Approx 3 weeks ago I visited docs as I realised the tiny scab I found on my scalp about 2 months previous was still there. I was told by the doctor it was Actinic Keratoses, which can if left untreated turn into something nasty, so she gave me some Efudix cream to put on each night & wash off each morning, for 4 weeks. Nothing showed until about the 10 day mark when red blotches appeared & became a little tender. Looking at youtube videos of people who have gone through this ritual I gained one fact I wasn't warned about, which was to put the cream on a few hours before bed so as it soakes in & doesn't go all over your pillow. Well my scalp & forehead was still not dry even in the morning, whether I put too much cream on I don't know, but a red spot appeared near my eye, which must have occurred in my sleep. I'm now parenoid & now wear white cotton gloves in bed with an old pair of spctacles to try to keep my hands away from my eyes, but it's probably happend by my face touching a spot on the pillow that had cream on from being rubbed off my head. I'm now changing pillowcases every day to be on the safe side.
I've got one more week of Efudix on my head, then a few weeks to clear itself up. When you go outside whilst using Efudix, you must cover up & put sun protection on your face, & the wife & I went for a walk this afternoon, I could not wear shorts, the weather is extremely mild for the end of October, so I was slightly hot. Oh & you cannot drink alcahol whilst using this cream. This is also the reason I haven't finished my video on my hip replacement, it's spoilt my good looks, Ha Ha only joking!!
Pic shows me on 9/10/22 just 5days into the treatment, nothing seems to happen until about 10 days,
Btw I did only put a very thin layer of cream on as I read that putting more on does not make it work any quicker, only thing I did was wash my head, allow to dry then apply the cream so as to let it soak in for at least 3 hours before going to bed, & it was still sticky in the morning, that's why I wore cotton gloves & turned pillow over all ways everytime I woke up, plus changed pillowcase every day.
I also wore shades one night to stop me touching my eyes in case I had inadvertently touched my head, & frightened the life out of the wife, actually I think at first she thought I was Patrick Swasey Ha Ha !!!
Pic shows me on 21/10/22 approx. 2.5 weeks into my 4week stint with Efudix treatment, note the red spot near my eye, which as I said above, I think ocurred whilst I was asleep, but has since dropped off & now thank God is clear, but the original reason for doing this, the scab on my scalp is still there but whether something is going on underneath it I will find our next week, when I visit the doc to assess what should happen next.
This third pic below, ( sorry this text doesn't want to move) is also taken on 28/10/22, just a different angle, you can clearly see the scab which, started all this thing off.
They tell you to not just put the cream on the scab itself, but a thin layer all over my scalp as it can pick up things which could show like the scab I found in later years, so doing it now kind of stops them now.
(Update to follow)
Pic shows the famous scab taken just before I started the Efudix treatment. (screenshot from video I took)
Update 20/11/22
the scab has dropped off but still have to have it checked at the RVI
,the red flaky forehead is now smooth & the redness has almost gone, but going out I have to wear a cap, put suncream on my face & back of hands & I cannot wear shorts as yet. I never used to put cream on my legs as they never tanned ever, apart from when we were in Greece for 2 weeks when I did out loads of cream everywhere.
I've since been applying moistureiser on my head & the red blotchers on my forehead have almost gone.
I have seen the dermatologist at the RVI Newcastle & he said he had no concerns which made my day, but he said I should use the Efudix again just on top of my head twice a day, but with all the strikes I haven't received his letter as yet, so I will be commencing my Efudix treatment after the new year as you cannot drink alcohol with it.
I’ve now done the Efudix on my head again & now seems ok, it didn’t bring anything else up so I’m happy.