Having tested small patches on the arm with extra virgin olive oil, thought everything would be okay as there was no apparent reaction. So decided to test it on the whole body before I went to sleep. Bad bad bad bad bad!
After 1 hour I started feeling a little itchy on the upper arms, then the legs, then the torso. I tried to ignore it as I wanted to sleep. No way, the itching intensified and here was acute eczema presenting itself. Hives everywhere. After 15 more minutes of enduring, decided to get up and have a good salt out to leech out the oils that had got into my skin. Unfortunately too late as had done damage all over.
The day after was not too great either, salting it again and again, eventually the itching died down and now have to remember to touch or pick the mess! Oh well good thing I had some healing time before this. Time to start again. Must remember if things are going well - not too change too much from the routine!
And to top off everything, Friday night the spinach was looking great, the beans were growing nicely. Woke up in the morning and everything had been trimmed back! Thought my house mate had picked them, but in fact a deer(s) had come and eaten everything. Oh well at least the deer has eaten well.
Sunday 29 June 2008
Monday 23 June 2008
Cook Me
Soooo having used the dead sea salt for 3 days (didn't manage to buy oats but bought lots of other things!), the pain is getting more tolerable so that I can bear to keep it on the skin for a couple of minutes!
Have just been reminded about using Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I have used this in the past but found I reacted to the oil. However, since my system now rejects the E45 creams I was using, I have tried olive oil again. If I react to it then I would just cook with it! Anyway applied it on both arms and no reaction.......
So am now salted and oiled - wonder what cooking time I should put myself on?
Have just been reminded about using Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I have used this in the past but found I reacted to the oil. However, since my system now rejects the E45 creams I was using, I have tried olive oil again. If I react to it then I would just cook with it! Anyway applied it on both arms and no reaction.......
So am now salted and oiled - wonder what cooking time I should put myself on?
Saturday 21 June 2008
Not All Sea Salts Are the Same - Dead Sea Sea Salt
Someone has recommended dead sea salt to help accelerate the healing process. Doing a web search, seems like it may have theraputic properties over normal ocean sea salt due to its higher mineral content.
So I bought 1 kg to see if it would have an effect. I applied my concentrated sprinkling of salt over my entire body as per normal. OMG - intense pain on the scratched areas. I could not keep it left on for long although it appears to have had an effect on the skin. Maybe it has a more acidic nature that a pH test would indicate.
Have just been recommended to mix it with a solution of oatmeal before I apply it to my skin. So off to the shops I go to buy oats!
So I bought 1 kg to see if it would have an effect. I applied my concentrated sprinkling of salt over my entire body as per normal. OMG - intense pain on the scratched areas. I could not keep it left on for long although it appears to have had an effect on the skin. Maybe it has a more acidic nature that a pH test would indicate.
Have just been recommended to mix it with a solution of oatmeal before I apply it to my skin. So off to the shops I go to buy oats!
Wednesday 18 June 2008
One Step Forward and Two Steps Back
Hotel Destruction
My job requires me to travel and this means living in hotels and no guarantees about the environmental factors. So I arrive at the hotel late at night, weary and tired and go to bed. During the course of the night I am itchy, restless and have a mini scratch destruction. Unfortunately a sharp edge of one of my finger nails ploughed thru some areas of the skin.
Oh well, alas back to square one.....flaky, over dry skin. Getting up was a chore, my body felt aweful, my face was very red and the eyes red and puffy.
I've had an allergic reaction. Two things:
- the room was warm - got the hotel to supply a fan
- the bedding was feather pillows and a down duvet - got the hotel to replace all bedding with anti-allegenic.
Getting Back on Track
I had forgotten the Aloe Vera and not had time to find any in shops close by. I think great let's see if there is an impact. It took 5 days to get the itching back under control again. Getting up during the night when itchy to have a cold shower as well as using the sea salt treatment. However the skin did not feel as moist as when Aloe Vera had been applied when the skin was at a similar condition earlier on in the year.
So my lesson this week to all sufferers, is to check your bedding before you go to sleep.
