From Eczema Shame to Eczema Confidence

Published on WebMD blog.

My eczema flare-ups have two main stages: the worsening, which leads to peak flare-up, and then the recovery, which leads to clear skin. In the past, the two phases together have lasted a few days, a few weeks, or, terribly, a few months.

Not long ago, I was in the recovery phase of a bad flare-up on my hamstrings. They were no longer burning or unbearably itchy. But the skin was still swollen and dry. I completely forgot about my thighs, though, when my sister invited me to the spa for a massage. I would’ve never gotten a massage if my skin was actively flared up – massage oil on a hot flare-up would’ve been a terrible idea. But I should’ve waited a few more weeks to go get a massage.

I realized my oversight as soon as the masseuse put her hands on my bare skin. I was undressed, lying on my stomach, covered by a white blanket. And I felt so exposed. Eczema exposed. “Oh no, my legs!” I thought, “Oh no, oh noooo!”

She started on my shoulders and moved down to my back. Then she was massaging my waist. I was everything but relaxed. I felt so much anxiety – a surprising amount of it. And I felt shame about my skin. I felt guilty that I put my masseuse in a situation where she’d have to touch my flared-up skin. Would she be disgusted? Would she want to stop? Even worse, would she turn on the lights and stop the massage? Would she think it’s contagious? People still think that, right?

At this point, the masseuse finished massaging my arms and covered up my back. She repositioned the blanket and pulled out one of my legs. This was it. It all built up to this moment … and nothing happened. The masseuse massaged my legs like nothing was wrong. I assumed she was being very professional about it. I still felt bad for putting her in this situation.

Finally, the massage ended. She left the room and I got up to get dressed. There was a full-length mirror in the corner. I sped to it and looked at the back of my legs. And they looked completely normal. The room was dim enough that my flare-up didn’t stand out. I stood in front of the mirror and saw more than my reflection. I recognized my eczema shame. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized I felt shame regarding my eczema. I’d felt obsession, anger, frustration, and even pity. But shame? I was too confident to feel shame! But the last hour couldn’t be ignored.

“No,” I told myself. “Not OK.” I didn’t choose to have eczema and I’m not a bad person or less than anyone else for having it. I will not feel shame. I will be confident about how I handle it. I will have eczema confidence.

And, I will lower my skin expectations. Perfect skin is not necessary. Most people have blemished skin – and they get massages. Looking in the mirror of the massage room, I saw myself as I was – perfectly fine and appropriate for a massage.

Contact Dermatitis to Leather & Wood

The Discovery

The discovery of a severe skin allergy is bitter sweet. That moment of discovery sounds like waves crashing and the sky thundering. Stars align and you quickly go through all the moments you missed in your head. The flare-ups that caused confusion and misery. They make sense now. And they were avoidable.

That’s the silver lining. Now I know what to avoid. But it’s not so simple. Skin allergies never are simple.

My Allergic Reaction to Leather & Wood Products (Sometimes)

As always, it stars with an itch. It progresses to little red bumps that themselves get bigger, redder and itchier. The bumps spread. It gets to the point where a large area of skin is thick, inflamed, red, and itchy to an unimaginable point. Like one big, furious welt. It’ll start oozing after a week if the skin continues to be in contact with the allergen.

The Leather & Wood Products I Can’t Touch with my Bare Skin

My skin does not flareup from all leather and wood, but a few leather and wood items in my life consistently cause flareups. I’ve discovered and confirmed this in the last half year. Because I have a serious dust mite allergy, I surround myself with mainly leather and wood - no upholstered furniture.

One of my leather couches causes contact dermatitis. And, of course, it’s my Chesterfield couch from Restoration Hardware and not my sectional from Costco! The fake leather upholstered seats from my dining set also causes problems. As does my wooden desk in my work-from-home office. My desk! And my leather desk chair. And the leather on my car seats! My beautiful camel colored leather. What a shame.

And the list will probably keep growing as I touch new things.

How I Avoid My New Contact Dermatitis Allergies

Pop quiz: how does one avoid contact dermatitis? Ya don’t touch it! It turns out that it’s that simple. I still use all these items that cause allergic skin reactions, but I use a barrier so my skin doesn’t have direct contact with the culprit. I have a towel under my laptop, so my forearms touch the desk instead of my desk. I avoid using shorts, so my pants are a barrier between my legs and dangerous seats. I cocoon myself in a washable and clean blanket on my Chesterfield couch. And I avoid short dresses, skirts and shorts when I go out to avoid sitting on furniture that could cause a reaction. And by short, I mean anything that is above my knee, because the point is for there to be no bare skin touching a seat.

