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2/17/2004 4:46:06 PM
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bets
Posts 18976
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I noticed that Eileen was saying she suffers from ezema, and I figured I`d tell you how I cured my horrible case...I had it every winter, whether I lived in Chicago, Colorado Springs, Anchorage, anywhere it got cold and dry...the doctor gave me steroids, and I thought "that`s dumb...you`ve addressed the itch, not the dry that itches." I finally got the effective and remarkably cheap idea to use pure lanolin. And we all KNOW where THAT comes from!!!!!
I get the top enabling prize of the day-elann can now be written off as a pharmaceutical expense.
Bets
(seriously, the little tube at the drugstore shouldn`t be more than a few dollars, and it IS effective.)
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2/17/2004 7:23:29 PM
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ecasey
Posts 2668
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Really?? That`s good to know - I definitely try that next! I haven`t had it this bad in a few years - last time I got it, it was all around my eyes, and they swelled up so much that my eyes closed over! Now it`s on my hands - exacerbated not just by all the paint and bleach I`m using at the mo, but also a little stress with the Teva Durham book projects. I told her about it the other day, explaining why I was a little behind scedule - she is the nicest person. When she emailed back, the first thing she addressed was different vitamns and minerals I should try - not anything about her knitting. She just has a lovely spiritual, down-to-earth quaility that I really like. You expect these designers to be up their own derrieres! But anyway, as I was saying, I get it bad, and so does my Mum and brother. My wee cousin gets it so bad that she has to be wrapped up in moist bandages from time to time! The steroids aren`t working too well at the mo, nor is the pure petroleum jelly (which is yuck anyway as it stays on forever, no matter how much you wash your hands.)
--
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the STARS!" (Oscar Wilde)
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2/17/2004 7:53:43 PM
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bets
Posts 18976
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Hi!
It`s worth a try. It`s called Hydrous Lanolin, it was less than 2.00 per tube when I lived in Alaska (9 years ago) and you may have to ask the chemist to order it for you, but it should not be expensive. It is goopy-nasty, but if it goes on before bed, it should be ok in the morning. A little goes for MILES. Give it a try.
(I don`t know about the eye area tho!)
Hope that helps!
B
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2/17/2004 8:06:46 PM
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Guest
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Oh, you poor thing! All the moisture in Syracuse is usually on the ground... In addition to trying lanolin, I would suggest pans of water on the radiators (Really cheap humidifiers), using Cetaphil lotion, available at CVS and other fine drugstores, to use to clean your face (You don`t actually need to use water with it)WEARING RUBBER GLOVES (yes, I know I`m shouting I meant to!) when you are scrubbing around with bleach, etc, AND I have some hand stuff I got at a wool festival - I`ll send you the URL. IT is not cheap but, and here is the delightful part, unlike many creams, it does not hurt when you put it on. Timothy adores it for his face and chin, which are everlastingly wet and everlastingly irritated. I would start with the lanolin, though.
Are you SURE you don`t want to learn how to spin wool in the grease?
Theresa
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2/17/2004 9:01:18 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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See, I knew all along that sheep are the perfect animal, yarn,lanolin, and they taste good (hoping not to offend any vegetarians but they are delicious). Not only that, they have the cutest babies in the world. Now, Eileen, get ready for me to reiterate Theresa`s lecture - GLOVES,GLOVES,GLOVES!!! I can`t help it, it`s the mother in me, I do it to my family too. Theresa`s right about the Cetaphil, it`s great and it`s not too pricey unlike most face stuff. I used to use Clinique but found I like the Cetaphil better. And it`s so much cheaper. I have also found Triplesporin ointment heals my hands when they crack and bleed in the winter. I think it would be okay around your eyes. Better check to be sure though. I`m going to give Bets lanolin a try. She`s not only talented, she`s a wealth of helpful info. Whatta gal!
