tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85670560723840045842024-01-05T18:04:30.570-05:00Sammy's SkinThe story of a boy, his eczema, and the quest for a drug-free solution.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-36959902792242041112015-11-22T11:05:00.004-05:002015-11-22T19:30:28.444-05:00November 2015 Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For those inquiring, Sam has been pretty much eczema free since December 2013. He still has the disposition toward eczema and atopy, I don't think that ever goes away! So there are times I see those symptoms begin to emerge. But its never more than a blip on our radar. The important thing to know is that using the website <a href="http://solveeczema.org/">solveeczema.org</a> we have done just that- solved his eczema. In other words, I've learned how to manage it so that if it looks like a scant rash is cropping up, I can snuff it out immediately by tweaking and balancing the aspects of his environment and diet which I know are triggers. No questioning or fretting- I know what to do now. I feel confident and in control of his skin. He never gets more than a faint spot and has not had full blown eczema, night disturbances or any significant itch in these two years. Here are some photos I took this past Spring (about 7 months ago): </div>
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And, below, pictures of our September beach trip (2015, just a couple of months ago). This was significant because in 2013 Sam's daddy and two siblings went on this trip without him and me. His skin was still unpredictable and very reactive at that time, and I was too nervous to take him to an unknown environment for an entire week where I would not feel in control of his skin. This year, when the opportunity arose to travel, there was no question that his skin was stronger, less reactive, and had been clear long enough that I needn't worry. I carried my tools with me. And he did great! A few days in when he started to rash a tiny bit, I slathered on our secret weapon that I swear by (Aquaphor mixed with ACV) and he was clear again the next morning. </div>
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I can scarcely remember what life was like for us when I started this blog in 2012. I do remember being in such a helpless place, where Sam's skin consumed my thoughts every single second of the day. That was tough. Today, I rarely think in terms of eczema prevention. I might have had to think about it once or twice in the past year, but on the whole, he's a normal kid and we are a normal family. Sure we use pure, organic soap products, you won't find harsh chemicals in our home, and our diet is largely organic and minimally processed. But those things no longer stress me out- they are second nature. </div>
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For those struggling- my heart goes out to you. You see Sam's photos at the top of this blog. How severe his eczema once was. He had nearly a full body yeast infection on top of that. This road to being eczema-free and truly FREE in general, was anything but easy at the start. Sometimes I thought we'd reached the end of the tunnel only to have another unexplained flare up that lasted months. But it will BECOME easy. The changes will become second nature, a way of life. You'll get to the point where you don't even have to think about it. And one day you'll look up and realize your kid has clear skin and you'll have to pinch yourself- and pat yourself on the back for sticking with your gut and venturing outside the medical protocols. When it comes to your child's health, trust your intuition!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-47398465317941193022014-01-02T09:44:00.000-05:002015-11-22T12:34:32.889-05:00#1 Eczema Myth: "Soap is Bad" or "Using Only Water Is Best"<br />There is one common and near universal myth that trips people up when they attempt to remove detergents, harsh chemicals and other toxic household and personal care products for the intent of improving eczema. <br /><br />The myth is that detergents and soaps are one in the same, that both are "bad" for washing sensitive skin. This myth leads to another widely held misconception- that water is in fact the best means of cleansing skin. I often hear: "My child's eczema cannot be detergent related, because we have already removed all detergent products from our home, and he still has eczema". Almost without exception, when I ask "What are you washing your child with now?" the answer is "Just water. We don't use anything but water for washing."<div>
<br />I can see where the logic comes from, but unfortunately the logic is faulty. Changing these beliefs could open the door for healing your child's skin.</div>
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<br />The truth is, water alone does not - can not - fully remove detergents and other chemical irritants from the skin. But soap - pure, true, traditional soap made from animal or plant fats - can remove detergents and other irritants very effectively.</div>
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<br />Part of the confusion comes from changed definitions. For most of our earth's history, the word soap referred to the product of saponifying plant oils or animal fats mixed with other natural oils, or sometimes lye or ash. History confirms that humans used various forms of traditional soap for home, body, and clothing for many thousands of years without the skin problems we have today. </div>
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What changed? </div>
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<br />Soap itself changed. In the 1950's, the Tide company invented detergent to circumvent the problem of soap scum forming in hard water. Detergents cleaned better than soaps in hard water. Detergents were first added to laundry product - most of us know that! What very few people realize is that those same detergents later they found their way into nearly every household cleaning and personal care product on grocery shelves, including 99% of the bars of "soap" that are sold today. Yet those bars, even though they now contain drying, irritating detergents, are still referred to as "soap". And if it contains detergent, it is chemically altered and technically should not even be called soap, because detergents and true soaps are completely different chemical classes.</div>
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<br />So guess when eczema first exploded on the scene? Yup- the 1950's, with the advent of detergents. And guess what has increased exponentially every decade since then, as societies become more and more industrialized? Yes, eczema. (And I'm not saying humans never experienced eczema or rashes before then, just that there is a correlation to when we see that dramatic increase). </div>
