A lesson learned

I still stand by the Barlean's Essential Woman oil supplement but I have discovered that figuring out the proper dosage is key.  I had been taking 4 capsules each night but my cycles were a little weird and I wondered if it was the supplement.  I was having NO PMS.  None.  Zip, zilch, nada.  No horrific mood swings or rage issues.  I switched to 3 capsules per night and the PMS anger came back with a vengeance.  Clearly, 3 capsules is not enough.  I have already gone back to 4 capsules.  But I still swear by the stuff.  Even more so now.  If one capsule is the difference between screaming, irrational anger and peacefulness, then the supplement is definitely working!  I have been recommending this stuff to everyone, especially moms of teens with bad PMS.  I really just can't get over the efficacy of a simple oil supplement!

Shea Butter?

I was talking to a friend a week or so ago and mentioned my fear of using shea butter.  Any time I use a product with shea butter in it I get itchy.  I've tried a couple of different body washes containing shea butter thinking they would be great for my dry skin but I just end up miserable.  My friend said she has the same problem.  I now stay away from things containing shea butter but I thought I would mention it.  I'm wondering how common this is.

Crazy new theory!

I know it sounds totally nuts but I have begun to believe that drinking red wine is essential for my skin.  I discovered a couple of weeks ago that on the mornings after having a glass of merlot my skin looks better.  If I drink a beer I'm more inflamed in the morning.  The red wine even counters my milk allergy to some extent.  I have cheated horribly over the holiday weekend and my scalp is flared but my face is not.  It's unbelievable!  I tried to research the idea but all I could find was info on the other benefits of red wine (heart health, etc).  I don't know exactly how or why the red wine is helping but it is.  So I guess I'll be drinking a glass of wine every night from now on.  ; )  There are certainly worse medicines.

Still a work in progress

Well, I have to retract a comment made in my last post.  The Florasone is not working after all.  In fact, I think it's making things worse.  I am going to go back to using some leftover steroid cream that a dermatologist gave me awhile back for a different skin issue.  It seems to be very effective.  I'm hoping that if I can get rid of the flare I can maintain without continuing to use the steroid cream.

I don't know quite what conclusion to draw from this, but since I've been really consistent with taking my medicine and supplements my progress has been wonderful.  I had run out of vitamins and my skin looked awful.  Now I am wondering what it is about my multivitamin that is working.  Is it a particular vitamin, the calcium, the immune boost complex?  Whatever it is it seems to be key.  Hmmm...

I feel like a detective working on a case.  Except that I don't think I'll ever find just one clear solution.  I've found a lot of clues but I know there's more to learn.  I will say that a friend made a good point to me the other day.  I was saying how I'd like a skin transplant but she pointed out that it's not my skin that's the problem; eczema is an immune system disorder. I think that should be the next lead to follow--looking for ways to boost my immune system to see if my skin benefits.  I can't imagine that improving my immune system would be a bad thing so I might as well give it a shot!

I would like to mention that I'm always open to suggestions so if you're reading this and you have ideas, please feel free to leave a comment!  I love getting new perspectives and ideas!  : )

Problem skin is always problem skin.

Apparently I'm a terrible blogger!  It has been a lot longer than I intended since my last post.  I really want to stress something that I had to stress with my husband recently--problem skin will always be a problem, it just depends on how you manage it. There are ups and downs and you just have to find a plan that works and stick to it.  If you stray, you will flare.  I'm hoping that eventually I will have my skin under control enough to give the illusion of good skin but I know I will always have to be careful or I will end up broken out.

I am currently flaring but I knew it was coming.  My husband and I went away for a weekend during Oktoberfest and there was really no way to eat dairy-free.  That plus lots of beer led to some inflamed spots.  I am finally getting to the point that I can tell the difference between a pimple and an eczema bump before it's fully erupted.  This lets me know which product to start using on it.  In a post from awhile back I mentioned a product called Florasone.  I recently started using it myself and I have to say that I'm impressed.  It takes the itch of eczema away pretty well and seems to be working on both the scaly patches and the bumpy ones.  It has reduced the big bumpy patches in about half the normal time (or faster), which thrills me to death!    It is all natural and contains NO steroids.  I am VERY happy with this so far!