Why Am I Allergic to Some Wood and Leather products?

I think I’m allergic to some (not all) wood and leather products because of my contact allergy to colophony, which is also known as rosin. It is an ingredient in many products, from makeup to topical medication, furniture … even asphalt! It is also found in lubricants, polishes, lacquers and varnishes.

How I Treat My Skin’s Allergic Reactions

I sure did learn the hard way that the best way to treat my eczema (assuming it’s caused by a skin allergy) is to LET IT BE. Most importantly, I stop exposing my skin to my allergen when it starts and before it gets terrible. If it gets out of hand and gets terrible, I ride it out. No steroids, no non-steroid topicals like Elidel or Protopic … not even moisturizer. I do wash the flared area with CLn Bodywash and use antihistamines like Claritin and Zyrtec daily, both of which I think helps.

And it works! If contact with the allergen is stopped, within one week my skin turns itself around and starts improving. Often, within two weeks, it’s healed almost completely or is at least going through the shedding process and headed towards complete healing.

I feel so liberated from not using eczema medication anymore. I now tackle the root of my eczema problem - the triggers. Though, my triggers are so widespread and ridiculous that I feel shackled by them some days. But, hey, one win at a time!

Drawing my Eczema

I’ve drawn my current eczema flareups the way I did years ago when my eczema was uncontrolled and I journaled my eczema and food intake daily. I’m at the point where my eczema is intolerable more often than it is tolerable. I’m too itchy, my blood is getting on things, and my flared skin is hot to the touch. BUT my face has been fine, so I am over-the-moon grateful.

Last weekend, as I sat at a park chair on a hot summer day, watching my kiddos play, my skin hurt a lot, all over. I was losing my stamina for dealing with it. At that moment, I started considering Dupixent again. It made me sad that my mind went to Dupixent - because I wasn’t going to consider taking it again unless my eczema was chronically moderate-to-severe. I’m not ready yet. I’m grateful to have Dupixent as an option, but the long-term side effects worry me a bit. For example, my face still flushes sometimes when I drink alcohol (a Dupixent reaction), even though I stopped taking the medication three years ago.

Last week, I finally started my dust mite allergy treatment. Today, I started a new homeopathic treatment recommended by my acupuncturist, whom I started seeing again last month. I will try these things and if my eczema doesn’t improve, I will consider Dupixent again. It helped me once and I trust it will help me again.

What It's Like to Live With Eczema and Skin Allergies

Published on WebMD blog.

Eczema isn’t as simple as it seems. The symptoms, severity, and flare triggers can range widely from one eczema warrior to another. I think, though, that I can confidently say eczema is a skin condition that causes dry, itchy skin.

That doesn’t sound very confident, does it? I’ve had eczema for much of my life and have talked to many doctors, but I still have many questions about it. Is eczema the condition that causes the symptoms, or are the symptoms eczema itself? Eczema equals rashes, but rashes don't always equal eczema, right? Does it stop being eczema when the symptoms become super severe, even though eczema led to that severity level?

Before you conclude that I’m completely unqualified to write about eczema, I’ll share what eczema means to me and how it’s affected my body.

What Is Eczema?

Eczema is dermatitis -- they’re interchangeable words that describe a chronic condition with inflamed, dry, itchy skin. There are different types of dermatitis conditions, like atopic, contact, nummular, stasis, and seborrheic. I’ve dealt with atopic, contact, and seborrheic dermatitis. My current struggle is contact dermatitis, which is closely related to my many skin allergies.

How Do Skin Allergies Cause Eczema?

Triggers cause eczema flare-ups and can be related to things like stress or allergens. Allergens that come into contact with your skin cause a reaction. Poison ivy is a good example. Most people are allergic to poison ivy and they react with a rash.

Different people have different allergies. I have many skin allergies, and that makes it more likely for my body to come into contact with an allergen and have a reaction (i.e. an eczema flare-up).

My Skin Allergy and Eczema Life

My lifelong eczema journey is marked by milestones and revelations related to allergens that I discover are causing reactions. Fragrance was my first allergy revelation, then dust mites, and, as of last year, colophony (which is rosin made from pine, fir, cedar, and similar trees).