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<br />For more information on how to make this change, please visit solveeczema.org. Take the time to read the entire website and start making changes. It will be hard work, and your child's skin will take time to heal, but with enough determination I do believe you can solve your child's eczema.<br /><br />So here's the problem with getting rid of all your chemicals and not using any soaps at all including pure ones, and using only water to clean. Even if you remove every chemical product from your home, if you live in an industrial society, you or your child will still be picking up detergent dust everywhere you go. Then you bring that dust back into your home. Dust is perhaps one of the most significant sources of detergent. Think about it: most of the people walking around wash their hair, skin and clothing in detergent products. They use moisturizers and lotions that contain detergent. It's in their deodorant. Their cosmetics. Each one sheds hundreds of thousands of skin flakes and hair cells everyday. We are all covered with detergents, and it just sloughs off of us wherever we go. Every business you visit, every grocery store, doctor's office, cleans their equipment, surfaces, machinery, etc, with harsh industrial strength detergents. We clean our carpets with it. We send things to the dry cleaners ... more detergents. Even our foods are saturated with them. What do you think is used to clean the machinery our processed foods, dairy products, and meats are processed on? Detergents. Fresh produce? Even the organic stuff? Sent through multiple detergent baths before it reaches our homes. <br /><br />Getting rid of your obvious detergent products is a start, but if you live, breath or go anywhere other than your own home, you and your eczematic child will still be exposed to the detergent residues our societies practically swim in, every time you leave your home. There are varying levels of sensitivity, but for some children, some with the most severe eczema, or even mild forms, a trace of detergent left on the skin can cause irritation. <br /><br />It might sound like a losing battle. But it's not! The bad news is: Water IS NOT SUFFICIENT to remove detergents from clothing or skin. The good news? Soap CAN! At least true soap can. In fact, soap is the only thing that gets rid of detergent in the clothing, hair, and skin. Again, not "soap" the way it is defined today (with detergent added) but TRUE soap in the form it was used pre- 1950s.<br /><br />The truth about detergents has not hit mainstream society, but there is a growing group of moms, including myself, who have seen our children literally healed head to toe of heart-breaking eczema, by removing chemical and toxic products yes, but ALSO replacing those products with true soap products. It has to be two parts: remove that bad, replace with pure and good. If you only do the first part, you don't really address the issue, because water will not wash detergent residues from the outside world away. <br /><br />I use a pure bar of soap to wash my son's skin everyday. If I only used water, he would break out from the day's exposures. If I miss a day, he will break out. If we visit a place where a significant amount of detergent is present, sometimes I can see him break out before my eyes. If I wash soap-wash the exposed areas once we get home, his skin returns to normal within several hours. You have to use something to cleanse chemicals from the skin. <br /><br /><span id=".reactRoot[622].[1][2][1]{comment539018499459973_110790662}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[12]" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "lucida grande" , "tahoma" , "verdana" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-80503302506034563572013-04-18T21:30:00.001-04:002013-04-25T23:03:23.715-04:00An Eczema Experiment: Measuring Skin Barrier ReparationSam's skin has been clear and soft for so long now that I feel quite confident recognizing exposure and healing patterns, as well as the distinct difference between <a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2012/05/could-it-be-detergents.html" target="_blank">detergent-reactive eczema</a> and infection. He rarely has issues, but when he does, it is a relief to know just what to do to quickly eliminate his eczema.<br />
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<u>We currently maintain Sam's clear skin by consistently doing three things: </u><br />
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<li> We avoid all obvious detergents and all products containing less obvious detergent ingredients.</li>
<li>We use only pure, true soap products for all household and personal care needs. (Water is not sufficient, and I will explain why in a moment).</li>
<li>We protect his skin from the environmental detergent residues outside our control by using clothing or ointment barriers to minimize exposure and maintain healing. </li>
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Since Sam's skin is now a blank slate, I am able to experiment with products and situations and then judge the effects more easily than I could when his skin was red and broken. This process of trying new things, and making connections from repeat observations, is fascinating to me. I am learning so much about contact eczema.<br />
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<b><br />The Experiment</b><br />
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Several weeks ago, I purposely allowed Sam to break out in eczema. I did this by allowing him to walk around the house without pants or socks on for an entire day. He spent twelve hours in direct contact with our ancient, detergent-saturated carpet. This is significant because last year, in the months immediately following his miraculous healing, even 30 minutes in contact with our carpet was enough to cause relapse of what looked like large red burns on his skin. I wanted to find out if, after 10 solid months of detergent-free healing, Sam's eczema would look and present differently due to a much stronger and improved skin barrier.<br />
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<b>The Hypothesis</b> My thinking was that steroid creams and environmental detergent residues each magnify the damaging effects of the other, playing off one another in cyclical fashion to increase skin barrier deterioration and skin permeability, thus increasing susceptibility to eczema over time. However, in the long term absence of both damaging sources (steroids and detergents), the skin barrier could begin the work of repairing itself, become stronger, less permeable, and therefore less susceptible to severe breakouts. If this was the case, then the resulting eczema from spending a day in contact with the carpet should be much less than it was with the same exposure time last summer or fall.<br />