My progress before this recent flare was wonderful.  I am hoping to post an updated photo soon but I want to wait for these few spots to subside first.

Nickel allergy

I mentioned an infant with horrible skin irritation awhile ago and I just want to post an update.  It is looking like it's a nickel allergy.  My friend asked me to hit the internet and do some research and what I discovered is that, while contact dermatitis from nickel (earrings, fake jewelry, etc) is not uncommon, a small percentage of people are actually allergic to ingested nickel as well.  Things grown in the ground tend to be higher in nickel than animal products.  AthenaAllergy.com is a great resource for anyone suffering with nickel allergy.

Trying to keep the faith

My face has been a mess for a while now, though it is improving slowly once again.  I think I've pinpointed a few things--the Barlean's Essential Woman supplement is essential, stress is a huge factor, and fake nails help.  I am now fighting off an illness, which always means my skin takes a hit...so I am itchy.  My husband actually urged me to go to a dermatologist and get on topicals and antibiotics again.  His reasoning is that every time I get cleared up I get another flare.  I had to explain to him that that is the nature of skin issues.  Even when I followed doctors' advice I had the same recurrent pattern--it's a sad fact of life for me.  But at least doing it my way I don't have the nasty side effects of the medical stuff.

Stress has become overwhelming for me lately.  I finally broke down and went to the doctor, which resulted in me going on antidepressants long term.  I'm hoping that will help me out enough to enable my skin to clear and maybe even help me lose weight.  It's been less than a week so I'm still waiting for the full effects of the medicine but I do seem to be feeling a little better already.

I think a big part of the solution for me before was the Barlean's oil supplement.  The first little breakouts started when I got less careful about taking it.  I have gotten to the point that I can't swallow the stuff without gagging--the raspberry is just too much for me.  I did find a capsule version of the same thing that I will pick up today and start on.  My PMS has been GONE.  No mood swings, no nothing.  I know that's a direct result of the supplement.  It also made a huge difference for my skin so I'm looking forward to getting back on it.

Overall, I understand that my solutions haven't been perfect and I'm still learning the ropes, but I feel better and have been looking better so I think I'm going the right direction with all of this.  I can only hope that one day I will find the right combination to be able to live in peace and harmony with my skin.  : )  Until then I will continue to stare with longing at women with flawless skin.  Sigh.

What am I doing wrong?!

I'm horribly broken out but it's not pimples, it's the bumpy, lumpy eczema stuff and it's itching like crazy!!!  I haven't had dairy but I'm broken out across my forehead.  My cheeks are also on fire with it, which makes sense for stress-related breakout.  This week has been really rough.  Really rough.  I had the basics figured out but now I'm stumped about how to curb the stress-related eczema.  I hate going to work and talking to people all day with my face all red and lumpy.  The burning and itching are too much to ignore.  Ugh.  I guess the only thing I can try is attempting to relax at night.  But that's hard to do with laundry and mess staring me in the face at home.  I need more hours in the day.

On the upside, I have learned to like cheese-less pizza. So at least now I can grab a quick lunch at the pizza buffet without hurting myself.  And their brownies are dairy-free so that's a plus.

I guess I'll also mention something new I've learned about recently.  A friend mentioned that the pH of eczema skin might be different than that of normal skin so I set to researching.  What I learned is that eczema skin is much more acidic than normal.  So I'm supposed to eat a diet rich in alkaline foods.  I'm also drawing the conclusion that skin products with a higher pH would be beneficial to help balance the acidity.  So I've gone back to my black soap cleanser.  It seemed to do the trick until this week and the mega-stress.

I still haven't been consistent with the spider vein creams so I still have nothing to report.  Until next time, I'll be here scratching (or trying not to!).

Stress!!!!

Stress can be murder on the skin, apparently.  And I have also been reminded that I do not have all the answers.  Not even close.  I thought I had things figured out but I was oh so wrong.  : (

My life has been extra stressful lately, which affected my immune system, which allowed my asthma, allergies, and eczema to go nuts.  My forehead has a huge patch of bumpy eczema, my nose swelled up with another patch, my face is oily, my scalp is scaly, and I'm having mild asthma attacks.  I'm back on Zyrtec, I've switched shampoo/conditioner, I've gone back to basics with face products, and I've got fake nails.  The zyrtec seems to be helping the eczema and my asthma so that's good.