It seems the older I get, the more all-encompassing my allergens become. Lately, it’s to the point where my clothes are triggering flare-ups.

Example 1: I put on a sweater that triggered hives on my arms that kept spreading, improving, then worsening for weeks with no end in sight. It’s inflamed and itchy as I write these words.


Example 2: I wore sweatpants or sat on a fabric couch and the backs of my thighs broke out in painful, burning hives.

Example 3: I wore the same cloth face mask a few times and suddenly it triggered eczema on my face, in the areas under the mask.

These real-life examples are all recent, and they’re confusing -- not all sweaters, face masks, and sweatpants trigger reactions. I assume they need to be freshly washed or they can gather dust mites, triggering a flare-up. I have many more examples: reactions from metal jewelry, cosmetic products, rugs, deodorants, soaps, etc. Skin allergies are especially difficult because of their mysterious nature.

How I’ve Dealt With My Eczema and Allergies

I’ve been very thorough with my eczema treatments and have tried most options, from over-the-counter eczema creams to oral steroids and traditional Chinese medicine (like herbal pills and acupuncture, which worked well!). I used topical steroids to the point that I went through topical steroid withdrawal -- the most severe, debilitating skin condition imaginable. I’ll never use topical steroids ever again.

My treatments have varied throughout my life and have been based on the severity of my eczema, which has ranged between mild, moderate, and severe. Nowadays, I’m trying to manage my eczema by avoiding my allergens altogether and using a nonsteroidal prescription ointment when my eczema gets out of hand. I’m considering traditional Chinese medicine again because my mild-to-moderate eczema has been on the moderate side for much of this year and I don’t seem to be doing a good enough job at avoiding my many allergens.

It’s an Itchy Life

Although everyone’s eczema journey and eczema types are different, chronic eczema fighters have many things in common: consistently dealing with itchy skin, at different severity levels, resulting from different triggers throughout our lives. It’s an itchy life, and we all have that in common. It’s good to know I’m not alone in my itchiness.

What It's Like to Be a Mom With Eczema

Published on the WebMD Atopic Dermatitis blog.

Imagine you’re a parent on a Saturday morning and it’s your turn to wake up early with the kids. Of course you’re tired when you get up -- you’ve been tired since you became a parent!

You smile when you see them in their cute pajamas. You brush their teeth and head to the kitchen to make them breakfast while they watch cartoons. They start fighting and you go into mediator mode, while ensuring the pancakes on the skillet don’t burn.

They eat happily and are messy -- as expected when you give little ones pancakes with syrup. It’s time to change them out of sticky pajamas and into their outfits for the day.

Fast forward a few hours and you’re tired and need a break, which you can take during nap time after you feed the kids lunch.

Fast forward more and it’s the evening, which means cooking dinner, feeding kids, bath time, bedtime, and the post-bedtime kid shenanigans that follow. At that point, you can finally relax until you go to bed and do it all again the next day.

Being a mom with atopic dermatitis (AD) or eczema is like that -- except you’re doing it all while also being itchy. Although my daily routine and activities will change as my children grow, I’ll likely always be itchy.

Eczema Can Scare Children

My children are Nico Atlas, 2, and Nina Sol, 4. I can’t hide my eczema from my children. Their experience with my eczema will evolve as they get older.

Nina was a baby when she and my husband joined me at my allergist’s office for an allergy skin prick test on my back. This test should instead be called the skin stabbing test, because it’s painful! But with my baby girl next to me, I knew I had to be extra tolerant and calm to not scare her.

What I’ve Learned: Choose products like shampoo, soaps, and moisturizes for your children that you can tolerate. You’ll avoid flare-ups on your skin when you use them on the kids.

Throughout the years, I’ve been careful to not bleed in front of her because blood can be scary for kids. Most important, I’ve been open with my children about my eczema. Nina knows that I have eczema, because when she was younger she asked me why I had polka dots on my body (so cute!). I told her it was my eczema.

When Nico gets older, I’ll tell him, too. Eczema shouldn’t be scary, but it can seem that way to kids when they’re confused or uninformed.

Eczema Affects Your Family Activities

Chronic eczema affects my daily life. As a parent, this means my family may be affected by my condition. Do the kids want to walk outside on a sizzling hot day when my eczema is flared? Maybe we’ll do something indoors instead.

How about getting in the pool with the children? Some days, it’s best to not get wet. But it’s OK. We just do a different fun activity that won’t worsen my skin. The kids will be just as giddy.

