Who Wants to Be Free From Eczema Naturally?

What if we, the skin scratchers, the ones with skin that gets inflammed and itches crazily and we can give it sweet temporary relief by scratching the hell out of it. What if we could be free of this disorder naturally? I started this blog giving up steroid cream, aqueous cream, diprobase, pharmaceutical emollientsand wanting a natural heal.

I have always found my skin is better in summer than winter. So now understanding what is happening better.

Healing Our Skin Naturally

Those who have been following me will know there are two main "Not enough" in my life:
- Not enough sleep
- Not enough sun

I have found out that the two are intertwined. When you expose your skin to sunlight, vitamin D is generated and it is thought the brain releases a hormone called serotonin., which is supposed to be responsible for helping a person feel sleepy and go to sleep.If you have low sunlight exposure (such as in Winter), a person’s serotonin levels and vitamin D productions can dip low.

I thought by boosting my cod liver oil and vitamin D, and being in well lit areas would help me. It might have done some minor help but the significant player here is sunlight. Have certainly found am sleeping better with more sunlight.

When we deep sleep we produce healing chemicals (growth hormones) that reduce the inflammation in our bodies and heal our skin. That is why when you have actually slept well your inflammed skin can feel rested. I take a 1/4 of an anti-histamine now if am being disturbed by itchiness to "get into" sleep.

Reducing the Inflammation

Sure there are a number of external factors that really don't help us. For me it is a dusty environment, wearing certain fabrics like wool, and stuff that does not allow my skin to breathe.

Trash the Plastic
I used to use panty liners and pads. These have a plastic liner, it's like wearing a nappy. Now I understand why babies suffer nappy rash. Our skin needs to breathe. I've stopped using them, and "down below" (groin area) is no longer as embarrassingly itchy as it used to be. My doc had just given me steroids as per normal to control that itch.

For those with babies, try Elimination Communication and ditch the nappies! You can then also boast that you're helping the planet as you will never ever have to use a nappy and your child will be naturally using the potty far sooner (1 +) rather than having an incontinence issue!

For women wondering what else they can use. If you are a "pad" user try reusable pads, or menstrual cups instead of tampons. Here is a nice article about it: https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/05/28/flowing-pride-two-women-fighting-menstrual-taboo-hong-kong/

Again you can boast your eco-consciousness to reducing the amount of plastic trashed that takes hundreds of years to decompose.

Inflammation & What We Eat
Currently I believe I have an auto-immune disorder on the left side of me. The left side of my face starts feeling like it is burning, swells and then the skin dries and it looks like eczema. The fingers on the left hand have been feeling arthritic. Having looked up these symptoms and feel it is an auto-immune disorder, I found on the web different ways to heal the disorder and it looks like the marketing ads that started 20 years ago have made us think certain foods are the right foods.

Most of us have been eating food that "inflame" our bodies all the time. Hence you can expect our bodies will have responses to this like eczema and other inflammatory disorders.

Here is an article from the NHS about sugars:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/sugars.aspx

Here is an article about diet and inflammation:
http://thatsugarfilm.com/blog/2016/03/27/diet-and-inflammation/

From what I have seen in most people's shopping baskets we have too many foods that cause inflammation. Let's start with processed sugars. Next time look at the ingredients and remove all the foods that contain processed sugar and find replacements for example I eat bread without sugar and only eat processed food when am out and about and am hungry!

Plus we receive sugars in our fruits and honey. If you're really craving to make cakes, look at using natural sweetners like Stevia. Do remember that an ingredient with an "ose" at the end is probably a sugar like lactose, fructose, glucose. (I don't drink milk either).

For those who think this is too much effort, and "what's the point of living if you cannot eat or drink your favourite whatever" then you're not ready to heal yourself. Go live do whatever, use pharmaceutical medicines and then come back here when you're ready to change yourself.

So I've got my foods under control. Just the sleeping and sunlight to improve. My skin is hugely better than when I first started this blog. But this time am going for the full heal instead of an intermittent skin healing. The buck stops here.

Let you know when that happens. In the mean time may your skin healing journeys also progress forward :)

Skin Update!

End of 2016:

Throughout 2016, I've been suffering from urticaria as well as eczema. At the end of 2016, decided it must be a mineral deficiency of some sort and decided to do some pill popping of fish oil and vitamin C.

1. Face was a wreck. Welts kept popping up. When they reduced, they caused dry skin and a rash. Welts would appear after a night of no sleep. Around the eyes worsened, and tears burned the skin. Have been applying loads of mosituriser and forcing myself to rest even if am not sleeping. Facial skin is much better. Think the cod liver oil tablets have also been helping as everything is much more stable. Scalp seems to be improving as well.