I had noticed with my scalp that it was acting more like my other eczema patches than it's usual seborrhea so I decided to approach it the same way.  I found a sulfate-free moisturizing set of shampoo and conditioner.  It's definitely more soothing and the flakes are disappearing.  Still some itching, though.  I think the tea tree oil and other treatments were actually irritating my scalp for some reason.

For my face, I'm having to ignore the aesthetician's advice.  I was doing what she suggested at my last facial but that seems to be too irritating, at least for right now.  She had told me that the pH of my black soap facial wash was too high so I quit using it but now I'm back to it because it works.  I'm also back to straight aloe gel as a toner since it helps clear up the bumpy eczema and tone down the redness.  I'm not sure what to do about the oiliness but I do recall that during flare ups in the past this has been a problem so I'm hoping it will go away when the eczema does.

The fake nails are my last ditch effort to stop picking!  Picking at my scalp, face, etc is not helping and it's a compulsive thing that I have not been able to control through will-power alone.  A friend had suggested doing it awhile back, saying that the fake nails don't do as much damage when you scratch.  I have nice nails on my own so I kind of hated to get fake ones but it seems to be helping so far.  Maybe a few months of acrylics will break the habit.  (I hope, I hope!) Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Nothing to report on the spider veins yet.  I took "before" pictures but I have yet to be consistent about applying the lotions so I'm not going to post anything until I can get that together.

I'm still on the non-dairy wagon, thank goodness!  I have found dairy-free sour cream and cream cheese, both of which are totally edible!  My gastronomical world has grown and for that I am thankful.  Yay for Tofutti!  Oh and I have to add that we went to Cici's Pizza yesterday because the boys requested it and I did NOT cave!  I ordered a cheese-less pizza and had salad, pasta, and brownies.  I double-checked with the manager to be sure the brownies were safe but it turns out the pasta sauce has a small amount of dairy (doh!  I didn't even think about that possibility when I ate it!).  I'm not counting that as a slip-up, though, since I didn't do it on purpose.

Now if I could just find a cure for stress...

Why is this so hard?!

I did it again.  I fell off the dairy-free wagon and hit a few slices of pizza and some string cheese.  At first I thought I'd gotten away with it.  Started thinking maybe I was wrong about the allergy.  And then the eczema flared.  I have 2 huge lumpy, blistery patches on my cheeks and scaly patches forming on my neck and forehead.  This no dairy thing is just so difficult!  It's so hard to watch everyone around me enjoying mac'n'cheese or chips and dip and know that I can't have it.  There are some things I can get substitutes for and be just fine but cheese is cheese.  The cheese substitutes do nothing but remind me how much I miss cheese.  ((sigh))  I really need a support group!

As for clearing up the eczema, I'm going extra gentle on my face.  Probably time to pull out the oat powder to ease the inflammation.  I also have a facial scheduled on Saturday to get some relief.  It's with the same aesthetician who was so wonderful last time and helped so greatly.  I'm really hoping she is able to ease the redness.  At least people aren't bold enough to point out how awful I'm looking and just stick to commenting when I look better.

As for my pet project, diminishing my spider veins, I have ordered 2 products, which could be here as soon as tomorrow, and I will be posting progress reports with pictures.  I will apply the products side by side on the same set of spider veins to get a good feel for which one is more effective.  I found a few new spots on my legs last night so I am mighty anxious to get this going!

New Project

I have decided to tackle another skin-related issue...spider veins.  I started developing spider veins around age 18.  I also started taking birth control then and found out just a year ago that birth control pills can cause spider veins.  Between that and 2 pregnancies my legs look like a road map.  I can't afford laser treatment so I did research on a natural treatment.  I found a whole list of herbal supplements and ideas but the one that was most touted by all sources was the external application of vitamin K.  Now I am looking for a vitamin K cream to try. So many choices and all of them have both great reviews and horrible reviews.  So hard to choose!  I guess I'll keep researching until I find one that looks reasonably promising.  If anyone knows firsthand of a good one, please let me know!  Once I start using something I will post a "before" picture and post "progress" pictures so if anyone is interested they can see the results (or lack thereof) themselves.  I just want to wear skirts and shorts without being embarrassed by my legs--I'm too young to have granny legs!

