Prescription fluorouracil (also known as Carac, Efudex, or Fluoroplex) is traditionally given to treat precancerous skin lesions. However, according to a 2009 study published in Archives of Dermatology, patients who used the cream daily for two weeks had decreases in wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and brown spots, as well as precancers. As researcher Dr. Dana L. Sachs, M.D. states in the December 2009 issue of Allure magazine, “[People who use fluorouracil]…tend to look really good afteward.” Sachs further notes that additional studies are needed to determine fluorouracil’s cosmetic use in people with relatively mild sun damage.
Look for exciting developments (and perhaps an over-the-counter strength fluorouracil) in the future!
Photo source:
david_posner_fluorouracil
Originally uploaded by posnie (flickr)
Nicki this seems so interesting! Maybe it’s the new retiniod for skin since cellular proliferation causes aging and it stops this, but I just saw a study that says topical fluorouracil works by increasing “epidermal injury (keratin 16), inflammation (interleukin 1β), and extracellular matrix degradation (matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 3)”.
“Topical fluorouracil causes epidermal injury, which stimulates wound healing and dermal remodeling resulting in improved appearance. The mechanism of topical fluorouracil in photoaged skin follows a predictable wound healing pattern of events reminiscent of that seen with laser treatment of photoaging.”
http://archderm.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/145/6/659
This study says that fluorouracil works by causing injury to the skin (like AHAs) by I also read that it works by stopping DNA synthesis and proliferation (like sirtuins/resveratrol/retiniods) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorouracil#Mode_of_action.
Do you think it’s more similar to a retinoid/sirtuin in stopping proliferation, or like AHAs in exfoliating the skin and therefore causing more proliferation?
But anyway great article i’ve never heard of fluorouracil before!
Hey Nicki,
who are the winners for the john freida root spray? —you posted the contest dec. 14th–