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(*I must credit the ideas and foundation for this hypothesis to AJ Lumsdaine who said the skin barrier will strengthen over time when spared detergent exposure, and also naturally over time, with age. I suppose I am actually putting her hypothesis to the test and applying it to a slightly different situation where steroids were a factor.)<br />
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<b>How It All Went Down</b><br />
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I didn't think to take a "before" photo but I can assure you his legs were completely clear, with the exception of a faint hint of redness around the knees (the ever persistent remnants of skin candida which must run really deep because I've yet to be able to get rid of that last little bit! At least its under control).<br />
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And here is the result of twelve hours of bare-skinned exposure to a ten-year-old detergent saturated carpet:<br />
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Not bad at all! I was surprised how limited the eczema was. This eczema presentation falls more closely in line with what I remember his eczema looking like pre- steroids; spotty, faint, with lots of clear skin in between. The worst spot, as you can see, was on his left knee where he still has a bit of yeast infection. The detergent exposure seems to have really aggravated the infection, and caused it to flare and spread far beyond what it was the day before. Interesting! So it seems that while steroids definitely play a major role in creating ideal conditions for infection to take hold, detergent exposure plays its roll in exacerbating infections as well.<br />
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<b><br />Conclusion</b><br />
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I think I can safely say that Sam's skin barrier has improved and that there has been much reparation these past ten months. I wanted to share my observations to encourage others going through this process that in the absence of steroids and detergents, the skin barrier can in fact bounce back from the damage. While Sam will probably always be susceptible to detergent reactive eczema because of his skin type, in the continued absence of steroid treatment and constant detergent exposure I feel confident that he will never again have to deal with the same <a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2012/06/sammys-skin-june-4th-red.html" target="_blank">severity of eczema that he faced in his first two years of life.</a><br />
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<b>Getting It All Cleared Up: The Miracle of Soap Washing</b><br />
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I also wanted to demonstrate, in practice, how we regularly eliminate eczema (sometimes before it can even manifest) and just how swiftly healing can occur by washing the skin with simple bar of unadulterated soap.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">That night of our experiment, after taking the above photos, I scoured Sam's body and legs with soap. An important principle of the SEO (<a href="http://solveeczema.org/">SolveEczema.Org</a>) method for healing eczema is that </span><b style="text-align: center;"><i>water alone can not remove detergent residues from skin</i></b><span style="text-align: center;"><i>.</i> Whatever detergent residues Sam picks up during his day, outside the home, (and in an industrial society every space is literally coated in detergent!) those residues remain in the skin unless we wash them out with something other than water. According to AJ Lumsdaine, the best thing to remove traces of detergent residue from skin and clothing is a true, pure soap. <i>T</i><i>rue</i> or <i>pure</i> soap refers to the kind of soap humans used for hundreds of thousands of years to wash clothing, hair, and skin, long before the invention of detergents and without the widespread skin problems we face globally today. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br />Just to reiterate (forgive me if I come across as patronizing, some people just don't get this or believe it!) if I had only rinsed Sam's skin with water, the eczema would have remained, because the detergent would have remained, deep in the tissue. I wash Sam with soap every single night and that is one of the primary reasons his skin can stay clear!</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">The effect of soap washing is not always immediate. Right after his bath, his skin did not look noticeably improved. </span>However, 48 hours later you can see the drastic improvement:</div>
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<b>Day 2: After 2 Soap Washings</b></div>
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The eczema spots are still visible, but just barely. They have faded considerably! His flare on his knees is all but gone.<br />
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<b><br />Day 4: After 4 Soap Washings</b></div>
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The eczema is pretty much gone and all the itch and discomfort has long since vanished. I've found that the itching can typically be stopped right away, actually, even before rashes are visibly healed, with the first bath.<br />
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<b>The Importance of Barriers</b><br />
One more thing, because this is very important too: After each nightly soap bath, I always clothe Sam from wrist to toe. The clothing acts as a barrier so that the skin remains in a perpetual state of healing. Soap-washing the skin and following up with a barrier prevents future detergent exposures and thus prevents the return of eczema. For exposed skin on hands and face, that cannot be clothed, a thick barrier ointment like Aquaphor or Vaseline can be applied to create an artificial shield and give the skin healing time throughout the day. For outings where it is not prudent to clothe the entire body, Sam wears regular summer clothing and then if he has a break out it can still be managed quite well or at least eliminated quickly by washing the skin and re-clothing after arriving home.<br />
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<i>----------------------------------------------------------<br />Note: The same children who have detergent reactive eczema may also have food allergies, and/ or infection as factors in their eczema. Eczema caused by infection or food allergies will not respond directly to soap washing. However, if food allergies or infection are addressed and the treatment only partially improves the eczema, it is likely that detergent is a dual factor and the remaining eczema might be eliminated completely by following principles of detergent removal and soap washing. See <a href="http://solveeczema.org/">solveeczema.org</a> for the complete theory and to understand why this method is so effective.<br /><br />Does your child have any of the <a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2012/05/signs-of-detergent-related-eczema.html" target="_blank">Signs of Detergent Reactive Eczema</a>?</i><br />