The Setback Continues...

Well, my skin issues are still flaring.  The little bumps I've always battled are back with a vengeance--arms, legs, and tummy.  My scalp has calmed a bit but is not where I was pre-virus and my eczema is getting annoying.  My face has broken out a bit, but a normal person breakout and not an OMG breakout. 

I also have a bonus issue--random large, painful, pimple-like eruptions.  I get them occasionally and they can pop up anywhere on my body.  They don't last long but they hurt like hell and they pop up like mushrooms.  Since they don't show up very often I've never figured out a pattern or a trigger.  I suppose it could be stress-related.  If anyone else gets these and has a theory I'm happy for suggestions.  Ugh.  I just need a skin transplant.

As far as my face goes, I think I'm going to try to get in for a facial.  The last time I went my skin improved a lot and the lady who did it suggested having facials regularly for maintenance.  Since her last advice and facial were so helpful she's probably right about maintenance facials, too.  It's expensive but I guess it's worth the money to have confidence in my face.  And clear skin means spending less on makeup, too! : )

I did make a boo-boo on my dairy-free diet, though.  Last friday I led a field trip to Cici's Pizza.  I held out until the end but finally caved and devoured a slice of pizza.  It was so good!  But my stomach has been upset with me for days.  Really, really angry, in fact.  So it seems that a little bit of milk cooked into a baked good every now and then I can handle, but cheese is my nemesis.  Why are all the yummiest foods made with milk?!  Let this stand as a reminder, Allison--DO NOT EAT CHEESE!  The consequences are not worth those few moments of heaven.

Break out the soapbox!

A situation was brought to my attention recently that has brought up a couple of things I'd like to talk about.  The situation involves an infant with a skin rash whose mother has been alternately dismissed and degraded by various pediatricians.  After much determination she is on the road to answers but still a ways from a solution.  Her experiences are what have induced me to drag out my soapbox. 

Please, please, please be an advocate for your health and the health of your children!  It's easy to fall into the trap of believing your doctor knows all but that can be dangerous.  Do your own research, ask questions, and don't agree to anything that makes you uncomfortable deep down.  A good doctor (of any variety) will listen to you and your concerns, not talk down to you and berate you if you question their advice.  And keep in mind their counsel is just that--advice.  If what a doctor tells you doesn't make sense then ask why he or she thinks that way.  I have been to doctors who tell me I have a virus and then hand me a prescription for antibiotics.  When I ask why (since antibiotics do nothing for viruses and can have harmful consequences) if they can't give me a reasonable explanation or if they get upset about it, I know to not take the medicine and start looking for a different doctor.  I have been to great doctors who listen to me and include me in the diagnosing process--have had conversations that are 2 way rather than a one-sided lecture--and that is a magnificent thing.  I don't like the patronizing and sugar-coating of many doctors.  There are so many resources out there to help you become an informed patient--use them!  : )  There's nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. 

Ok, stepping down from my soapbox now.  : )

The other thing I wanted to mention is some all-natural remedies that I learned about from a wonderfully knowlegdgeable employee at a local Whole Foods market.  Based on anecdotal evidence from customers and her own knowledge of homeopathic remedies, she recommended several products for kids with eczema or other skin problems.

B&T Florasone Cream: it's basically a homeopathic version of hydrocortisone cream but without the cortisone.  She said a bunch of parents swear by it.

Dead sea salts: they are great in a bath to help soothe and heal irritated skin

Calendula oil: there is a variety in a base of olive oil that is particularly moisturizing and soothing

Barlean's Omega Twin: I've recommended the Essential Woman variety but the Omega Twin has borage oil instead of Evening Primrose so it is not female specific.  She said borage oil is fabulous for eczema sufferers

Probiotics: since the skin is our first line of defense these can help boost the immune system and provide some relief and back up for our over-worked organ

***She also recommended tossing the Aquaphor that most of us parents have come to rely on for any skin irritation we see on a baby.  It is petroleum based and that is bad for the skin.  I know firsthand that petroleum-based products can be addictive (I had a vicious Lip Smackers addiction for years) but she pointed out that the Aquaphor is a great protectant but it doesn't let the skin breathe, therefore it cannot heal.  That certainly gave me something to think about!