There are, however, some activities that eczema fighters must do even if it will hurt a bit. For example, even if my forearms are flared, I’m still going to give my kids a bath. This means my arms will hurt as I dip them in the water. Stinging arms aren’t a big deal to me when I get to enjoy watching my babies play in a bubble bath. Now, if my eczema is severe, I’ll ask my husband to do the bath.

Children’s Compassion Helps

One of the wonderful perks of being a parent to little kids is being showered by their unconditional love and affection. Since my daughter was almost 3, she showed deep empathy and support for me when I was itchy.

At a very young age, she began telling me that I shouldn’t scratch and should tap instead. (Only my adorable toddler can tell me not to scratch!) Last year, my back was unbearably itchy during an allergy patch test and Nina was especially supportive, checking in on me and asking when the test would be over. My 4-year-old helped me get through gruesomely itchy 4 days.

Having chronic eczema can be hard as a mom, but the support from my adorable cheerleaders makes me stronger. I also keep things in perspective with gratitude. I focus on the special moments with my children. Ultimately, I’m most grateful that it’s my body with eczema and not my children’s skin. I am, after all, a mother above all and want the best for my babies.

Did my Dirty Face Mask Trigger My Flare-Up?

A few weeks ago, I started getting a little itch on the tip of my nose. I had no visible flare-up, but just a consistent little itch. (The cutest little itch!) Fast forward to a few days ago and I started getting an itch on my left cheek that then became a visibly flared-up spot within a few hours. “Oh no, not my face again,” I thought. But I stayed positive. Well, I woke up this morning to obvious eczema flare-ups throughout the bottom half of my face and on my lips. Specifically, my lips were swollen and flared at the edges (like an eczema lip liner!) and I had flare-ups throughout my cheeks.

I don’t know why, but I immediately thought this was caused by my face mask. I admit, I haven’t washed my face masks nearly as often as necessary. And maybe a few times I’ve ridiculously worn lipstick for patio date nights with my husband. Lipstick that swelled up my lips and that I probably smeared on the mask that covered my face. Yes, these are the same masks I put on again later without washing them. Not my finest moments!

I used Protopic ointment on my face this morning to get it under control. Thankfully, after an itchy morning, it started improving. I think my face will clear up within a few days - fingers crossed!

So, did my dirty face mask trigger my facial eczema? Who knows?! Maybe it did. Or maybe it was that faux fur blanket I used last week, or the pillow I laid on over the weekend knowing it didn’t have a dust-mite cover. Oh, the joys of skin allergy mysteries! Just to be safe, all of my face masks are currently in the washing machine being cleaned in hot water.

My Pregnancy with Eczema - Updated

2/16/19 update: 2 years after my first pregnancy, I’ve realized I was probably going through Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW). Read more about it on my post about my second pregnancy. Below’s post is unedited and how I reacted to my first pregnancy at the time.

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I  gave birth to my first baby 15 months ago after a roller coaster pregnancy full of challenging eczema flare ups. True, I'm a chronic eczema fighter, but my ten plus years of eczema did not compare to the eczema I experienced during my pregnancy. 

1. My Eczema was Pregnancy-Induced

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For the first few months of my pregnancy, I blamed the disruption of my eczema treatment for the severe flare ups. When I wasn't pregnant, I used acupuncture and took herbal pills to control my eczema, but I had to stop both when I became pregnant.

Months later, I changed my conclusion: my pregnancy itself was the reason for my severe eczema flare ups. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones or my body reacting to the changes in my body, but I blame my pregnancy for causing eczema. 

2. Doctors Told Me Steroids are Safe and Okay

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My OB/GYN doctor told me that I could take a steroid pack to help handle my eczema. According to my doctor, this medication does not cross the placenta, so is fine.

What a relief I felt! I almost got a steroid pack, but then ...

3. Doctors Told Me Steroids are Dangerous and Not Okay  

All my other doctors - allergists, general physicians, even my pharmacist scared me away from taking oral steroids. They all resorted to "ask your OB/GYN," because it seemed they didn't want to be held accountable for a formal recommendation. Ultimately, I didn't take any oral steroids while I was pregnant.

