Case Studies for Skin Ailments

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Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #30 on: November 12, 2008, 07:42:00 PM » by savannah

How old? Male or Female? 37 female

Do you wear makeup or use facial creams/ sunscreen (baby powder/lotions on baby bottom before infection)?yes

How long did this condition last? most of my life: dry,patches of red,irritated,scaly,flaky skin esp. around eyes

What various treatments did you try and what were the results of each treatment?natural salves for skin problems never helped including miracle salve.i tried various clinique products which never really helped, coritsone is the only thing that would give temp. relief. i got rid of sls shampoos and soaps, scented laundry soaps,etc.

What finally worked? i have recently had much sucess with witch hazel because i think it has been a fungal issue. i am going to try the witch hazel w/o the alcohol and see if that works as well. i take tummy tuneup, garlic, a yeast defense, fish oil
which i hope helps.

Any other observations? i just wonder if it's a fungal issue, if creams and salves dont make the condition worse.

Note: I am interested in lists of meds/herbs that were used and how they failed or succeeded; also try to remember if lotions, gels, creams, or powders were used topically on a standard basis before the infection occured. Note your diet, allergies, or other medical conditions as well.

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Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #31 on: December 31, 2008, 12:11:26 AM » by mykidsmom

Yooper,

This is the first time I've read your history with eczema. I think you should consider that you are dealing with two separate issues, not one. My experience with eczema is that it is almost always related to a food allergy. Have you had an ELISA food allergy test done? I'm betting you're allergic to something you would never consider and don't know it. For example, my SIL is allergic to pineapple - who woulda thought that? You can eliminate the usual suspects, nightshades (tomatos, potatos, etc), dairy, gluten, etc. but if those don't do it I would suspect some other food(s). We just discovered bananas are an issue in this house. I would look at things you eat a lot of but are not the usual suspects. Have you already eliminated tomatos, potatos, etc?

One thing I have discovered in treating eczema is that once everything is eliminated from the diet that you're allergic to, healing comes quickly. We used Berts Bees Coconut Foot Cream in the beginning and then switched to Berts Bees Banana Hand Cream. The Coconut works faster but can cause uncomfortable symptoms. The Banana Cream works very well and is very comfortable. It took about 30 days or less of nightly use and the eczema was gone. But if an allergic food is gotten ahold of, it's hours or so and eczema comes back. I would highly encourage you to do an ELISA test. It is worth the money and will save you money in trying different supplements/approaches that may not work because you could be missing something. We also did the DSS baths when things were miserable. I would bath the boy in DSS then gently pat him dry and slather him in the Banana Cream.

I think the yeast is a totally separate issue. I've not seen yeast cause or aggravate eczema. I think once you have the dry/red patches that you can develop yeast on top of the skin rash as a result of scratching/open air, etc., but I do not believe it's yeast that causes the rash. Does that make sense? Doing yeast cleanses, etc. is probably as effective as anything for that. We have and are using nystatin internally and I would say we get the quickest results using that internally while following a good anti-yeast diet.

hth

patti

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Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #32 on: January 19, 2009, 08:00:04 AM » by Yooper

I just updated my study.

Patti,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my eczema; they are welcome.

Mercola thinks eczema is often triggered by a food allergy(ies), too (link HERE). Allergies are implicated in the GAPS book, as a result of gut dysbiosis (have you gotten there yet?). Grin

Totally possible here.

I have never been ELISA tested, but I think I'll do GAPS first, as my children are in need of it, too. My skin is clearing as I quit taking things that would cause die-off, even w/ diet not being 100% GF or GAPS. This would go hand in hand w/ my 18 days MC experience where I had the worst rash ever, so unless my allergy was maple syrup, cayenne or lemons...I'm thinking it's die-off. As I posted in my update, my recent thoughts about my eczema being worse since adopting a WTM lifestyle may be due to a die-off reaction I have YEARS of toxins accumulated, I'm sure. Roll Eyes

Quote from: mykidsmom on December 31, 2008, 12:11:26 AM

Yooper,

This is the first time I've read your history with eczema. I think you should consider that you are dealing with two separate issues, not one. My experience with eczema is that it is almost always related to a food allergy. Have you had an ELISA food allergy test done? I'm betting you're allergic to something you would never consider and don't know it. For example, my SIL is allergic to pineapple - who woulda thought that? You can eliminate the usual suspects, nightshades (tomatos, potatos, etc), dairy, gluten, etc. but if those don't do it I would suspect some other food(s). We just discovered bananas are an issue in this house. I would look at things you eat a lot of but are not the usual suspects. Have you already eliminated tomatos, potatos, etc?

One thing I have discovered in treating eczema is that once everything is eliminated from the diet that you're allergic to, healing comes quickly. We used Berts Bees Coconut Foot Cream in the beginning and then switched to Berts Bees Banana Hand Cream. The Coconut works faster but can cause uncomfortable symptoms. The Banana Cream works very well and is very comfortable. It took about 30 days or less of nightly use and the eczema was gone. But if an allergic food is gotten a hold of, it's hours or so and eczema comes back. I would highly encourage you to do an ELISA test. It is worth the money and will save you money in trying different supplements/approaches that may not work because you could be missing something. We also did the DSS baths when things were miserable. I would bath the boy in DSS then gently pat him dry and slather him in the Banana Cream.