So, for what it's worth, there is my 50 cents for the day.  ; )

Stomach virus = skin problems

Well, if there was any doubt in my mind that my skin is tied to my digestive system it is now gone.  I had a horrible stomach bug last weekend and was unable to take any of my supplements/vitamins.  I also basically didn't eat for 3 days.  My skin all over is a mess--not a bad one but a mess nonetheless.  The itching on my scalp reached epic proportions and I've got bumps everywhere and a breakout on my face.  It could definitely be worse but it shows the importance of what I eat. 

I have found that my scalp itches worse when my calcium drops. As soon as I could hold down food I started my calcium supplements back and the itching improved drastically.  I guess losing all the nutrients in my body while sick set me back.  More than ever, though, this shows me that it's more important what goes in my body than what I put on it.  All the scalp-soothing shampoo in the world wouldn't help until I started replenishing my nutrients internally. 

I have also noticed that my face has been much oilier since my illness.  My best guess is that I haven't yet recovered from the dehydration.  The oil supplement on it's own doesn't seem to be enough.  I am making a greater effort to hydrate myself in the hopes that it will make a difference.  Hmm...that's an interesting theory.  I had never noticed before but it would be interesting to note if my skin seems oilier whenever I don't drink enough water.  It makes since that a dehydrated system would lead to dry skin so I suppose that's why the experts say drinking lots of water is good for your skin.  I could never figure out that connection. 

Well, I'm off to get a bottle of water...

2 Things I learned over the weekend

1. I started having a lot of muscle pain last week so I googled calcium deficiency symptoms and, sure enough, there it was.  That's one of the down sides to eating dairy free.  One of the other symptoms was flaky skin so I wonder if that helps explain my scalp flaring up.  After taking my calcium supplements for a couple of days the muscle pain went away.  So I guess I just learned the hard way how important calcium is!  For anyone who is doing dairy-free and doesn't know, a nutritionist told me to take 600mg of calcium twice a day, but not with a multi-vitamin or anything containing iron or zinc, since they reduce the absorption of the calcium.

2. A friend of mine with a new baby told me about a remedy she read about somewhere for baby rashes.  It said to put breastmilk on the rash instead of a lotion or cream.  My friend did that with her daughter and saw dramatic change overnight!  What a simple and safe way to help baby's skin!

Photo time! Then and now...

Here they are:

 February                                                                                   May

Now, I'm the first to admit that my skin is far from perfect, but the difference is incredible.  No more painful cystic welts, even during pms.  The areas of redness are fading continually and breakouts are so few and so minor they're not a big deal at all.

I had an acquaintance stop and tell me the other day how amazing the progress has been.  She asked what I'm doing, convinced I've been using Proactiv or some such system.  She was schocked that I've conquered my skin issues without using any of the standard acne products. 

I also need to give a shout out to my husband.  He has been so supportive and so encouraging throughout this journey!  He tells me almost daily how clear my skin is looking and how great it is that I've worked this out despite medical wisdom telling me otherwise.  He was there for me when I was ashamed of my reflection and in pain for that I am grateful. 

As scary as it is to post such embarrassing evidence of my skin issues, if this helps even one person find the road to relief then it's worth it. 

 

Living SLS-free is the way for me!

My staff members keep asking me about the special soap I keep in the bathroom at work.  They love the way it softens hands and the wonderful fragrance.  It is Nature's Gate Oatmeal hand soap and I love it!  It is a reasonably priced SLS-free hand soap and it actually feels almost like you've put lotion on after washing with it.  The fragrance is light but pleasant.  My staff loves it because it is very soothing for frequently-washed hands.

I've mentioned the irritation of SLS before but I'll go more in depth now.

Based on the internet research I did, SLS (sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate) is a chemical that is highly effective in removing oily substances.  Unfortunately, the protective coating on skin can be one such substance.  Not everyone is sensitive to SLS but it is proven to cause irritation, especially in higher concentrations.  So why is it in every kind of cleanser, from soap to toothpaste?  Because it is what produces that wonderful, sudsy lather that we all think necessary for proper cleaning.  We are conditioned to expect rich, thick lather, never suspecting that the lather is eating into our skin and causing irritation.

