It May Not Be Peanuts After All

By cliopatra

Jan

19

Two weeks ago on Wednesday morning, I noticed a few small zits had popped up around my mouth.  I was PMSing, so it kinda made sense.   My face had been clear of zits for a couple of months, and free from eczema for a couple of weeks.

I decide to use some Proactiv cleanser when I showered, since it has worked for me in the past.  Later that evening I noticed the area around my eyes getting a little itchy – the first sign of an dry eczema skin flare-up.

This flare-up has been the absolute worst ever.  I was resolute about not going back to my prior dermatologist, so I made an appointment with a new one (earliest I could get was this morning) and for the last almost-two-weeks I’ve been treating my skin with over the counter creams, to no avail.  By Saturday morning my skin was peeling off in chunks.

Attractive, no?

Since the beginning of the flare-up I’ve been using the gentlest stuff I could find – and definitely no Proactiv or pimple spot treatments.  I’ve also avoided peanuts, and most tree nuts.  No help.

The doctor advised me that I seem to have developed a severe allergic reaction to benzoyl peroxide, one of the main ingredients in Proactiv.  So I’m on prednisone and a very strong topical ointment, and this should hopefully help.

Now that I think back, I was looking more at my diet than my skincare regimen.  My eczema outbreaks have been on my temples and around my chin/mouth, where I typically break out and spot treat.

So right now, I look like I have a very bad sunburn, or someone threw acid in my face.  The doctor suggested I used any number of fun explanations- because the truth is kinda boring.

I’m just wondering if these means I can eat peanuts again?

Also – I LOVED the doctor.  The last two dermatologists I have seen have made me uncomfortable in a gosh-you-are-icky kind of way.  This guy was nice, funny and matter-of-fact.  I felt, wow!  Normal!

I’m Beginning to Think I’m Allergic

By cliopatra

Jun

27

When I first started getting eczema again back in 2002, my doctor suggested that I avoid dairy products and nuts.  I knew I wouldn’t be able to avoid dairy because I love it, and I’ve never had any problems with it.  Plus, that time of the month I’m craving it like mad.

Nut, on the other hand, were not a huge issue.  I hadn’t eaten peanut butter in a while, and nuts as a snack were a bit cost prohibitive on my budget.  There were cheaper snack alternatives.

When I had this most recent eczema outbreak, a few days after it started I was watching a ball game with Irish and I had a few handfuls of peanuts from the can of nuts he’d asked me to buy for him.  This has been by far the worst outbreak on my face – it is still lingering, although it is going away.

Then tonight I was left to my own devices in the luxury condo (my dinner is somewhere out there on its way to me) so I went foraging and found a can of cashews in the cabinet, so I popped a handful.  Now I feel like I have something caught in my throat.  Not a great feeling.

I think I’m going to avoid nuts for a while and see how I feel.

Oh, the Horror!

By cliopatra

Jun

23

Eczema is my enemy.  I’ve been doing battle with it for a few years now.

I had eczema on my forearms as a child, a condition that came from the type of dish soap my mom purchased (Palmolive), so the dermatologist told her that she either had to (a) give up child labor or (b) buy another type of dishwashing liquid.

She chose Ivory. 

I didn’t have it again for a long time, then after 9/11 I started getting it again, on my legs and (worst of all) my face – particularly around my eyes.

I’ve been seeing a dermatologist pretty regularly (read: when the steroid creams run out), but the strongest thing I’m willing to use on my face is no longer working.  She says the next step would be oral medications, but since I’m trying to get pregnant this would be dangerous to the baby.

I cannot stand my skin.  I hate that I’m going to have to constantly be slathering myself in creams and potions and such just to keep it in check.  Why can’t I just have normal skin?

So here’s what I’m going to be doing starting today:

1.  Dermarest® Eczema Medicated Lotion.  I got this at the drugstore during my morning break, took off all my makeup and slathered it on, then put my makeup back on.  So far so good.  I’ve done much less clawing of my face since then.

2.  Cetaphil.  I used to hate this stuff as a kid when it was recommended for my acne because it just felt weird.  I’m willing to try anything at this point to keep my face from becoming lizardy.

3.  Coconut oil.  I read about this stuff on a website and popped over to the health food store at lunch to buy some.  I’ll be putting it on after work, since the jar says to put it on for an hour and rinse off.

4.  Flaxseed oil capsules.  This is my alternative to fish oil and the fishy burps.  I started taking it as soon as this outbreak started, but it hasn’t helped too much this time.

I already use unscented products for washing my clothes and my body and shower in cool water.  I’m also trying to get in some probiotics every day.

If anyone out there has any other suggestions, I’m willing to try them.  Just remember, this is on my FACE, so it needs to be gentle.