My job requires me to travel and this means living in hotels and no guarantees about the environmental factors. So I arrive at the hotel late at night, weary and tired and go to bed. During the course of the night I am itchy, restless and have a mini scratch destruction. Unfortunately a sharp edge of one of my finger nails ploughed thru some areas of the skin.
Oh well, alas back to square one.....flaky, over dry skin. Getting up was a chore, my body felt aweful, my face was very red and the eyes red and puffy.
I've had an allergic reaction. Two things:
- the room was warm - got the hotel to supply a fan
- the bedding was feather pillows and a down duvet - got the hotel to replace all bedding with anti-allegenic.
Getting Back on Track
I had forgotten the Aloe Vera and not had time to find any in shops close by. I think great let's see if there is an impact. It took 5 days to get the itching back under control again. Getting up during the night when itchy to have a cold shower as well as using the sea salt treatment. However the skin did not feel as moist as when Aloe Vera had been applied when the skin was at a similar condition earlier on in the year.
So my lesson this week to all sufferers, is to check your bedding before you go to sleep.
Saturday 14 June 2008
When Nothing Happens....
Monday
Could only find sea salt flakes in the shop so bought them. What a mistake! Rubbing it onto wet skin is far more abrassive. So have to work a bit harder to use them, i.e. wet the salt a little to dissolve rough edges before rubbing it onto skin.
Tuesday
Started detox meal plan today and for the next 4 days ate the following:
Breakfast: Porridge oats with soya milk
Lunch: Jacket Potato plus salad
Dinner: Rocket leaves, beetroot, corn, raw cashews, tuna fish, avocado salad
I lay in bed and did nothing.....normally I am scratching some part of my body, but I did not feel itchy. It was a strange feeling. Unfortunately later on during the night my legs did feel itchy. However it felt as if I was being given a taster of things to come.
Wednesday - Saturday
The skin appears to be healing. The itching has reduced, although there are still flakes of dry skin on the torso.
The improvement in skin quality and tone, leads me to believe that the sea salt has been playing a part of the healing process. I will continue with the sea salt. Diet might be helping.
I have bicarbonate of soda on stand by in case the itching reappears. A friend had recommended I use the bicarbonate of soda on any itchy areas. I did use it once and burnt my skin as I had put a dampened concentrated mush on. My friend had told me I was suppose to have used a diluted version i.e. one teaspoon in a glass of water. Oh well at least I felt pain instead of itchiness!
Could only find sea salt flakes in the shop so bought them. What a mistake! Rubbing it onto wet skin is far more abrassive. So have to work a bit harder to use them, i.e. wet the salt a little to dissolve rough edges before rubbing it onto skin.
Tuesday
Started detox meal plan today and for the next 4 days ate the following:
Breakfast: Porridge oats with soya milk
Lunch: Jacket Potato plus salad
Dinner: Rocket leaves, beetroot, corn, raw cashews, tuna fish, avocado salad
I lay in bed and did nothing.....normally I am scratching some part of my body, but I did not feel itchy. It was a strange feeling. Unfortunately later on during the night my legs did feel itchy. However it felt as if I was being given a taster of things to come.
Wednesday - Saturday
The skin appears to be healing. The itching has reduced, although there are still flakes of dry skin on the torso.
The improvement in skin quality and tone, leads me to believe that the sea salt has been playing a part of the healing process. I will continue with the sea salt. Diet might be helping.
I have bicarbonate of soda on stand by in case the itching reappears. A friend had recommended I use the bicarbonate of soda on any itchy areas. I did use it once and burnt my skin as I had put a dampened concentrated mush on. My friend had told me I was suppose to have used a diluted version i.e. one teaspoon in a glass of water. Oh well at least I felt pain instead of itchiness!
Sunday 8 June 2008
Slip Sliding Away
This week the ears, face and neck are starting to look normal!
However, on Friday I was feeling a little down, about being continuously itchy, trying hard to restrain myself from the slippery slope of scratching, taking chunks out of my skin (as had done so earlier in the week on my arm), and the whole eczema cycle. Had taken two baths one in the morning and one at night to ease off the itch and decided to go to bed early.