I think the yeast is a totally separate issue. I've not seen yeast cause or aggravate eczema. I think once you have the dry/red patches that you can develop yeast on top of the skin rash as a result of scratching/open air, etc., but I do not believe it's yeast that causes the rash. Does that make sense? Doing yeast cleanses, etc. is probably as effective as anything for that. We have and are using nystatin internally and I would say we get the quickest results using that internally while following a good anti-yeast diet. hth patti

I have the BB's products you mention, but they've bothered my skin in the past if there was any redness. I"m only using DSS now and some pure cocoa butter when the redness is gone w/ success. I'll keep those in mind, though.

The healing IS going faster than usual, so I'm a bit perplexed...unless my die-off theory is true... Huh

What you said about yeast's involvement w/ rash is intriguing. I think yeast die-off may contribute to the rash but not be the cause itself,OR like I think you're suggesting, becomes a complication w/ ana existing rash. Nystatin topically or internally wasn't helpful to me...

Thanks again...lots to mull over. Cheesy

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About My Eczema...UPDATED 2/2010

Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #33 on: January 19, 2009, 11:46:33 AM » by Yooper

Quote from: westernskys on January 19, 2009, 10:23:15 AM

Quote from: MomOf6Girls on October 20, 2006, 10:15:58 PM

Melaleuca has a lotion called Renew that has been double-blind tested against Eucerin for relief of eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin, among other skin conditions. I personally have over 135 customers in my customer base and have not seen ANYone who hasn't had the Renew lotion COMPLETELY clear up their dry skin or eczema. My husband's hands would crack and bleed, but by using the Renew once a day, he hasn't had that problem in over 2 1/2 years. Anyway, you wanted skin testimonials. That's mine. :-)

Rhonda

Unfortunately, tho I love Melaleuca products, I have used it on two kids with severe eczema, and dh who has severe dry, cracking skin. despite using it faithfully at least once (often twice) a day, it doesn't work. NO improvement on the eczema, and only slightly with the dry skin. (he still has to tape or super-glue his fingers almost daily because of the pain.) I love it for my 'normal' dry skin, but for severely dry skin...it just doesn't cut it. I haven't found anything to work, tho. The eczema we found out was celiac in one child, and outgrown in the other. my .02

It didn't work for mine, either. Sad

I had high hopes.

The petrolatum ASP, cetyl alcohol, methylparaben, propylparaben and fragrance are ingredients I need to avoid. Dh liked it for his dry skin, though.

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About My Eczema...UPDATED 2/2010

Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #34 on: November 14, 2009, 06:22:53 PM » by sarajane

Quote

How old? Male or Female?

Baby, a boy from the time he was about 3 months the rash began and slowly got worse and worse.

Quote

Do you wear makeup or use facial creams/ sunscreen (baby powder/lotions on baby bottom before infection)?

No.

Quote

How long did this condition last?

A few months until I found a way to make it all better. He will still break out if I do not keep him on a special diet.

Quote

What various treatments did you try and what were the results of each treatment?

I tried the cortisone cream, it helped a little at easing some of the itch but by no means cured him.

I tried Miracle salve, it was great for keeping infections away from the scratching he did but did not cure him.

I even tried an anti-fungal cream which worked initially but ended up burning him and then no longer working.

I had to moisturize his skin 3-4 times a day and also put on cortizone cream just to keep him semi happy. He didn't sleep well, and the rash was always wet in the center near the creases in his arms and legs, on the outer edge it was dry and cracking. He had many scabs from scratching all the time. He also had cradle cap.

Pro-biotics didn't help.

Quote

What finally worked?

He was breastfed and did not have any solid food. I went on an elimination diet to find his food allergies out. For the first week I only ate very few foods. Turkey, squash, olive oil, rice, potatoes, salt, pepper, and apples. I only drank water and un-sweet ice tea. We found out he is allergic to avocados, eggs, soy, dairy, and wheat/gluten. Some of the allergies are worse than others like the egg seems to be really bad.

Quote

Any other observations?

Wearing pants seemed to help as the crawling on the floor irritated his knees.

I made sure to use my homemade laundry soap, no fabric softener but instead vinegar in the rinse to rid our clothing of residue.

After all this I am convinced that food allergies should be the first thing a person who has eczema looks to figure out. I was also told by a friend that frankincense essential oil is great for eczema but I have not tried this myself. Some people I have spoken with like to use apple cider vinegar on their eczema skin.

Quote

Note: I am interested in lists of meds/herbs that were used and how they failed or succeeded; also try to remember if lotions, gels, creams, or powders were used topically on a standard basis before the infection occured. Note your diet, allergies, or other medical conditions as well.