4. Second Trimester: Horrible Eczema

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Months four through six were the worst for my eczema, although it started in month three. By "worst," I mean the worst eczema I've ever had in my life. It was the worst few months I've ever experienced, complete with debilitating, leaking eczema all over my face and body that didn't even let me sleep for days at a time. There was edema, weeping, flaking, redness, hot, dry, full of lines. My recovery was swift, hard to believe and with no explanation. After 3 - 4 months of all-consuming eczema, my skin cleared up. Redness went away. Swelling went down. Al the lines on my face left, so I looked 20 years younger. And no more oozing. I could finally sleep. 

During the fifth month, my eczema drastically improved on its own, similar to how morning sickness goes away during the second trimester. It felt good to finally shift my attention to the little baby I was baking. 

5. Last Weeks of Pregnancy: Eczema Returns, Not as Bad

Late in my third trimester, my eczema came back, although it was not as severe.

6. Giving Birth with Eczema

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My skin didn't look or feel great when I went into labor, but at least my body and face didn't feel like a statue. My eczema didn't get in the way of my giving birth, thankfully. And my husband and I welcomed our first child!

7. Post Birth: Eczema and Medication

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After being shamed by doctors to not take steroids while pregnant, I kept battling my eczema without much help. However, I went straight to the pharmacy to pick up my Prednisone pack as soon as I gave birth. Unfortunately, my pharmacist lectured me for taking oral steroids while I was breastfeeding. I have no words for that. 

After I gave birth to my daughter, my eczema stuck around. My face looked purple when I took her to baby yoga. My skin wasn't as horrible as my pregnancy's second trimester, but it was definitely not good. It has since turned around and my skin is beautiful, with only mild-to-moderate eczema due to my getting a new allergist and starting Dupixent and Protopic earlier this year.

8. Getting Pregnant Again

Today, according to my OB/GYN, I can stay on Protopic if I get pregnant again. Dupixent, however, is not safe. I took my last Dupixent injection two weeks ago. I will stay off it for about 3 months, then will start trying to get pregnant again. I'm more terrified than excited at this point and am keeping my fingers crossed that my second pregnancy produces another healthy, beautiful baby, but without the eczema torture this time. 

Top 5 Qualities of Best Allergists for Eczema

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One year ago, I felt absolutely defeated. I had been losing in my battle with dermatitis for years and had just experienced the worst eczema of my life, which occurred during my first pregnancy. I felt frustrated and exhausted by my own body's attack on my skin.

I Was Just Not That Into My Doctors

I had been seeing an allergist for years and, though they were helpful at first, I no longer felt confident they could help me. I kept hearing the same typical suggestions: avoid dust mites, don't keep your dog in your bedroom, do a food-avoidance diet, etc. And these things didn't really help. I also didn't have a specific dermatologist at that point for a similar situation: I'd gone down that route and there was nothing else they could do for me. Chronic moderate-to-severe eczema doesn't have a cure - at least it didn't at that point. 

Hope on the Horizon: A New Allergist

Feeling hopeless, I decided to search for a new allergist. I knew my skin allergies were serious and a big part of my eczema; maybe I should get a second opinion on my treatment with a new allergist. I did some Google searching and saw there were mainly two best-in-class allergist options in Houston ... and it turned out I already had one of them as my allergist. "It's okay. Maybe the other doctor is different," I thought to myself. I made my appointment and felt hope for the first time in a long time.

Game-Changing Eczema Treatment

Dr. David Engler from the Allergy Clinic in Houston changed my life. Although a big part of my improvement this year is Dupixent, a new medication that came out in 2017, and Protopic, an ointment I had surprisingly not tried beforehand, my skin and spirit were in much better shape within only three months of seeing Dr. Engler.

I've realized there are 5 qualities that make my new allergist the one for me:

1. Looks Forward and Keeps Learning

It feels like a breath of fresh air when your new allergist rattles off research and the latest medical discoveries on eczema and skin allergies. You need a doctor that is obsessed with learning, is an avid reader and actively stays on top of the latest industry research. If it sounds like your allergist is telling you things you've heard repeatedly, it's probably because they're stuck in the past.

2. Goes the Extra Mile

The medical industry incentivizes doctors in many ways - to use certain drugs, to maintain certain costs, to be productive with their time, etc. A good allergist will do what is best for their patients, not themselves. When I needed Dupixent, a new eczema medication, my allergist spent the time to complete all the paperwork and even partnered with a Dupixent representative to get me approved. He went the extra mile and, as a result, that medication changed my life. 