I woke up Saturday feeling calm, the skin on my torso and legs felt calm, and it was a rather odd feeling. Looking at my email I noticed a friendly mail had come through from a Singaporean friend, saying he had been praying about my skin. :o)
This weekend, I have noticed the skin on the torso has improved although still spotty in areas. I am still following a regime of:
a) showering my skin to wet it and plugging the bath to retain the water
b) salting my skin with sea salt, leaving it on for a couple of minutes
c) washing salt off and now sitting in diluted salty water
d) rubbing balneum plus on my skin to put the moisture back in
e) washing the bath oil off after a couple of minutes
f) relaxing in a salty oily bath water for about 5-10 minutes more.
After I towel dry myself (or if warm enough dry off naturally), I apply aloe vera gel. The one in the picture is from my local health shop and then followed by emulsifying ointment (very greasy) to seal the moisture in and act as a barrier. The skin laps it all up and normally have to do a top up before I go to bed.
Note: During the day I will apply emulsifying ointment as many times as necessary when the skin feels dry or irritated.
My enlightening email, also suggested that since I reacted to massage oils it has got into my system and so there must be some way to get rid of it. A light switched on in my head - I need to additionally do a detox and cleanse my liver. So onwards towards a detox week.
However, on Friday I was feeling a little down, about being continuously itchy, trying hard to restrain myself from the slippery slope of scratching, taking chunks out of my skin (as had done so earlier in the week on my arm), and the whole eczema cycle. Had taken two baths one in the morning and one at night to ease off the itch and decided to go to bed early.
I woke up Saturday feeling calm, the skin on my torso and legs felt calm, and it was a rather odd feeling. Looking at my email I noticed a friendly mail had come through from a Singaporean friend, saying he had been praying about my skin. :o)
This weekend, I have noticed the skin on the torso has improved although still spotty in areas. I am still following a regime of:
a) showering my skin to wet it and plugging the bath to retain the water
b) salting my skin with sea salt, leaving it on for a couple of minutes
c) washing salt off and now sitting in diluted salty water
d) rubbing balneum plus on my skin to put the moisture back in
e) washing the bath oil off after a couple of minutes
f) relaxing in a salty oily bath water for about 5-10 minutes more.
After I towel dry myself (or if warm enough dry off naturally), I apply aloe vera gel. The one in the picture is from my local health shop and then followed by emulsifying ointment (very greasy) to seal the moisture in and act as a barrier. The skin laps it all up and normally have to do a top up before I go to bed.
Note: During the day I will apply emulsifying ointment as many times as necessary when the skin feels dry or irritated.
My enlightening email, also suggested that since I reacted to massage oils it has got into my system and so there must be some way to get rid of it. A light switched on in my head - I need to additionally do a detox and cleanse my liver. So onwards towards a detox week.
Friday 6 June 2008
Doctor Doctor
My nails have gone white, my lymph nodes are enlarged and I have a body rash. A web search indicates that I could have anything from liver disease to lymphoma. So before I die of what ever I decided to visit the doctor.
Me: Doc my lymph nodes are up, nails are white and I have a rash all over my body.
Doctor: Hmm yes your lymph nodes are up - must be due to your eczema
Me: And my white nails. I've not seen them white before
Doctor: Hmm yes they are white! I believe this is also due to the eczema. Nothing to worry about. It should all get better when the skin heals. I can prescribe some cortisone cream.
Me: NO thanks. Am trying to get my skin to heal properly. I already did a one month course in Feb/March. It got better and then it worsened!
Doctor: Well it is the only thing we can prescribe to get it under control.
Me: Okay well I am salting it at the moment to desanitize it
Doctor: Really!!!
Me: Yes I get a fantastic burning pain, which is better than the itching
Doctor: What's the logic for salt?
Me: My skin gets better swimming in the sea.
Doctor: Well let me know after a week, becos as your eczema is so wide spread we'll get you seen by a dermatologist and put you back onto steroid creams.
...and so I leave thinking the salt has got to work. After one week, there is a mild improvement but nothing significant yet. I am going to leave it for another week!
By the way putting salt on the skin is really drying and requires loads of moisturising after. However, I have now been mixing this with Balenum Plus and this seems to be a better concoction.
Me: Doc my lymph nodes are up, nails are white and I have a rash all over my body.