At the worst of it, found the gel from the aloe vera leaves had a soothing effect on the facial skin when it was itchy.

2. Back had a rash and dry skin. Mid summer, had welts appear on the back, turn into water blisters and left the back in a mess after. Still sorting this out but it is healing. Have recently been finishing off my shower with cold water which has helped the skin to feel better. Heat makes the skin itch!

3. Front of torso has been red and there appears to be some light swelling. Probably end up as dry skin and rash.

4. Legs have had some welts but seems to have become stable with the cod liver oil


5. Eczema rash on inside of elbows and neck still around. Haven't focused on this much due to sorting out everywhere else. Mainly itchy at night when I become hot. Am learning to like being a little cooler.

Having struggled with various rashes in 2016, and now having taken suppliments, I think some rashes may be a symptom of some sort of deficiency. The skin appears to have stabilised and improved since taking high dosages of cod liver oil. Will look at increasing it to 3 tablets of 1000mg now and continue with the vitamin C (2 x 500mg). Recently have included Magnesium for constipation and Zinc to help healing (wounds have been healing very slowly).

I should also include that it would appear having a diet high in vegetables also helps keep my skin calmer.

Kevin and many others

Sat in Kuala Lumpur airport enroute back from New Zealand to England. Glad I found your site as I've been pretty dispondent about my ezecma, even simple things like getting your wallet out your pocket becomes a challenge. I don't think steroids do much but you become psychologically reliant on them.although I've never tried wrapping cling film over it.I've tried them all from weak over the counter hydrocortisone to stuff like cobitisol and betnavate. I think that they take the redness out of sores but perhaps it's wishful thinking? Hydrocortisone defiantly works on allergic rashes but these are unrelated to ezecma, I know got one now probably from a plant!not scratching ezecma is very important as it breaks the hives causing a large blister to form but easier said than done blowing or a gentle rub is better.I see no connection between ezecma and weather as I've had break outs in hot and cold countries. Strangely enough nor does it seem to run in my family although I can only go back to my parents and sister.I think also that due to it weakening the skin it allows fungal infections in to the feet.moccasin athletes foot is at a guess the one I've got. As it reacts to daktarin I'm guessing it's fungal,well a mixture of fungal and ezecma, and generally only oral antifungal creams will fight it,although daktarin does destroy it where it can get into the skin through cracks

Once upon a time, I used to be like Kevin and many others. I believed in the GPs advice and opinions. After all they're the experts right? Holistic healing stuff used to be mumbo jumbo and voo doo magic.

Now I have an appreciation of holistic healing methods, having had both carpel tunnel syndrome and frostbite healed by holistic methods. The neurologists wanted to cut my hand open to heal my carpel tunnel syndrome. The hand specialist in a London Hospital wanted to cut my finger off as he had zero understanding of frostbite.

Currently I use a blend of GP understanding of what the condition is and holistic methods. Holistic methods are more time consuming but they heal the body better than taking a chemical pill or applying chemicals that burn our skin off. The chemicals that the pharmaceutical produce for eczema are short term solutions. Read through my blog to take control of the situation. Though some of you might not like that it requires some lifestyle changes!

It should be noted that I still take anti-histamine tablets quite frequently during the night though this is a reduced dosage of 1/3 or 1/2 of a tablet.. If I have not slept well, I am itching like crazy the next day. It is on this night that I would take my 1/3 or 1/2 a tablet.

Anyhow since 2014, my scalp has been clear of eczema and dandruff, since I gave up shampoo-ing my hair! Though this year, my face & scalp has suddenly become dry and itchy! (I do blame urticara for this) Moisturing has certainly helped the scalp and face, especially round the eyes.

Anyhow - thanks Kevin for sharing and hope you find what is "getting under your skin".

Namaste

Hmmm

So everything was all good until I went for a 7 mile run on 13th Dec.

Body itched, eyes itched.....I hardly scratched but the skin became inflammed and rashes appeared. However the eczema patches did not itch. So think the body is reacting to something and forcing out through the skin.

Drinking grated lemon into hot water. Have just recently added sodium bicarbonate to help cleanse the kidney.

Taking suppliments for the season
- 1000mg cod liver oil capsules x 2
- 500mg Vitamin C tablets x 1
- 1000mg Vitamin D3 x 1

Lavender Oil + Aloe Vera

Last week I wrote about using a mix of 5 drops of lavender oil with 100 ml Aloe Vera.

I am really impressed with how this mix has reduced the itching and swelling. When I have an itch, it definitely soothes it and reduces. This has to be done at the first signs of itching, otherwise if have got myself into a massive scratch, then there is nothing on earth that will stop that itch other than me cutting out the affected flesh!!!

