Skin problems

[sharonjones]

as we know stress is the biggest thing that will upset your whole system, ask anyone and they will tell you how their body brings stress to the surface.

my body is really very stressed right now due to circumstances beyond my control, ive erupted in fluey/cold virus type symptoms (lovely) and my skin has erupted all over the place in red patches, they never respond to anti fungal preparations or just moisturising, they spread if un-treated and the only thing ive found that works to eradicate them is a 1% hydrocortisol cream. ive been avoiding using it until today when the burn/itch was too much and they just look so awful.

anything i can use thats more natural?? bath tinctures anything?? :noidea:

its driving me nuts.

[Jax]

Sharon I've been giving this quite a bit of thought, especially as I'm stressed to the bone myself at the mo, although luckily I don't suffer spots from it. But I have suffered a rash type of thing on the left jaw and down my neck before (I may've been detoxing without knowing or something), the only thing that sorted it out was a soap I bought called Tepezcohuite, you can find out more from this link (http://www.fairfresh.co.uk/skinproblems/tepezcohuite-soap.htm), I have to say I haven't bought from that site though.

Another thing that might help you is Manuka honey, some people swear by it, I've only just bought some so can't offer my experience, although it may have helped the recent IBS attack I had.

And obviously you need to get the stress under control which is faaaar easier said than done I know! I have found that a Paul McKenna CD has really helped to 'calm' me, he does a stress one, which I have here but haven't used yet LOL :rolleyes2:

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know http://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

[sharonjones]

many thanks Jax ;) im currently trying out a solution of bicarb of soda dabbed on the skin to try and soothe it.

[Jax]

Oh wow, I've never heard of that before, that bicarb is a good all rounder hey? http://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon12.gifhttp://www.rawinuk.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

[sharonjones]

i'll let you know how i get on ;)

[marieme]

Hello Sharon

Just read your post and wondered if you have an allergy. My mother had red skin patches that erupted every now and then and she found she was allergic to cinnamon. Now at this time of the year cinnamon seems to be in every food stuff or if not in food in Christmas scented goodies. Just a thought!

[sharonjones]

thanks marie, the only allergy i can think of is my husbands ex-wife lol the eruptions are a bit easier since we came away on holiday ;)

[Carrot Top]

Hi Sharon
I am a red head (or should I say Carrot Top!) have had very sensitive skin for years. Spent a lot of my childhood with horrendous eczema over all parts of my body.

My face flares up with red/dry skin sometimes for 'no reason at all'. I can't use any toiletries/moisturisers/washing powders etc that have any perfume at all, even natural things like lavender.

Like you, I have to resort to using 1% hydrocortisone ointment sometimes, when nothing else works. (Over the years, I have found ointments to be far better than creams, as the skin absorbs the oitment better). Sometimes I find when I have exhausted all option available to me the best treatment is to do NOTHING at all, ie not to put anything on the inflammed skin, as it is sooooo sensitive that quite often any 'treatment' makes it worse! But this approach requires a lot of patience as it can take weeks, sometimes a month or longer for my skin to heal.

A couple of years ago, due to stress & a prolonged period of very poor mental health my face in particular got so bad that steroid ointment had no positive effect. I have a very supportive GP & she ended up prescribing steroid tablets for a couple of weeks, to help my body heal the skin from the inside out. Fortunately I have always had very good physical health so my body coped with the steroid tablets OK. This treatment eventually worked but certainly wasn't an ideal solution at all BUT I was feeling so rough/low with the skin issue that anything was worth a try, even putting nasty steroids into my body! Our skin is our largest organ and people who don't have 'problem' skin really can't appreciate just how much it takes out of you (physically, emotionally & mentally) when it's 'playing up'. Getting plenty of good quality sleep really helps as your body can then concentrate on healing.

I've just started reading a book called "Solve Your Skin Problems" to try and get a better understanding of what is having a negative effect on mine. In the past I have dabbled with eliminating various food items from my diet for months at a time but haven't yet discoverd anything from doing that. I have only got involved with Raw foods since June this year (hadn't even heard of the term before then!) & was hoping my skin might improve.... Can't say I have noticed any difference......yet. I have never smoked, don't drink alcohol or fizzy type drinks, don't use makeup or perfumes, always have 100% cotton bedding, wear a lot of natural fibres as my base layer, have heathy green leaved houseplants in my rooms at home etc etc AND I always drink at least 2 litres of plain filtered water every day and my hands & face are still really dry and get easily irritated.

I had chickenpox when I was 29 years old (didn't get it as a child) & that was a nightmare for my skin BUT interestingly I found having luke warm baths with plenty of bicarbonate of soda in helped calm the itching. (I was reminded of this by reading your message about using bicarb!)

Will let you know what I think of the book once I've read it & then if any use, can pass it on to you. Hopefully your skin will be slightly better by the time you read my post!

[Jax]

thanks marie, the only allergy i can think of is my husbands ex-wife lol the eruptions are a bit easier since we came away on holiday ;)
Can completely relate to that!!! ;)

[Ruth]

I don't know if it would interest you but have you tried the old fashioned remedy of calendular (marigold) or chickweed for skin flare-ups, eczema, rashes etc? My two best friends both have had bad lifelong eczema and in the past been prescribed absolutely everything including steriods to control it: none of which has made any difference whatsoever, except mentally because it is so lowering to try so many things and always be back to square one.

I used to send one friend natural organic chickweed oitment which worked for her as long as she applied it every day; and the other friend has had a huge breakthrough with KUK organic marigold and aloe vera cream which he applies thrice a day. Over the course of a year the large patch on his leg which was several layers deep and rough has shrunk and healed...he hardly ever gets pain or itchiness there now as long as he is religious in using the cream. The key for them both seems to be keeping the skin topically hydrated at all times and applying natural creams, not just once a day but often hourly. It works for them. Hope this helps a bit.