Hi guys,
I didn’t mean to go so long without updating. Here is something I meant to tell you about. A day or so after writing my previous post, I developed pompholyx/ dyshidrotic eczema on my hands and feet. I’ve had it on my hands once in the past, to which the GP misdiagnosed it and told me I had scabies (lolwot?) and of course it wasn’t, though that’s a story for another day… It was this bubbly eczema stuff which went away with steroids, but of course that was before my steroid withdrawal so I panicked a bit this time knowing I might be in a bit of a pickle.
I’ve had to really up the contrast for you to see as it is ridiculously difficult to photograph.
Basically I was given antibiotics, which did their job of clearing up the infection and was told to restart my Ciclosporin to control the rest of my skin and to help the pompholyx and that was that… Although of course it’s never that. The pompholyx buggered off but the infection came back a few days after finishing the course. Urgh!!!
I rang up my dermatology nurse on Friday just to let her know it had come back and she wanted me to see someone, however there was no one available to see me and I didn’t want to resume the antibiotics so decided to try something different. For the first day or so I did what I normally do and let my skin dry out to cease the infection from spreading. However it was so unbearably painful that I needed to try something. I filled the sink up with water, epsom salts and a few drops of tea tree oil and used a face cloth and just planted it over my whole face. It was fine until it all dried out again.
Later on I tried just putting tea tree oil straight onto a damp face cloth. Never again. Oh my good God! The pain! It’s definitely one that needs diluting.
I then came up with the idea of mixing a few drops of tea tree oil in with my white soft paraffin, and sparingly applied it to the infected areas. It left my face a bit red but a bit later it had calmed down my face significantly and I was starting to peel all over. I repeated this all weekend, mass shedding occurred, and low and behold the infection has gone! Hurrah!! I’m still left with some spots and redness and stuff but as it isn’t a systematic treatment, I do expect it to take a bit longer. I’m so chuffed though.
From now on I’m going to be adding drops of tea tree oil to my emollient when I need to use it.
Three cheers for tea tree oil!
Also apologies for those who have emailed me and gotten no reply, I’ve been pretty much AWOL and moping around feeling sorry for myself. Hopefully I shall be back on form soon.