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<b><br /></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-33909273615148799542013-04-15T21:54:00.001-04:002013-04-25T23:04:23.791-04:00The Relationship Between Topical Steroid Use and Spreading Yeast Infections<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">I last wrote about Sam's <a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2013/02/skin-yeast-infections-and-eczema.html" target="_blank">fully body yeast infection</a>, which I believe was just one unfortunate side effect of long term improper topical steroid use. After seeing heartbreaking photos of another little boy on the solve eczema user's forum who looked a lot like Sam used to look, and was also on high potency steroids, I decided to do some research to see if I could find scientific support for my suspicions.<br /><br />My findings strongly support my long-standing suspicions regarding topical steroids and their propensity to create an ideal environment for and proliferate spreading of infection, especially skin candida (yeast). Symptoms of candida infection include redness, raised or swollen patches, burning sensation, intense itchiness, and indistinct (or scalloped) rash edges. Such infections of the skin are hellish to endure, but if treated properly and aggressively, recovery can be surprisingly swift and circumvent needless suffering.</span><br />
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<i>Infected eczema on Sam's legs, May 2012</i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><br /><br />The problem with out of control infections like these, is that even if a child's eczema is 100% detergent related, once that eczema becomes infected <i>you must treat and eliminate the infection <b>first</b> </i>before you will see any results from detergent removal or soap washing. We addressed both at the same time - the infection and the underlying detergent reactive eczema, which made the recovery process very comfortable and near painless. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">Some interesting tidbits:</span><br />
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<i style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">The normal presentation of superficial infections can be altered when topical corticosteroids are inappropriately used to treat bacterial or fungal infections. <b>Steroids interfere with the natural course of inflammation, potentially allowing infections to spread more rapidly.</b></i><br />
source: <a href="http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0115/p135.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0115/p135.html</a><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>Alteration of Infection<br />Because topical steroids change the way the immune system functions, they can inhibit the skin’s ability to fight off bacterial or fungal infections. A typical example of this is seen when someone applies a topical steroid to an itchy groin rash. <b>If this is a fungal infection, the rash gets redder, itchier, and spreads more extensively than a typical fungal infection. </b>The resulting rash is a bizarre pattern of widespread inflammation with pustules called tinea incognito.</i></span><br />
source: <a href="http://dermatology.about.com/cs/medications/a/steroideffects.htm" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://dermatology.about.com/cs/medications/a/steroideffects.htm</a><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>Steroids are another type of medication that can cause women to develop a vaginal infection from yeast. The higher the dose and the longer you use them, the greater the risk, but <b>even low-strength topical steroid creams may make yeast infections more likely.</b></i></span><br />
source: <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/womens-health/yeast-infections/living/index.aspx" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.everydayhealth.com/womens-health/yeast-infections/living/index.aspx</a><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>But, things may go quite wrong, when used on the wrong condition, wrong location, or wrong duration.<br />For instance, <b>topical steroids may appear to help fungal infections, but they actually suppress the<br />body’s ability to fight the infection and make it worse</b>. (Figure 1) Other diseases, including impetigo and rosacea, may appear temporarily to get better, as well, but these conditions are likely to become worse. Therefore, minor irritations can be well treated by topical steroids, but the wise patient understands what he or she is treating. The weakest of these agents, over-the-counter hydrocortisone in the United States is required to be labeled with a statement to the effect of: “stop use if condition worsens, symptoms persist more than 7 days or clear up and occur within a few days.” This required warning is well founded</i></span><br />
source: <a href="http://www.iacdworld.org/skin/steroid.pdf" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.iacdworld.org/skin/steroid.pdf</a><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>Use of potent topical steroids to inadvertedly treat fungal infections can result in a partial suppression of the signs and symptoms but do not treat the infection, <b>which can then spread</b>. This can also be seen in the presence of viral skin infections, where topical steroids should be avoided</i></span><br />
source: <a href="http://www.topicalsteroids.co.uk/what_are_topical_corticosteroids/topical_corticosteroid_side_effects.htm" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.topicalsteroids.co.uk/what_ar....ide_effects.htm</a><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>Steroids are best avoided in the presence of infection as <b>these can exacerbate infections</b>.</i></span><br />
source: <a href="http://suite101.com/article/how-to-avoid-side-effects-of-topical-steroids-a90349#.UWSuMZPCaSo" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://suite101.com/article/how-to-avoid....49#.UWSuMZPCaSo</a><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>Topical steroids may lead to <b>superinfection</b>, including staphylococcal folliculitis, dermatophytosis (10) and <b>candidiasis</b>, (3) particularly when they are applied to flexural sites or used with polyethylene occlusion. When a fungal infection is treated with topical steroids, <b>widespread and unusual clinical patterns may develop</b>.</i></span><br />