Again, I am looking for any stories you have or have knowledge of. If you got a cure, great! If not, I would still like to hear your story.

Well, I mentioned the cortisone cream, helped/aided with itching but was NOT a cure.

Chamomile baths seemed to sooth him and soften his skin. But again was just something good for his skin but not a cure.

Regular moisturizing helped the dryness that still can come a times even though he is "cured". I never really call it cured seeing as it is a food allergy thing. He is cured as long as he doesn't have any of those foods.

I plan on slowly giving him a little here and a little there through me via breast milk to help him build up a tolerance but I want his gut to be healthy and strong first.

Miracle Skin salve healed the infection he had from scratching.

I think that is pretty much it. The cure was from the inside out, eliminate those foods that caused him to breakout.

« Last Edit: November 19, 2009, 12:59:26 AM by sarajane »
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Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #35 on: November 27, 2009, 05:34:28 PM » by dvbrd

If you (or someone you know) have ever experienced persistent patches of infected rash-like areas that bubble/weep, on your skin or scalp, please list your experience and how you treated it:

My son, who is now 6, had really bad eczema from the time he was a baby until around 3 -3 1/2 years old. It's much better now but still flares up occasionally on his cheeks. When it was really bad it was in all the hot spots of his body. The bends in the elbows, under the knees, between the toes, and sometimes on his stomach. Occasionally it was bad enough it seemed almost all over.

How old? Male or Female? 6 months until 6 years

Do you wear makeup or use facial creams/ sunscreen (baby powder/lotions on baby bottom before infection)? I used the usual Johnson and Johnson baby wash and lotion with him

How long did this condition last? six years although it is much better!

What various treatments did you try and what were the results of each treatment?

The doctor prescribed Elidel (sp?) for him, after reading up on the possible side effects we decided not to use this.

We tried various oatmeal and hypoallergenic lotions. None worked and most burned when applied to his skin.

What finally worked?

Several things have contributed to it mostly clearing up:

One-we had him allergy tested and found he was allergic to more foods than we thought. We have eliminated these from his diet.

Two-we stopped using all soaps on him except for Ivory, as suggested by my sister. We saw a major improvement in his skin with this!

Three-we try to bathe him every other day, this helps in keeping his skin from drying out.

Four-I make our own laundry detergent out of Ivory soap, washing soda, and borax. I have run out and bought some from the store but he immediately started itching profusely. So much so, I had to make a fresh batch and rewash all his things immediately.

Five-it was suggested to add a cool mist humidifier to his room and run it especially at night. And we saw an improvement with this.

Six-Any flare ups are treated with a baby eczema cream we get from Walgreens made by Gentle Naturals. This is the only cream with have found that does not "burn" him and actually brings the itching to a tolerable level.

Any other observations?

He usually has flare ups when one of his food allergens slip in or if I wash his things in anything but ivory soap.

Chlorine severely aggravates his skin. Go figure, right?!

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Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #36 on: November 29, 2009, 08:08:57 PM » by wlwest

I have psoriasis, eczema, rash like problems on my hands. From what I can remember, it started on my hand around the time my husband, (boyfriend then) got me a little gold ring. But It seemed just a nuisance then, after I was married it got worse, and has been a thorn in my side ever since. A dermatologist gave me some steroid cream, which I haven't used in a long time. Since the skin on my hand, it's on my palms and fingers, and tips of fingers is so thick, he prescribed me some steroidal lotion. I always try to wear dish gloves when cleaning. Since my youngest is out of diapers, I've noticed an improvement. And it seems to only be on my left hand now, and mostly around my ring finger, and my palm. I use the eden salve which helps alot, and I can use it without worrying about getting it on the kids, or my food. I also use that Aveeno, which also helps out alot, maybe the oatmeal in it?

Maybe it's a reaction to the ring wearing? But, I definitely have to wear my wedding ring! Although, I do take it off at home if my hands are bad.

I would love to cure this problem, but it is better than it used to be.
wendy

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Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #37 on: November 30, 2009, 07:08:29 AM » by mykidsmom

Quote from: wlwest on November 29, 2009, 08:08:57 PM

My guess is this is a twofold issue. You are likely allergic to gold. In which case going to a platinum ring or something of that sort would fix that issue. The other thing is eczema is always caused by food allergies. Everyone that gets eczema from foods allergies tends to get it in specific spots. My DS gets it on the back of his legs only. I've known others that get it badly on their hands. So I would recommend you get tested for gluten and dairy allergies specifically but it wouldn't hurt to do a whole panel. But likely, you're allergic to gluten. That seems to be a common thread in people with eczema on their hands specifically.

patti

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For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day.

Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #38 on: January 08, 2010, 08:56:45 AM » by Yooper

I updated: http://www.welltellme.com/discuss/index.php/topic,3043.msg209542.html#msg209542

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About My Eczema...UPDATED 2/2010

Re: Case Studies for Skin Ailments
« Reply #39 on: January 08, 2010, 11:17:09 AM » by healthybratt