I have found that since I went SLS-free my skin is not nearly as hypersensitive as it used to be.  It is not as dry, either.  Anyone with highly reactive skin knows what a blessing this is for me.  Shaving no longer results in stinging redness because my skin is not being attacked by my body wash.  I had a patch of eczema and the scaliness on my elbows disappear 2 days after switching body washes!

The tricky part about going SLS-free is that "organic" and "all-natural" products may still contain it.  You have to be diligent and slightly obsessive about checking labels to be sure.  I have tried both Burt's Bees body wash and Everyday Shea.  I liked both but the Everyday Shea ends up being much cheaper and comes in a big size.  My husband really liked the Burt's Bees for Men body wash; it has a nice, manly scent. But in the interest of our bank account he agreed to share with me.  His back has always tended to break out and it has been doing much better with the new body wash.  I have since switched to bars of black soap.

I also switched my shampoo & conditioner.  Whole Foods 365 brand makes SLS-free hair care that is cheap and good, though it takes time to get used to the "lower sudsing" formula.  Then I realized it was in my toothpaste, too!  So I switched that as well.  My gums are actually less sensitive now.

If you have any skin irritations at all, I strongly encourage you to give SLS-free a try.  It may not be a cure but you should at least see some improvement and relief.

Setback and discouragement

I am having a flare up of skin issues.  My scalp is getting bad again and my most sensitive eczema patch is starting to flare.  I also had eczema blisters pop up on the inside of my elbow, where I've never had it before.  It is frustrating and I have the urge to scrap everything and start over but I really do think that my current regimen is valid and that I'm just stuck with the occasional flare up no matter what.  It sucks, but I think it's a fact of my life.  Setbacks usually send me running to the store for a cart-full of new products to try but I am going to stand strong and trust that I'm on the right track.

I did realize that I had skipped a few days of my Essential Woman supplement and wonder if it was enough to trigger a flare up.  I'm back on it and starting to see some improvement.  If that's all it was then I will have to be sure to always have a back up supply.  Did I mention I love this product and recommend it to everyone? 

In addition to being itchy I am in pain.  I've done something to my back and it's not happy with me.  I know this isn't skin related but I thought I would bring it up since it brings me to another great product--Peter Gilliam's Calm.  It is a magnesium supplement in the form of a powder that you add to water and drink.  Magnesium is great for helping loosen up tight muscles.  I have been drinking my Calm and am reminded of what a great product it is!  It's also supposed to help relieve stress. 

All things burned and itchy

I got sunburned last weekend, even after applying sunscreen twice.  I don't know if I'm just that fair (entirely possible) or if the sunscreen wasn't good enough.  In any case, I was left with red, sore shoulders.  The only upside to this is that I discovered a great new way to deal with sunburn!  Awhile back a friend gave me a tub of product called Skin-E Dip.  At the time I was using it on eczema patches and it was great but it has been relegated to the bottom of the bathroom drawer and forgotten about.  Until the other day...

As it turns out, Skin-E Dip is marvelous for those especially bad sunburn spots.  It smells like plastic and is very thick but the soreness and heat went out of my shoulders overnight!  It worked much better than the cooling aloe spray I've used for years.  Thought I'd share since we're starting off those hot, sunny summer months!

The world of my face continues to become a much more peaceful place, as people keep pointing out to me.  The astonishment from friends and coworkers, while positive and encouraging, also highlights just how bad I looked even a month ago.  It also reinforces the power of following your gut and challenging conventional medicine.  I want everyone to know that there are options out there and that you don't have to suffer through all the side effects of products from the doctor to get relief.  Nature has some powerful cures out there and you don't even have to be a hippie to use them.  ; )  Not to mention that most of the all-natural remedies actually work out to be cheaper than a prescription.

In the spirit of cheap and natural, I offer this: oats.  Yes, oats.  My wonderful eczema-suffering friend passed this wisdom on to me.  Oats ground into a powder make a great cleanser when your skin is in extreme irritation.  Place about a tablespoon of oat powder in your palm and add water to make a thin paste.  Gently rub over your skin and then rinse.  Oats are a soothing and effective cleanser when your skin is so sensitive that all other cleansers seem harsh.  This is how I cleansed my face back at the height of the acne/eczema outbreak.