Benne
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2/18/2004 3:47:31 AM
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MacChick
Posts 3589
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I gotta agree with Theresa and Benne... GLOVES!!! Why on earth would you even THINK about putting bleach directly on your bare skin? Besides, any opportunity to put on gloves is also a great time to slather on some greasy hand creme and let it really get soaked into your skin.
As for dietary supplements... fish oil caplets, whenever there aren`t enough fish in the daily menu cured my problem... I had skin dry enough so the cracks were prone to bleeding, and I found that once I got my intake of Omega-3 up where it should be, the problem resolved itself beautifully. I know what you mean about the steroid treatments... it treats the symptom, leaving the actual problem to go on getting worse (I think it actually aggravates the underlying problem). BUT I`ve never had it anywhere nearly as bad as what you are describing. I cannot even imagine that!
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2/18/2004 5:23:47 AM
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Guest
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Have you tried any of the Burt`s Bees products? They use all natural ingredients and are really wonderful. You can check out health food stores around you or go to BurtsBees.com.
As far as the gloves go - a good idea is to slather your hands at bedtime,put on cotton gloves, and sleep in them. This also works well with feet (socks instead of gloves of course.)
Good luck!
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2/18/2004 5:29:49 AM
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ecasey
Posts 2668
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I`m not as stupid as I look, LOL, I just can`t wear gloves, girlies! Rubber gloves sweat my hands, which makes the eczema worse, and even cotton gloves inside the rubber gloves aren`t effective enough.
I can`t take fish oil either, as I`ve been a strict vegetarian for over 20 years (shame on your sheep-eating comment, benne!! Heehee, only joking ;-P) - but I`ve been taking flax oil.
I`ll give Cetaphil a try as well as the lanolin - I`d seen it before , but thought it was more of a daily facial moisturiser for people with really dry skin, and get this, while it`s a pain in the arse and really dry when the eczema flares up, normally I have oily skin, so I don`t want anything near it that`s going to make it more oily. Is anything ever simple?!? LOL
But I appreciate all your concern, ladies - thank you. there`s just a couple of patches left now, and it really looks worse than it feels. Because it`s not over my knuckles any more, I can knit again fine, and all is right in the world.
Eileen.
--
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the STARS!" (Oscar Wilde)
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2/18/2004 5:52:30 AM
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Cate
Posts 2212
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If you are also having problems with dry, itchy skin in other areas of your body a dermatologist recommended switching to All - Free & Clear. When I did that and did an extra rinse cycle my extremely itchy winter skin improved greatly. She said the All - Free & Clear is less irritating and rinses out better. One reason for all the itching is the build-up of detergent in our clothes & the extra layers we are wearing. I also have ecs... (can`t spell it) on my hands and feet so I sympathize.
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2/18/2004 6:46:03 AM
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Guest
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Cetaphil will not make oily skin worse, says Theresa who does not need fish oil because she is naturally packed in oil by God, sort of like a celestial sardine...
Have you tried corn starch in the rubber gloves with your hands? I don`t know if it is used as much overseas as here, but cornstarch is another one of those things, like baking soda, teabags, vinegar and aspirin (separately, NOT in Combination)that is generally good for what ails you and, unless taken in excess, at least harmless when it doesn`t actually help.
And, Eileen, no one thinks you are less than brilliant...stubborn, perhaps.....but then, look who is talking!!
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2/18/2004 7:42:54 AM
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Guest
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Eileen - if you can`t find lanolin (or it doesn`t work for you) I know loads of people who swear by a product called "Aquaphor", made by eucerin but only for damaged skin (not every day use). A little hard to find but worth it.