Doctor:
Me: And my white nails. I've not seen them white before
Doctor:
Me: NO thanks. Am trying to get my skin to heal properly. I already did a one month course in Feb/March. It got better and then it worsened!
Doctor: Well it is the only thing we can prescribe to get it under control.
Me: Okay well I am salting it at the moment to desanitize it
Doctor: Really!!!
Me: Yes I get a fantastic burning pain, which is better than the itching
Doctor: What's the logic for salt?
Me: My skin gets better swimming in the sea.
Doctor: Well let me know after a week, becos as your eczema is so wide spread we'll get you seen by a dermatologist and put you back onto steroid creams.
...and so I leave thinking the salt has got to work. After one week, there is a mild improvement but nothing significant yet. I am going to leave it for another week!
By the way putting salt on the skin is really drying and requires loads of moisturising after. However, I have now been mixing this with Balenum Plus and this seems to be a better concoction.
Wednesday 4 June 2008
Watching Hives Appear
I wake up in the morning and although I had to wake up once during the night to have a cold shower to reduce the itching on the legs, the skin on the arms is looking quite good.
Continuing on with a normal morning routine of creaming down the skin (aloe vera first to soothe and heal the skin, followed by a covering with emulsifying ointment to act as a barrier). I don't know what happened in the next couple of minutes, perhaps I rubbed some dust into my skin or the fresh t-shirt I put on had dust on it, but little bumps started to appear on my arm. My back began to feel intensely itchy and I knew this was bad. A cold shower helped a little but with the whole back now feeling itchy and both arms covered with hives, I needed to take an antihistamine.
So I will probably have to go to sleep soon again!
Continuing on with a normal morning routine of creaming down the skin (aloe vera first to soothe and heal the skin, followed by a covering with emulsifying ointment to act as a barrier). I don't know what happened in the next couple of minutes, perhaps I rubbed some dust into my skin or the fresh t-shirt I put on had dust on it, but little bumps started to appear on my arm. My back began to feel intensely itchy and I knew this was bad. A cold shower helped a little but with the whole back now feeling itchy and both arms covered with hives, I needed to take an antihistamine.
So I will probably have to go to sleep soon again!
Sunday 1 June 2008
Salty Skin
Swimming in the sea has always been a positive experience for skin in general. My friend swears that when he has a bit of dandruff he goes swimming. Well he lives in Italy by the sea.
The sea water appears to have the same effect on my skin. Swim in it for a couple of weeks and the quality and texture of the skin improves significantly. Although one could also argue that the cleaner sea air and the reduction in city stress could also be signalling the brain to heal the skin.
Visiting seems a long way to go and I need to stay in the city and earn my keep in this world of spiralling food and fuel prices. So next option is to test "Does salt water have a significant effect on the skin?"
Today I decided to see if sea salt has an effect and will try this for a week. I have taken a handful of sea salt and rubbed it into my wet skin. It burns and feels very satisfying! I am not a masochist but if does not make me itch further then perhaps it might help santize my skin, since doc has already told me off for using dettol to disinfect my skin!
I'll update you all next week Sunday
8th June: Sneaky update on a past post....however have researched salt on wounds and seems it has been used in medicine since the beginning see http://www.tribunes.com/tribune/sel/worm.htm
The sea water appears to have the same effect on my skin. Swim in it for a couple of weeks and the quality and texture of the skin improves significantly. Although one could also argue that the cleaner sea air and the reduction in city stress could also be signalling the brain to heal the skin.
Visiting seems a long way to go and I need to stay in the city and earn my keep in this world of spiralling food and fuel prices. So next option is to test "Does salt water have a significant effect on the skin?"
Today I decided to see if sea salt has an effect and will try this for a week. I have taken a handful of sea salt and rubbed it into my wet skin. It burns and feels very satisfying! I am not a masochist but if does not make me itch further then perhaps it might help santize my skin, since doc has already told me off for using dettol to disinfect my skin!
I'll update you all next week Sunday
8th June: Sneaky update on a past post....however have researched salt on wounds and seems it has been used in medicine since the beginning see http://www.tribunes.com/tribune/sel/worm.htm
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