source: <a href="http://www.drplace.com/Guidelines_for_using_superpotent_topical_steroids.16.28969.htm" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.drplace.com/Guidelines_for_us....ds.16.28969.htm</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">And check this out- situations where yeast infection are more likely to develop, see the bolded bullet point!:</span><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>The chance of a candidal skin infection developing is more likely in the following situations:<br />• Areas of skin that are moist or sweaty are ideal for candida to thrive. Therefore, the common sites affected are in the folds of skin in the groin, armpits, and under large breasts. (Another name for inflammation within a fold of skin or under a breast is 'intertrigo'. Candidal infection is a common cause of intertrigo.) Nappy rash is sometimes due to candida. Obese people may develop candidal infection between folds of skin. It can also affect skin between fingers and toes, and the corners of the mouth.<br />• If you have diabetes.<br />•<b>If you take a long course of antibiotics or steroid medication.</b><br />• If you have a poor immune system. For example, if you have AIDS, or have chemotherapy, or have certain types of serious blood disorder.</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">Okay, so here's some information on treatment. Looking at this I am actually thinking that an anti-fungal cream might help clear the infection faster than ACV baths, which was<a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2013/02/skin-yeast-infections-and-eczema.html" target="_blank"> the primary route I used to eliminate Sam's widespread infection</a>. But it couldn't hurt to do both at the same time! We never even tried anti-fungals because I didn't have a doctor at the time that I felt I could trust. Keep in mind many anti-fungals contain detergents. The solve eczema mom, AJ, recommends Perrigo brand Nystatin in ointment as one of the safer anti-fungal creams for kids with underlying eczema. If you are looking to treat infection while using the solve eczema website, you might want to ask your doctor about prescribing this particular anti-fungal. </span><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>What is the treatment for candidal skin infection?<br />• An antifungal cream usually clears the infection within a week or so.<br />• Sometimes a mild steroid cream is added to reduce inflammation whilst the antifungal cream is working. (However, a steroid cream alone will make the condition worse as soon as the steroid is stopped.)<br />• Occasionally, if the rash is widespread, antifungal tablets are prescribed</i>.</span><br />
source: <a href="http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Candidal-Skin-Infection.htm" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Candidal-Skin-Infection.htm</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">And, here I found some symptoms of candida skin growth which confirms to me that what I saw with Sam was most likely yeast infection. This list describes his rash perfectly... it explains the intense itching and potentially even the 'pimply' appearance we saw for a time on his torso and back:</span><br />
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<span style="color: teal; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><i>Symptoms<br />• Itching (may be intense)<br />• Skin lesion or rash<br />o Growing red, inflammed area<br />o Infection of hair follicles (folliculitis) may look like pimples<br />o Located on the skin folds, genitals, trunk, buttocks, under the breasts, or on other skin areas<br />o Macule or papule<br />o May have satellite lesions (smaller lesions next to bigger ones)<br />o Skin redness or inflammation</i></span><a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cutaneous-candidiasis/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #004fa0; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/cutaneous-candidiasis/</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">Most websites listed moist places on the body and skin folds as the most likely places for infection, and I think this is the medical mainstream understanding of how and where yeast occurs. However the quote above that states that "widespread and unusual clinical patterns may develop" with the infection caused by steroids seems to describe what I saw with Sam and what others might be seeing as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><span style="font-size: 11.818181991577148px;">Be cautioned that if you go to a doctor to have something like this diagnosed, my experience with two pediatricians, a pediatric dermatologist, allergist, and specialist I drove two hours to see, is that they knew nothing of widespread skin candida nor how to go about diagnosing it. However the fact that this phenomenon is showing up on multiple medical websites across the world confirms the knowledge is out there- perhaps it is not publicized because of the concern over steroid fears. Many parents on our forum have had similar experiences with doctors not having anything to say about widespread skin infections, though a lucky few have found supportive doctors willing to work with them so its always best to try to get your doctor on board before treating. It would be irresponsible of me to encourage anyone to go about self-diagnosing or treating without their doctor's guidance, however, as was our case, sometimes when doctors will not be of help you need to go with your intuition and look outside the box for a more effective cure.</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-53196113112412677322013-02-19T22:40:00.004-05:002013-04-25T23:12:38.762-04:00Yeast Skin Infection and Eczema<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sam's initial 'healing' took place in August. Then in mid October, we started seeing slightly raised, red areas growing and spreading around his knees and ankles. For awhile I thought it was his eczema getting out of control, and that I must be doing something wrong. However, no amount of soap washing was putting a dent in this rash. Then I remembered back to the initial detergent removal process, and how it took a good 10 weeks to see clear skin, and how during that time we also had been doing Apple Cider Vinegar baths at AJ's recommendation since she and I had both suspected possible fungal infection. (Eczema caused by infection or food allergy will not clear up via soap washing, and these must be treated in other ways before the remaining detergent-reactive eczema can be eliminated.) </div>
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The most recent October yeast rash:</div>
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It occurred to me, this was probably yeast infection as we'd suspected before. So I started up again with daily ACV baths- 1 cup ACV to 1/2 or 3/4 full tub, soak for a full 20 minutes every night. We would precede and follow each bath with a soap rinse as well. This time around, after one week we saw remarkable progress:</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZXx2iJSqTE/USQw4JdFkdI/AAAAAAAAIFQ/O0Opb8rVng8/s1600/2012-11-15+20.03.20+(450x600).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zZXx2iJSqTE/USQw4JdFkdI/AAAAAAAAIFQ/O0Opb8rVng8/s400/2012-11-15+20.03.20+(450x600).jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Such a difference!!<br />