~Sarah
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2/18/2004 8:59:31 AM
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Alice Trueman
Posts 1784
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Hi Eileen
As a former eczema victim, here are a couple of things to try. Do not even look at hand soap - it`s full of things which will make you itch. Lots of warm (not too hot, that`s bad) water in the shower makes you clean. Ditto for dishwashing soap. Use half the detergent in your laundry and set the washing machine for a long wash and the longest rinse you can. Use UNSCENTED sheets in the dryer. Avoid rubber/latex gloves. Keep a food log - maybe cauliflower or something makes it worse. This one you`ll probably laugh at, but an Italian pharmasist but me on to it, drink lots and lots of tea, just plain, clear black tea made with boiling water. Apparently it`s the tannin that quiets the eczema. Just think, you can spend hours knitting (only natural fibres) whilst you sip tea, all for health reasons!
Alice
Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada
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2/18/2004 9:33:42 AM
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Les
Posts 4243
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What a bunch of "eczematics" we are. At least we are able to come out of the closet about it, eh? I too have developed eczema in the past year. My mother said I had it when I was a newborn and she used lanolin on my skin. I Use Cetaphil on my face when i don`t just use water because someone has taken the Cetaphil to another bathroom. I`ve been using an ostrich cream on my face (the kids don`t touch this one!) purchased from the local farmer`s market. With the dry chinook winds we get here, it`s the only thing that saves the skin on my face during the winter. Need something for my legs and elbows so will try some of your suggestions. Thanks:-}
Lesley
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2/18/2004 11:39:02 AM
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ecasey
Posts 2668
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Well that`s good news!
Remember that I`m from Ireland - we have the highest tea consumption per capita in the world (contrary to popular belief, it`s not the English who hold this record)! And Theresa can attest to how delicious our tea is too, LOL! I drink about 3-4 POTS a day by myself - not black though - with a teeny bit of skimmed milk, no sugar or sweetener. In fact, I`m sitting ehre with a Tigger mug full of steaming tea as I type! LOL
This is all great advice I`m getting here - thanks so much all of you. This topic seems to have touched a nerve with many people! I think what primarily triggered this was that I was painting the living room, and didn`t have any protection on my hands. And then the stress of trying to get literally picture-perfect projects done for Teva added to it.
I`ll have to maybe just pace myself where getting the new house in order is concerned - my hands just seem to be constantly in water - you know how dusty and dirty they get with decorating. Then there`s feeding the cats and changing the litter every 3 hours - the old paws get well scrubbed after those of course!
Has anyone ever tried those soap and water free hand sanitisers? Might that be an idea??
Eileen.
--
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the STARS!" (Oscar Wilde)
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2/18/2004 12:39:05 PM
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Guest
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Eileen - those hand sanitizers are all (at least that I`ve seen) mostly alcohol so they`re actually very drying, even with added moisturisers!! My husband tried one travelling (he`s the one with the bad hands in our family) and it felt good but after a few days -- ow! It was a disaster!
~Sarah
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2/18/2004 8:09:43 PM
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bets
Posts 18976
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Eileen, when my hands are bad, I can`t even use hand soap...and Sarah`s right, those sanitizers are jellied alcohol! Run AWAY!
B
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2/18/2004 9:06:49 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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Eileen,
Might I suggest you use one of those pooper scooper things instead of your bare hands when cleaning out the cat box? Just a thought. (snicker,snicker)
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2/19/2004 7:59:58 AM
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ecasey
Posts 2668
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Benne, you`re bold! And just remember that you`re not too old to be put across my knee, young lady! LOL
Eileen.
--
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the STARS!" (Oscar Wilde)
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2/19/2004 3:40:06 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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I just couldn`t help myself. I had this mental picture of you on your hands and knees cleaning out the cat box. Blame it on my perverted sense of humor and smart mouth.
Bennne
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2/20/2004 7:59:46 AM
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Guest
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I`ll second the endorsement for pure lanolin; my father(dairy farmer with hands constantly in soapy water) used to buy large jars of it and slather it on several times a day. Another alternative(and one that smells great!) is cocoa butter. It was reccomended to me to prevent radiation burns and it worked great for that and I`ve been using it for super dry, cracking skin ever since.
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