3. Builds Relationships within the Industry

No doctor will know everything. A "keeper" allergist for eczema will have relationships with others in the allergy and dermatitis field. It is comforting when your doctor tells you they're going to a conference and will get feedback from other specialists about your treatment. 

4. Gives Me Confidence

One of the most important qualities of a good allergist are the ability to give me confidence that he or she can help. It takes time to treat eczema. Literally, time, as in hours spent in doctor's appointments. I wouldn't prioritize my treatment if I didn't feel confident my doctor was helping. And if you're suffering from severe eczema, you feel much more lost if you don't have a doctor you trust. 

5. Committed to Helping 

After having dealt with manic moderate-to-severe eczema for years, I wanted to be cured by my new allergist. Knowing there is no quick fix, I at least wanted to get on a new, good path for improvement. I sometimes felt like I was my doctor's experiment - and I loved that. With many small wins, I eventually achieved mild-to-moderate, controlled eczema, which is where I am now. I acknowledge this improvement is probably not permanent; it's only been one year since I began seeing my new doctor and started new treatments, but it sure feels good to be in my body right now!

Recommended articles about my first year with my new allergist:

My 3-Month Eczema Journey with a New Allergist. I Feel Pretty Again!

My First Dupixent Injection

Allergy Shots for Eczema Control

How to Get Rid of Dust Mites on Winter Clothing

Winter jackets, hats, sweaters and all the fuzzy accessories ... what a great season for clothing and fashion! Unfortunately, for folks with dust mite allergies, it is also a constant reminder of what we shouldn't put on our bodies for risk of a reaction. 

Dust Mites in Winter Clothes

Home furniture, flooring and decor is the big topic for dust mite allergy recommendations. No carpet, leather furniture, no curtains, dust often, etc. But nobody talks about clothing and accessories - the things that are actually worn on the body. And all the same type of rules apply: no furry stuff and nothing that gathers dust. The problem is that we can't (and shouldn't) walk around in all latex or leather. Our clothing can't be wiped down with a damp cloth. Dust mites live in our clothing, especially our winter gear like hats, jackets and sweaters that don't often get washed. We're told we should store our clothing in airtight plastic bags, but ... come on ... that's not practical. 

Eczema Reaction to Dust Mite Allergy

I just bought a new heavy coat a few days ago with the fur lining (not real fur, of course) and wore it a few times. It almost immediately hurt my neck - the skin that was touching the fur. It got itchy, painful and rashy. When I showered yesterday, my neck burned like I had little needles pricking my neck. My neck didn't visibly look horrible and didn't spur a big all-body eczema flare-up (thanks to my Dupixent and Protopic eczema treatment), but it was more than uncomfortable and a clear reaction to my new coat.

My Experiment: Steam and Vacuum Winter Coat

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What a bummer! It was a brand new coat and hadn't even been in my closet gathering dust. The reality, though, is that it had been in a warehouse, transported in a box and hung in a store - all perfect situations for breeding dust mites. 

In my house, I have many winter gear pieces that I don't even try to use anymore. I didn't want to put this new coat in that pile. So, I decided to try steaming the fur. Steam cleans clothing, right - it seemed to make sense! But, what about the dead dust mite bodies and fecal matter? After all, it's the dust mite poop that causes the allergy reactions. So, I grabbed my hand vacuum and vacuumed the fur. 

And I think it worked! I wore the jacket all day today and my neck didn't hurt or worsen! I'm going to try this steam-and-vacuum technique on all my dusty winter gear. 

Side notes:
1. I've tried many steamers and most are terrible. Here's one I love that is highly rated and I use often: Joy Mangano My Little Steamer

2. As for the hand vacuum, my husband recently treated himself to a Dyson V6 Animal vacuum, so I used that, but I think any hand vacuum would be fine. 

My 3-Month Eczema Journey with a New Allergist. I Feel Pretty Again!

January Through Early February

I started 2017 with moderate to severe eczema throughout January. In early February, six weeks ago, I spontaneously decided to get a new allergist, because I felt I was in a rut. He found a vitamin D deficiency in me, which he says is common with severe eczema patients. My doctor also had plans A, B and C for how he would treat my eczema. I was ecstatic and hopeful. 

Treatments

Vitamin D supplements: A blood test showed my vitamin D level was 23.7 ng/ml. The normal rate is 40-60 and should be even higher for eczema sufferers, according to my allergist. I was prescribed vitamin D pills of 10,000 units each and took 2 pills per week. A few weeks ago, I got tested again and my vitamin D level was 77. My allergist told me to take 1,000 units of vitamin D per day moving forward. 

