A bumpy road to skin health

family history matters

Although I never noticed a breakout on her beautiful dark walnut complexion, one day my mother complained of mild eczema. She rarely mentioned physical discomfort, because she had come out of a time when such things were not discussed.

I later found out why he broke this taboo. She must have known my turn was imminent. And my rash was not mild; getting it under control has been a throbbing and nagging headache.

Quickly from symptoms to diagnosis

My doctor didn’t give the diagnosis until I was 40 years old, but the symptoms first manifested during childhood. I just didn’t recognize them as such.

All I knew was that I had unsightly, raised, reddish-brown rashes that spread from the insides of my elbows down the length of my forearms. The itching was so intense that I used calamine lotion to soothe it.

A brief but false hope

Eventually, I found out that wearing rubber gloves while doing the dishes prevented a recurrence. Eureka! She had identified the source as “an allergy to dish detergent.”

Or so I thought. Then the monster extended its ugly tentacles again on my complacency.

After moving to Atlanta, I experienced firsthand how the city had earned the nickname “Hotlanta.” Suffocating conditions endured for days or even weeks at a time with hardly a breeze to take back. My eczema flourished in that climate.

roulette remedy

I can honestly say I tried the over the counter remedy dictionary. Creams, compresses, elixirs and oils of almost every brand you can imagine accumulated in my bathroom sink. They were in vain.

Wool and similar rough fabrics aggravated rashes, so I avoided them. I still woke up scratching myself in the middle of the night.

Then dollar-per-second dermatologists (also called “dermies”) entered my life.

Do not misunderstand. Dermies serve a great purpose and help people with illnesses much greater than mine. But they are expensive and, in my case, they presented another problem. They recommended steroidal compounds.

Although medical records document their effectiveness, cortisone creams scare me as a threat to good health. Products with high concentrations of steroids, or even milder ones applied frequently, can thin the skin and attack the liver, which is not an attractive set of results.

Stress triggers identified

It was time to apply a more holistic approach to solving the problem. The first observation I made was the high level of stress in my life:

• I had gotten over a divorce and my love relationships had been a series of shipwrecks.
• I was working long hours and yet teetering on the razor’s edge of unemployment.
• He knew he had to go back to school to receive a significant amount of technical training. Did she have the intellectual power to handle it?
• I wasn’t enduring my difficulties in a vacuum; friends and other family members regularly shared their evidence with me.

But I knew many people under much greater pressure who did not develop symptoms. It was time to investigate the medical cause of my eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis.

doctors know everything–almost

Imagine my disappointment when I learned that the doctors were not sure of the answer.

Some medical researchers believe that people susceptible to eczema exhibit a pattern of falling victim to fungal and bacterial skin infections. Bingo! That resonated with me. I had contracted a foot fungus during my teens.

Things that aggravate me And my eczema

The literature on eczema agrees with these elements as possible causes:

• allergies (to nature, fabrics or products, for example)
• inflammation
• immune system response to irritants
• stress
• sweatshirt

Maintain the course of treatment

I’ve tried and ultimately refused commonly prescribed cortisone creams like triamcinolone, but follow my doctor’s advice to avoid known irritants and keep my skin hydrated.

I routinely wash and dry my skin after exercising to prevent sweat from exacerbating itchiness, and I meditate to reduce stress. The combination of these measures can make a difference.

my favorite relaxers

For me, the most effective products have been:

• finely ground colloidal oatmeal used in warm baths for temporary relief
• oatmeal lotion; oat-based products like those made by Aveeno to relieve and soothe itching
• shea butter, which contains vitamin A and E and provides soothing moisture to the skin
• Champori, an excellent herbal ointment available at this link: http://www.champori.com

In short, chronic eczema can be bothersome and frustrating, but diligent care can eliminate or manage the condition. Never forget to check your stress levels and emotions as possible triggers.

As a general rule, your rashes should be examined by experts because many disorders can manifest them. If you think you might have eczema, see a doctor familiar with natural remedies and manage your symptoms with discipline. Your efforts will prove worthwhile whenever you are itching for relief.