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And below, more photos of yeast infected eczema, for comparison. This first photo was taken in March of 2012. I had not found <a href="http://solveeczema.org/">solveeczema.org</a>, and I was noticing at this time Sam's eczema beginning to look and behave a bit differently. Rather than a scant, lacy rash with shifting, changing spots that I'd observed previously with his eczema, I was now seeing these large, clearly defined red spots with distinct edges, that did not ever budge but seemed to grow outward and rapidly multiply. (By multiply I mean it started with one or two large, raised red areas, then those grew and other seemed to pop up and follow the same spreading pattern,with more and more skin surface covered each week.)</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JH1e67B66qY/UXnwf-we9KI/AAAAAAAAIUU/RF0sVNotzoU/s1600/IMG_4726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JH1e67B66qY/UXnwf-we9KI/AAAAAAAAIUU/RF0sVNotzoU/s400/IMG_4726.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So above was March, below is May, just two months later, notice how the yeast has now entirely engulfed the backs of his knees and has "crawled" and spread to the upper thigh as well.<br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VvkmYpKVIQ/UXnwVNNXPxI/AAAAAAAAIUM/0VC7QDDH0Jo/s1600/IMG_5907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VvkmYpKVIQ/UXnwVNNXPxI/AAAAAAAAIUM/0VC7QDDH0Jo/s400/IMG_5907.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here is the front of his legs, entirely covered in yeast, during the same time period early May 2012 (just before we'd discovered solveeczema.org.) This yeasty rash started several months earlier with visible satellite spots with lots of clear skin in between, but as it grew you can see that after a period of time there was almost no clear skin in between patches and it almost looks like one big red rash.</div>
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Sam's yeast infection (which I did not know was yeast or fungal at the time) covered all of his arms and legs at its worst, and there was also a band of it around his middle. It took us 6 to 8 weeks worth of regular baths to start seeing improvement. With fungal related eczema you have to be consistent, persistent, and I'd recommend continuing the baths or other treatments until well after you think you've eliminated the entire infection. We stopped too soon, when there was still a remnant of redness and I'm pretty sure that's why we saw it come back with a vengeance in October. </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">For anyone trying the SEO (solveeczema.org) methods, who is not seeing results within a couple of weeks of diligent effort, I'd recommend some level of control treatment for potential infection. From all the families I've seen in the <a href="http://solveeczemaforum.proboards.com/" target="_blank">Solve Eczema User's Forum</a>, and friends with children who have eczema, infection seems to be more common than any of us had presumed before. And, as we'e collectively discovered, you almost just have to experiment because this is something a a doctor or dermatologist can not very easily diagnose either.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"> Some things you can do to treat for yeast while working on detergent removal:</span></div>
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-ACV baths: we did the daily baths where possible but if you can only manage 4 or 5 days that will still do a great amount of good. </div>
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-Daily, regular probiotics (yes they really work! I've noticed a huge difference this time around treating yeast with the addition of probiotics added daily to Sam's yogurt) We use <a href="http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=JF-7254&sourceType=sc&source=FG&adGroup=40-60&keyword=JF-7254&cm_mmc=Google+Shopping-_-Product+Listing+Ads-_-40-60-_-JF-7254&gclid=COeCpuLxw7UCFQXpnAodHUMAnQ#.USQ7dqXCaSo" target="_blank">this probiotic brand</a> but there are many good ones, I actually do not recommend ordering online, you should buy at a local health food store from a refrigerated section and refrigerate as soon as you get home to keep the probiotics live.</div>
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- It's also recently been suggested to me by a member of the forum that yeast may be helped to clear up by swabbing the area with hydrogen peroxide. I have not tried this personally though and I imagine you would not want to apply this over a larger area, but perhaps just to help with small stubborn patches once you've tackled the majority of infection by other methods.<i> If the skin is broken at all, do not use the peroxide as it will burn!</i> <i>Only over top of small, healed over patches with unbroken skin. </i></div>
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<a href="http://www.vitacost.com/bragg-apple-cider-vinegar-organic-raw-32-fl-oz-1?csrc=GPF-PA-074305001321&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=074305001321&gclid=CKyVicbxw7UCFQODnQodtRwAsA" target="_blank">This is the apple cider vinegar we use</a>, it is raw and supposedly has "the mother", a healing enzyme left out of regular grocery ACV but I don't know if that 100% accurate, it just made me feel better about using it. If anyone knows if regular table ACV works just as well let me know. :)</div>
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Now that we have the yeast under control and minimized again, the little eczema patches that Sam gets with detergent exposure are easily washed away within a day or two, and sometimes as little as a few hours. </div>
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Oh, I also want to mention that yeast and other fungal infection on the skin seem to be largely opportunistic. The borders of infection followed exactly where Sam's eczema was the worst previously, in other words, he only had yeast where he'd already had eczema and also where we had used the most topical steroid. I have absolutely no scholarship in this area but my guess is that the steroid contributes to favorable conditions for yeast growth and other microbes to take hold. </div>
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*Please do not take any of this as medical advice (!), these are strictly my speculative observations and most educated explanation as to what has occurred with my son's skin. Please feel free to leave additional questions in the comments section.</div>
