Merry Christmas Readers

To everyone who has been following my skin blog, 

May you have a merry christmas and a year with less itch and better skin

Scratching at Night

Scratching at night sucks. When I scratch, I scratch hard and this wakes me up and thus I have a poor night's sleep. Any small irregularities on the nail will become a knife and cut into the skin and I'd be sore.

When the eczema was really bad, I used to get myself up and have a cold shower, a bit extreme, especially in winter but a fast way to cool me down. I'd then moisturise the skin. My legs still get itchy at night but are way better.  I throw my legs out from under the blanket and look for a cool spot. If it is really itchy, I mosturise and take an antihistamine. Sleep is far more important than getting stressed about sorting it out.

My observation of night time itching appears to be one of 3 reasons:

1. The skin is dry and hence itches - I sleep with a pot of cream!

2. The skin is hot and hence itches - this would become more so due to the scratching.

3. Dust mites - so I change my bedding and vacuum my room. When the skin droppings were excessive, I cleaned my room and sheets every day. Now it is about every 3 days. However everyday I always shake my sheets outside once I have gotten out of bed. Maybe this is paranoia but psychologically makes me feel better about the bedding I sleep on.

One lady I correspond with found French Argiletz clay has helped to heal to clear her eczema and has shared this formula with me: - French pink or white clay (for dry, sensitive skin), melted coconut oil, purified water.  Mix into a smooth paste and apply to body parts all evening - use cling film at night. I have yet to try it due to the health food shops not having it readily available. I really should pursue internet shopping. Anyway would recommend you do a web search on the healing powers of clay. Interesting stuff.

Currently still soaking and smoothing in moistened table salt onto skin to exfoliate as well as help heal the skin.

I'm going to start eating raw food again as have found that it seems to help me not itch when am hot and/or sweaty!  

Hope this helps you in some way poster Nivea

Travel + Sleep

I really hate traveling long haul. I suffer badly from jetlag and my attempts to recover quickly from it, means I sleep very little.

Having just done a 14 hour flight, I slept about 10 hours over 3 nights. My skin has been relentlessly itchy and I can't knock myself out due to work. Night times are restless and long even after having taken my normal knock out dosage of antihistamines. 

All the good work improving the skin nearly went out the door. Until someone offered me their place for a marathon. It was hot, humid, there were lots of people and I could feel their body heat and smell their sweat. I suffered from heat exhaustion. I'm not entirely sure whether I enjoyed this or not.

However I had a great 10 hours sleep and today although it is dry and needs healing, my skin is feeling much calmer.