It used to have a slight burning effect. But now the skin has healed, it has much more of a soothing effect. In fact speaking of healing, the skin has been healing rapidly. Do a web search on the properties of Lavender Oil.

This is one that I would say try and tell me how you get on. So I know I said I don't believe in a miracle cure, I believe this mix has been great to reduce the itching so that my skin can heal.

I have also reverted back to eating lots of salad and oily fish which also helps to keep things calm. Anyhow you'll know in a year what I think of this mix.

Let me know if you do try this.

Urticaria! By Jove I think I've got it

Today on the BBC, a friend showed me an article about Aquagenic Urticaria. Suddenly the light bulbs were flashing. My doc had decided the second skin condition was perhaps infectious eczema as it didn't look like ring worm nor psoriasis. The anti-biotics did not help sort this out. Although it did help sort out a poorly stomach! The anti-fungal tablet and fungal cream certainly sorted out the fungal infection (phew)

But this second skin condition was different. I thought it was a stronger fungal infection but now it is clear that the condition is Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU). It sounds correct from the images. It's so nice to be able to give the condition a proper name.

This skin condition is welts on parts of the face, stinging at times, itching at other times and visually not very appealing when there are welts and skin drying and dropping off. This same skin condition is also on my body, having suddenly appeared when I had gone for a run. I thought it was my clothing that caused that outbreak.

However Italy had a healing effect on the CSU! Also I found the Malaysian cream was only helping to soothe the irritation as it had a nice menthol effect on the skin. I stopped applying the cream and can only think the the sun and water were actually helping to heal my skin. I was eating salad everyday and the skin healing progressed incredibly rapidly.


Lavendar Oil and Aloe Vera
The CSU had now been reduced to a smaller area on my face and was lesser on the body. As I scratched away at the smaller area, my friend put a little bit of neat lavendar oil (yes it says you are not supposed to put it on neat) followed by some aloe vera. The oil had a slight burning sensation but it felt good and those smaller areas dried up and the itching became less intense. Lavendar oil is supposed to have a healing effect + is supposed to help with cell regeneration (lots of great qualities if you look it up).

So I have now mixed up a concoction of Lavendar Oil and Aloe Vera and it certainly is having a more calming effect on the CSU. I'll try it on the inner arm and neck eczema to see if it makes a difference. Sorry I can't tell you provide exact proportions....but my guess is about 5 drops of Lavendar Oil in about 100g of Aloe Vera.

Back Home
So coming back home everything flared back up: the eczema and the CSU. Welts started appearing on my face and body. I am now only washing the areas that need to be washed. The face and body is not touching any water. The eczema was flaring up at night....my fault I should have washed my bedding after 2 weeks of not using it. Now with clean bedding, the eczema has been much calmer. The Lavendar Oil/Aloe Vera mixture has dried up the welts and they are not as angry looking, though have become crusty. Hopefully will start to see some healing over the next few days.

Ahh the joys of sensitive skin.

Hope you find the Lavendar Oil + Aloe Vera mix helps your skin. I'll report back at the end of next week.

Miracle Cure?

Nah - just changes to make in oneself.

So my face....my torn up scraggy face. GP just said it's eczema and that I should put a concoction of a very mild fungal hydrocortisone (Daktacorta) on my face. Gosh it was so tempting. But I kept away from it. The only place I used it was on the fungal part of the body which blasted that black stuff off!

But on my face? Sure hydrocortisone will burn the crap skin away, but it sure won't cure it. It will jump back on and I'll just have more sensitive skin.

Anyway this week have returned to Italy to work. Sunday, my skin is a horrid mess. It is itchy, dry and flaking. I plaster my face continuously with cream. I've had to do this several times this year. Monday, colleagues comment on the skin on the face as it looks red and the swollen skin on one eye looks like someone could have slapped me!

I am constantly slapping cream on my skin during the day and applying a non-parafin cream from Malaysia that a friend gave me to try during the night. Also with the lack of distractions, I am sleeping early.

After the second night of good sleep, it feels like a miracle. Sleep is such a great cure, especially when I suffer from bouts of severe sleep deprivation. The skin is healing rapidly. By Thursday the face skin looks pretty normal and those same colleagues that noticed the bad skin, have noticed the changed skin. In addition the rest of the eczema skin (neck and inner arms) have also been healing but not as radically as the skin on my face.

So what changed?
- Environment
- Water
- Diet
- Sleep
- More sun
- Application of a non-parafin cream

Will see when I return to the UK in a week's time if this cure holds!