At War

It's been awhile since I last wrote. Must remember to never become blaise even when it appears the skin has recovered. Am at war with my skin again.


The face has fought with me as it really hates the winter central heating. I like the place cold but no one else does! Anyhow appear to have got this now under better control with constant heavy moisturising.

With repeated nagging from someone within my group, had to apply someone's 0.5% cortisone cream under the eye as that was really bad on the 3rd day of presenting technical babble to a group. That one application seems to have helped greatly having burned off a part of the bad skin. Two weeks later the eye has continued to heal. Hmmm.

At the end of December I started to having round flakey patches on my legs that became progressively itchy. I thought it was ring worm and treated it with an antifungal cream. This appeared to increase the itchiness. The round flakey patches continued to spread gradually up the body. It appears to be a cross between eczema and psoriasis. My cousin gave me some cream that supposedly has helped other eczema sufferers but it appears to have irritated mine. But my skin is fickle. It now likes the heavier petroleum based emollient Epiderm. So am going along with that for the moment.

Doc thinks it is discoid (or nummelar) eczema so has prescribed a cortisone cream. Am dabbling with it to at the very least stop the spread. So have applied it for the last 6 days and then easing off it.

However, re-reading my own blog, I realise I need to be more patient to have a longer term heal. As it is Spring better get some sun on the skin. Has anyone seen the sun today?

Words For Christopher
Thank you for your comment. Very difficult to pin your trigger on one environmental factor. Have found when my eczema is out of control, anything can appear to be "the trigger". So cooler showers might help plus a cooler environment. I keep my heating temperature regulated at 15-17 degs C. Any warmer and the body tells me about it.

In my tool kit are herbal teas as it appears to psychologically make my body calmer. Think it is the smell and taste (have been drinking fenel and an after dinner tea that does not contain caffeine).

Hopefully your training outside will keep things calmer as well. Good luck with the marathon in April :-)

Oh and beware of those nasty "chemi"gels that are supposed to help support your running. Try getting used to breakfast cereal bars, flapjacks, etc or something that will help give you longer lasting energy rather than a short lived sugar high.