Dairy strikes again!

Ok.  I think I will use this blog to help me stay accountable with the dairy allergy in addition to tracking my skincare journey.  Maybe posting about the trials and tribulations of cheating will encourage me to stay strong.  The consequences are definitely not worth the joy of a slice of pizza.

I have been cheating on my dairy-free diet lately.  Bad me!  At first I thought I was getting away with it but the itching and breakouts have caught up with me.  I also gained weight and my system is off--I just don't feel right and I'm really tired.  The biggest problem I have with sticking to my diet is that I am limited on time and it's so hard to find quick and easy dairy-free food.  I go to the grocery store, wander the aisles, and feel hopeless.  Or I get ingredients for meals but get home and am too exhausted to want to cook anything.  So I end up not eating or eating just snacks.  I have got to find some better options!  I have tried cooking meals ahead on the weekends and that works but I don't always have time on the weekends for hours of cooking.  I did download a list of dairy-free products from godairyfree.com that is very extensive.  I can see that avoiding dairy is going to be a long, hard journey. 

On the up side, my face is continuing to clear up and the redness is starting to fade.  The flare ups are now speed bumps instead of the Alps.  My skin all over is looking smoother and feeling more comfortable.  All without the side effects that come with antibiotics and prescription topicals.  No harsh chemicals and no doctor visits!  Consider this a giant raspberry in the face of all those dermatologists who failed to provide answers or relief of any kind!

On that note: One of the resources that did give me answers was internet sites that described an "acne map".  According to ancient wisdom, acne on the forehead is indicative of digestive disorders and/or food allergies/sensitivities.  Acne on the cheeks is due to stress (sides of the face near the ears can mean dirty cell phone).  And acne on the chin is evidence of hormonal imbalance. 
   I have to say that this made a lot of sense for me.  My forehead is where the initial breakout with eczema blisters occurred, my cheeks were broken out (and tend to flare due to my rather stressful job/life), and I had a hormone panel done awhile back that showed severe hormone imbalance so the chin breakout made perfect sense.  My forehead is clear now (aside from a couple of spots that popped up since I cheated last week) so I consider that strong evidence of my self-diagnosed dairy allergy.  I have also noticed that just before my period my breakout is on my chin and jawline exclusively so that seems to back up that idea.

I'm off to enjoy a dairy-free lunch and think fondly of the days when I enjoyed pizza and ice cream in ignorant bliss...

How random people have helped me more than doctors.

SLS sensitivity
First of all, thanks to the internet for providing a wealth of information. I used to have a problem with itching all over after showering. Painful, pins and needles kind of itching. It was worse if I showered in the morning or during the day than after a nighttime shower. So I googled "itching after showering" and was instantly bombarded by page after page of people talking about just that! After reading all the various things people had to say I decided the most likely reason was a sensitivity to SLS (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate), which is found in...well, just about every cleansing product out there. I bought SLS-free body wash and voila! no more post-bathing itching. My skin is much less sensitive overall now that I am no longer washing with something that destroys the skin's protective layer.

A Facial to Remember
I got a special spa gift card awhile back and one of the services was a facial. I was hesitant because facials have always be painful to my sensitive skin and then everything gets worse before it gets better. Well not this time! I asked if I should even do it at all while I was so broken out (this was early May and the acne was still off and on) and she said, "Definitely!" I left looking better than I went in, redness and pain diminished. And I only improved from there. Here is what I learned from her:
*Dry hands to dry face--apply cleanser to a dry face not a wet one.
*Use a chamois--washcloths are too harsh, even if they feel soft. She sold me a wonderful bacteria-resistant synthetic chamois-thing that really helps get all the grime and make up off at the end of the day.
*You need oil, but the right kind--she said my biggest problem was seriously dry skin. So I switched to a moisturizer with plant oils and started taking an oil supplement to get the necessary internal lubrication that filters out through the skin.