Antihistamines: Before seeing my new allergist, I had been taking two Claritin Reditabs every morning for months. He recommended I increase my antihistamines and also take two Zyrtec in the evening. I don't think the brands matter, but I have a preference for Claritin Reditabs. 

Probiotics: My mother-in-law has an endocrinology degree and is a big believer in probiotics and gut health. She recommends Align to help my eczema. I asked my new allergist about this and he agreed and said it helps some people, so asked that I take Align daily. 

Steroid Pills: When I saw my allergist in early February, I begged for steroids. Within a few days of my steroid pack, my eczema began returning! So, at my two-week checkup, my allergist told me to stop my steroid pack and take 10mg of prednisone daily for ten days - the steroid amount I took before my eczema started returning during my steroid pack. He hoped my vitamin D levels would be high enough to help my body fight the eczema when the ten days were up. I finished the steroids three weeks ago.

Steroid Creams: For at least two years, I've been using Alclometasone Dipropionate Ointment (0.05%) for my face and Triamcinolone Acetonide Ointment (1%) for my body. My doctor asked me to continue using that and I have been. In my doctor appointment one week ago, he gave me Tacrolimus Ointment (Protopic, 0.1%) for my face, but I haven't had to use it yet.

Bleach Baths: My allergist recommended bleach baths in my first two appointments, but I was hesitant, so he recommended CLn body wash as an alternative. In my last appointment, one week ago, my allergist pushed harder on my doing bleach baths. I've taken three so far and they're not as bad as I expected! I was really scared to put my flared-up body in bleach water, but it's minimal bleach and doesn't hurt much more than plain water. I use a quarter cup in a bathtub of water, but it can be up to a quarter cup, depending on the bleach's concentration. 

Foods: I was vegetarian for three years until last November, because my newborn was allergic to my breast milk. I began eating meat and fish, but stopped consuming dairy and soy. I stopped breast feeding two weeks ago and added dairy and soy back to my diet at the same time. I've not gone back to vegetarianism yet.

Regarding my food allergies, I've had tons throughout the last 6 years, but the number of allergies has decreased in each new allergy test. When I was tested in February by my new allergist, my results showed zero food allergies!

My Skin Today (End of March)

My face is 95% better and my body is 50% better. My eczema is mild to moderate now versus moderate to severe. Although my body is slowly getting worse since I've been off steroids (mainly on my back and arms), it's still better than it was in January before my new treatments. I know eczema too well to think I've been cured and know there's still a tough road ahead, but I'm an optimist at heart and I've sure felt positive about my recovery so far! And others are noticing as well. The grocery store cashier carded me last week and afterwards still didn't believe I was over 21! And a coworker (female and a friend) randomly told me how beautiful she thought I was - and even on a day when my face wasn't 100%. I feel pretty again!

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Skin Turning

I may not be a werewolf, but I sure feel like one when I say that my skin is turning. The good days lasted less than a week, but I sure enjoyed them while they were here. My face definitely started turning yesterday. The skin got itchier, turned red, warmed up, became thicker, then the red turned into more of a purple today and it's starting to look swollen. And it's still transforming now! The dry patches are getting dryer and the itchiness is pretty bad and it's hot to the touch. Can you tell the difference? I know I can!

My beautiful face two days ago! 

Yesterday. Those who don't know me may think this is what I always look like, but not so! There are bags and lines under my eyes, my eyes look smaller altogether, my complexion is worse, and I just look like a bigger mess in a can't-put-your-finger-on-it way.

And this is me today with purply red and swollen skin. Super itchy! And the transformation is still going on.

If my doctor and pharmacist hadn't accidentally given me a 6-day steroid pack yesterday, I would be starting my steroid pill treatment right now. A 6-day pack is too fast; it needs to be a longer lasting treatment or else my eczema will bounce back harder than before. I need something for at least two weeks ... a full month ... forever! Okay, that's too long. Steroid pills are unhealthy, I know. But wouldn't it be great to have the healthy skin permanently?! Let's deal with one day at a time for now. I'll stay out of the Houston heat this weekend and will get the correct steroid pack on Monday, then I'm off for my second babymoon (this time with a best friend) in London and Scotland next weekend ... with what better be amazing skin!