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For more information on the possible influence of steroid medication on spreading yeast skin infections, see my <a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-relationship-between-topical.html" target="_blank">follow up post</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-90392273523714678162012-12-07T11:56:00.000-05:002013-04-25T23:19:45.959-04:00Still Doing Great<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have to admit that I never was able to stick to the rigorous cleaning routine that I outlined for myself and committed to in the previous post. I tried for a couple of weeks, but eventually gave up for two reasons: </div>
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1) I realized that being so vigilant wasn't a very realistic goal for my already quite busy life that includes three children and the many daily obligations that come with raising them, including homeschooling in my case. I was having to give up things that I consider precious priorities to make the crazy cleaning happen (like quality time with my children in the evening) and I wasn't happy with the trade-off.</div>
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2) When I was running myself ragged hyper-cleaning, it just wasn't making enough of a difference in Sam's areas of exposed skin to make the time and effort worth it. Vacuuming every other day and having the kids change clothing every time we come in from an outing just wasn't yielding dramatic enough results to justify the trouble. (Did I just say the same thing twice? Yes I think I did.) </div>
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What I have settled on is to vacuum once or twice a week, and wipe down surfaces every other week. I no longer have everyone change clothing when we come and go. Depending on where we've been and how blotchy red Sam's hands and face look after an outing, I sometimes will change only his clothing. If I don't change his clothing then at the very least I always wash his face and hands with soap. </div>
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Over the past 6 months that we've been detergent free and using all traditional pure soap products, our results have been pretty consistent. Sam's new normal is largely eczema free skin the majority time. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago before a nap:</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v8lwINttdwU/UXnxKMmbvPI/AAAAAAAAIUc/7C3tNS5x3xs/s1600/2012-11-20+13.38.49+(402x700)+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v8lwINttdwU/UXnxKMmbvPI/AAAAAAAAIUc/7C3tNS5x3xs/s400/2012-11-20+13.38.49+(402x700)+(1).jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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I disrobed him briefly for the above photo. But his skin actually only stays clear like that because in addition to eliminating all detergents in our home, we keep him covered 24 hours a day in all cotton clothing from neck to wrist to foot. This would not be necessary if we had alternative flooring, but despite all of the other changes the carpet remains too large of an influence to overcome with any amount of cleaning. The detergents of 10 years are just too embedded. They constantly irritate.</div>
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Sam's clothing:</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cEElzb042KQ/UXnxtppYcNI/AAAAAAAAIUo/UcxI4KJJSMs/s1600/2012-10-16+10.02.31+(600x800).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cEElzb042KQ/UXnxtppYcNI/AAAAAAAAIUo/UcxI4KJJSMs/s400/2012-10-16+10.02.31+(600x800).jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
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Clothing pictured comes from <a href="http://www.eczemaclothing.com/" target="_blank">Cotton Comfort</a> eczema clothing in Europe (very quality but very expensive) and the footed pants and opening mitten shirts in solid colors are the <a href="http://www.eczemacompany.com/brands/Kumfy-Cotton.html" target="_blank">Kumfy Cotton</a> brand which I think might be made in Canada but they do ship out of the US via The Eczema Company (linked above.) We love the Kumfy Cotton brand and have about 8 each of tops and bottoms that Sam lives in. </div>
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You definitely don't have to have specialty clothing in all cases, I know that not everyone can afford them (we couldn't on our own but were blessed to have generous family willing to chip in)! I know some children who are able to get by with just long cotton pajamas with socks on the feet and hands. I tried that route for awhile but it did not work for us because Sam would immediately pull the socks off hands and feet, leaving them exposed. He would then push up his sleeves and pant legs, exposing them to the carpet and we would have eczema everywhere! We needed clothing that was secure at all the joints.<br />
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What I really like about the specially made clothing and what makes them worth the expense in my mind is the double thickness in the hands and feet where it is needed, the absence of irritating seams or tags, and the fact that Sam cannot undo the mittens on his own at night to scratch. I also prefer the footed pants because while he will take socks off if he is wearing them, he can't remove the footed part from the pant! <br />
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Just one more thing regarding clothing. Sam only wears mittens at night. During the day, he needs his hands for development. For a while he was pushing his sleeves up and having his arms exposed to the carpet and having eczema on his arms every day. We solved that problem by placing velcro straps or clear tape around his sleeves at the wrist so he would not be able to push them up, but can still use his hands:<br />
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You may have noticed I said that Sam is <i>majority</i> eczema free <i>most </i>of the time. Since we can't keep his hands or faced completely protected, we do see daily dustings of eczema in those places. His face is the easier of the two to manage. He is at the age where he doesn't lay on others so much or roll around on the floor. He walks upright and plays upright and only contacts the carpet if he is being wrestled by a sibling. Still, if he rubs or touches his face too much with hands or mittens that are contacting the carpet more frequently, we get some blotchy redness. I am able to manage this by washing Sam's face with soap twice a day. We do this in the early afternoon just before his nap and again at night before bed. (Basically any time they are going to be down and out is a good time to wash and barrier so that sleeping time can double as healing time.) </div>