Barlean's Essential Woman
This is a variation of the oil supplement that the aesthetician recommended. It is specially formulated to help regulate a woman's hormones. After taking this for a week I was floored. My always dry skin is dry no longer. This product has made a profound difference in my skin. My face is clearing, I really think my hormones are in better balance, and even the bumps I've always had on my arms and legs are smoothing out and going away. I have been singing the glories of this stuff to everyone!

Black Soap
The eczema-expert friend gave me a sample of black soap so that we could try it out together. We were both impressed by the results. Her itching and swelling has become much, much better, and I am enjoying the smoothness and clean feeling of my skin. Black soap is all natural and known for its ability to help clear skin of numerous problems.

In a nutshell
Here is what I am currently using on my skin:
Face: Shea Terra Organics Black Soap and Rose Hips Facial Cleanser
Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn & Cucumber Facial Toner
Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn & Cucumber Moisturizing Cream
Body: Jason Dandruff Relief Shampoo (wonderfully soothing! and no pine tar!)
Nature's Gate Tea Tree Conditioner
Shea Terra Organics Black Soap bar
Nature's Gate Colloidal Oatmeal Lotion

Coworkers and friends are floored by the way my skin looks now compared to the way it looked in February. If I get really brave I might post then and now photos. We'll see...

My Grand Revelation

Let me tell you about February. I had developed patches of eczema all over. The worst scaly patch was on the back of my neck. I also developed eczema blisters...on my face. Huge spots would swell up and form blisters; they itched to the point of distracting me entirely. My sebborheic dermatitis was flared to a fever pitch and by late evening the itching brought me to tears. And then the cystic acne flared. My face was so swollen and painful that I could barely stand to talk and smiling was excruciating. I went to the regular doctor who said maybe it was rosacea, the blisters could be eczema, but it may just be acne. Sure enough, the determatologist said it was just acne. "What about the blisters?" I would ask. "What blisters?" was the reply. "What about the intense itching on my face?" I asked. "Cystic acne can itch" she told me. I finally got her to admit that there was a "slight" eczema component. I went to my car and sobbed for several minutes before I could drive away. I went home with a prescription for antibiotics and 2 or 3 topicals.
A friend of mine has suffered from extreme eczema for most of her life and she kept stressing to me that the itchy blisters on my face looked like the eczema she gets. So I decided to do some research. Let me explain that I don't take the word of a single website as gospel. But after searching on causes for both eczema and cystic acne, I found over and over again a connection between the skin problems and food allergies. The most common food culprit: milk. I talked it over with my mom and my husband and decided to try omitting dairy for a few days and see what happened. The result? The eczema disappeared. Entirely. In 3 days. If I get hidden dairy or cheat I feel the patch on the back of my neck start to itch. This possibility was never mentioned by a single dermatologist. I had recently had a scratch test with my allergist that came up negative for food allergies but I can't deny the results of my experiment.
And that is how I decided to eschew the dermatologist and strike out on my own into a world of holistic skincare.

Hello

Hi. My name is Allison and I am finally, at the age of 30, figuring out how to care for my skin. Unfortunately, there is no user's manual for one's skin and with the plethora of products out there it is far too easy to end up in a conundrum over what to do. I have battled various skin issues for as long as I can remember: skin rashes that were never diagnosed, what I have determined is/was keratosis pilaris, eczema, sebborheic dermatitis, cystic acne, and just plain sensitive, reactive skin. I have itched, swelled, and oozed. I have been miserable in my own body and cried at the thought of going out in public because of the state of my face.

Several months ago my skin reached a point that was just plain ridiculous. Between itching from the eczema and sebborhea and pain from huge cystic acne welts, I was ready to become cave-dwelling hermit or light myself on fire. Years of dermatologist visits had failed. No one had a legitimate answer or a permanent solution for me. Oral antibiotics gave me only fleeting relief and topicals only caused more irritation. I can't count the number of doctors who have just looked at my skin, shrugged, and declared that "it's just some sort of allergic rash." The sebborheic dermatitis started in elementary or middle school. The acne started in college. The eczema joined the party after the birth of my second son in 2008.

So I guess the whole point of this blog, the goal maybe, is to tell my story in case it helps to shed light on a problem shared by others. To show that there are other options out there and maybe spread a little hope. Assuming that I ever have any readers... ; )