be in pain anymore. I have a few spots I'll need to have looked at if they don't heal up but other then that I think it went well. I have to say I would not suggest this treatment to anyone. I think I'll opt for the laser if its needed again. Did you use anything besides the aquaphor after you were done? I was thinking of vitamin e oil.
ReplyDeleteI don't recall using anything but the Aquaphor for several days afterwards. I found that anything else irritated my skin too much. Even Noxema, which is soothing for sunburns hurt to the point of washing it off. You could try the vitamin e oil. I don't know where you are but if it's summer and you're outside - some sort of SPF sunscreen is a must. (I did my treatment in the fall into December and limited most of my ventures outside to night hours as even sunlight through windows hurt. )
ReplyDeleteI haven't attempted any sunscreen yet. When did it feel well enough to put it on? It still feels like I'm rubbing shards of glass on my face when I put the aquaphor on. I notice my skin bleeds a little too. I made the mistake of doing this treatment in the middle of summer. I live in southern California and it has been hot every day. I hide under clothes and run to my car to hide from the sun. I need a vampire cape! I hate how people stare line I have some contagious disease! I'm hoping I'll heal quick but so far I'm not seeing any relief.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late reply!
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall it being about a week or so, but I had the luxury of cooler weather and lower-in-the-sky sun in December to deal with. I was in California last week and wow, that must really hurt when the sun hits your face!
I had a hooded coat that I ventured out in - someone tried giving me money as I was sitting outside enjoying some fresh air. Yes, the stares are very unsettling - as is the way people treat you differently. (Even some of the people you think you know...)
Note that even after most of the red/pink fades, it'll probably flare up for a few hours, immediately after washing your face, putting sunscreen on, or putting moisturizer on - for several months. I think it took about 6 months before I didn't turn pink after putting sunscreen on or washing my face. I was patchy.
You may find a tinted moisturizer (with SPF), or even a tinted sunscreen helpful during that time to help blend things in.
Libby, I guess it was longer than a week. I see this post is Healing Day 7 and I remember from that photo that I was still only using Aquaphor to loosen things up and wasn't venturing outside during daylight hours if I could help it. Fortunately, or rather - unfortunately, I'd passed the point of being able to work full time at that point because I was scaring people off and wasn't sleeping enough to even function.
DeleteI'd suggest asking your Dr. maybe he/she can recommend something that others have used that have SPF in it that won't irritate too much.