Steroid Conundrum While Pregnant

The thing about chronic eczema is that it needs to be treated continuously. If you're lucky, you'll find something that works for a good amount of time. Nothing will work forever, since the body changes and adapts. For me, herbal pills seem to help.

Steroid packs help, of course, but they're not great. Once the pack is finished, the body rebounds pretty hard at times and the eczema comes right back, maybe even worse. Wouldn't it be wonderful if steroid packs had zero negative side effects and could be taken forever? The reality is that they're pretty unhealthy and I try to avoid them as much as possible. What about steroid creams? I gave those up years ago after I lathered myself with them for years. I am quite certain that I permanently damaged my skin around my eyes and mouth (two main eczema-prone spots for me) and will likely look like a 120-year-old by the time I'm 60. Thus, I am super hesitant about using steroid creams. 

Insert my pregnancy into the mix. Now I'm unable to take my herbal pills and my eczema has crept into unbearable levels. My dermatologist confirmed the mess on my face is indeed eczema and nothing else. She gave me steroid creams and told me to hold off on the steroid pack, since "it could be worse." (It could be worse! Oh, eczema.) Both steroid creams and steroid packs are category C treatments. In the pregnancy world, category C is a label used for products that have been known to hurt animal fetuses, but enough studies haven't been done to confirm the same for humans. A pregnant woman is advised to only use category C products if the benefits outweigh the risks. Well, damn. Put that way, I'm going to avoid all category C products unless absolutely necessary. I'd rather not sleep well and tear my skin out rather than hurt the growing baby inside me. My dermatologist confirmed the munchkin isn't getting hurt by my flare-up. It's all superficial and only felt by me. Except the not sleeping well, of course. 

So I will continue to hold off. If, later on, I'm so unhealthy that it's affecting my pregnancy, I'll reconsider the steroid creams and packs. Even though my OBGYN is okay with my taking the medications, I'd rather stay on the safe side. Scratch, scratch, scratch ...

Pregnancy Glow? More Like Facial Eczema.

The last few months, a few things changed my life: I got pregnant (yeah!), I stopped my acupuncture and herbal pills and my eczema went down a bad path. As is often the case with eczema, I don't know if the events leading to the flareup are correlated. I've been quiet about my skin, because I had nothing positive to say. No words that would bring hope to other eczema sufferers. But things have gone pretty far and I want to be loud about it.

One of the worst periods of my life is when I went through facial eczema years ago. My eczema moved to my body and I was so grateful ... And hoped it'd never return to my face. A wish unfulfilled.

I'm now in my 19th week of pregnancy and my face has deteriorated the last few months. Bright red, itchy, scaly, peeling, significant shedding and swollen. So very swollen. Over the weekend, my eyes were so swollen when I woke up, that I could barely open them. Oh and it's still all over my body. Bloody sheets and clothes are a daily occurrence.

I'm now working from home more often and asking my close friends to come to my house instead of meeting in public places. It's jarring for strangers and coworkers to see me. "What happened to your face?!" exclaimed a stranger at Old Navy while I shopped for cheap maternity clothes a few weeks ago. She thought I'd had a chemical peel. Others have thought the same thing.

At a time when I should be focusing on the growing child inside my belly, all my thoughts are focused on my skin. Pregnancy already causes women to lose sleep. My itchiness has kept me up for weeks and has me worried that I'm not resting enough for the munchkin inside of me. 

I'm back with my acupuncturist and am about to see my dermatologist. Usually I say a dermatologist has nothing to offer me anymore, but, in case I'm dealing with more than eczema and to watch out for the growing baby inside me, I'm going to play the safe card. Maybe modern medicine can help after all ... Fingers are crossed.

The Sprint from the Shower to the Moisturizer

Short showers with not-too-hot water is a must for eczema folks. You get in and you get out! No dillydallying. When my skin is super flared up, I shower carefully, only getting my skin wet when necessary. Water is one of an eczema sufferer's worst enemy! It burns and dries out the skin.

A shower usually shows me the first sign of an upcoming flareup - you can feel it in your skin as the water touches it. Because the water dries out the skin as you shower, as soon as you finish, it's imperative for you to moisturize and use your eczema products right away. On good days, it's not important; but on bad days, I can feel my skin dry out at a super fast rate. Within five minutes, it's uncomfortable to stretch my face and body. 

So run, my eczema peeps, from the shower to the moisturizer and get your skin in order so you can have a great day with your body!