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I want to clarify here that carpet is not the only thing that causes Sam's eczema. It's just the only remaining and most prominent influence in <i>our </i>home. That's why I'm always bringing it up and griping about it. (Sorry!) But when we go out there are countless sources that can cause outbreaks. An interesting example is when I took the kids shopping at Kroger the day before Thanksgiving. Sam always gets a little red when we go to any store because the detergent levels are so high. But on this day, I was shocked by how blotchy and red his face got as I pushed him through the store in the cart, and how quickly too! I realized that on this day there were so many people doing last minute Thanksgiving grocery shopping, so many bodies bustling around and pushing past each other through small spaces, that the detergents and dusts coming off all those bodies from clothing, hair and skin just created one big invisible detergent dust flurry in the air all around us. That is how sensitive Sam is, and how sensitive a lot of these kids are. </div>
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Sam's hands suffer the most from daily exposure. More often than not, Sam's face is clear even without midday washing. In contrast, his hands are nearly always a shade of red. See the very distinct line where his sleeves begin? And yet this is still better than what they were before we found solveeczema.org! They are basically very red and dry, but they don't seem to be very itchy (at least I don't see him scratching very often) and as long as I am washing them several times a day this little bit of remaining eczema never gets out of control. I am so happy that we can manage this without drugs. And I am currently experimenting with washing frequency to see if that will make a difference in these hands.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-84250948934810742242012-11-27T09:49:00.000-05:002015-11-22T09:49:39.778-05:00Are we crazy? <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Several months ago, on the Solve Eczema User's Forum, a mother in desperation asked, "Are we crazy?!" She was referring to the experience so familiar to all of us on the forum; that is, trying to explain to spouses, extended family, other parents, and even doctors (</span></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;">especially doctors!</i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">), this off-the-books approach we have taken to healing our children's eczema. She was also referring to the tendency of those same people to respond as if we were crazy.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial";"><span style="font-size: 12px;">I wanted to record here, part of my response to that question:</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 12px;"> <i><span style="color: purple;">I think this method is just so full of 'new concepts' that are foreign and run completely counter to what most people already understand (or think they understand) about what causes eczema, what causes dry skin, what 'fixes' those things, and even what a detergent is or what soaps are. I can say detergent is the problem, and then even go on to explain everything that contains detergent and detail exactly the process we've had to go through to remove it, and at the end they will still say "Oh, we changed our laundry detergent and only wash our kid with plain water and it didn't help our child, so that's not our problem." (What?! Did you not just hear anything I said??</span></i></span><i><span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 12px;">) </span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial";"><span style="font-size: 11.818181991577148px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 12px;">...I just honestly think that when you come out and challenge so many pre-conceived ideas and definitions all at once, that's a huge mental leap for people to make!! Also many of these parents have not arrived at the point where they can bring themselves to believe an entire global medical community could be wrong or so far off the mark about something so common as eczema. Many people WANT to trust the "experts", the ones who went to school for 12 years and studied these things. There is security when they feel they can trust their doctors. They might even feel a bit threatened when 'just another mom' comes out and suggest that the experts who are treating their children might be actually making things worse.</span></span></i><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , "arial"; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><br />
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Yes, the trouble with AJ Lumsdaine's theory- while brilliant! - is that understanding it requires reframing one's entire paradigm and adopting entirely new definitions for things like detergent, soap, and dryness. So many people will get rid of SLS products and think they've done enough to check off detergent as a potential cause for eczema or skin problems. But they won't realize that detergent goes by a thousand other names (SLS is only the most recognizable) on ingredient labels! They won't realize it is added as an emulsifier or a stabilizer in so many products they would never suspect contain detergents at all. They won't stop to think how detergents are involved in every manufacturing process from clothing to food, that their food is bathed in detergent baths before arriving on the store shelf, and how detergent residues on dishes and utensils on which food is prepared may be as likely a cause for mealtime eczema as food proteins. (Both exist, but my little guy for example, his face would break out red and blotchy at meals, and we could never trace to one food because it was so random. We finally got to the bottom of it when we learned it might be what we were washing the dishes with. It was! No more dish detergent, no more mealtime reactions.)<br />
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People will not readily understand that AFTER getting rid of detergent in their products, they will only have barely begun to address the issue. There will be detergent in their dust, their carpets, their furniture. Indeed, detergents coat every surface in an industrial society, and our skin is constantly in contact with them.<br />
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They won't understand that detergent residues are stubborn and that water alone will not remove them. So that by removing SLS products and then only washing with water, they are actually forgetting to address all the detergents picked up by the skin from other sources outside the home (or inside the home, but in non-obvious sources like furniture or drapes) and aren't truly removing them from the skin. <br />
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They'll have to make another leap to understand why only true soap will remove the detergent residues so ubiquitous in society. Then, in order to get over their fear of using soap, they will have to make the leap to understand that true soap does not cause dry skin as we've all believed. In truth soap making has changed over the past 60 years or so to include detergents, changing the chemical composition of soap so it no longer even qualifies as true soap, chemically! <b>The traditional definition of soap has changed-</b> that is perhaps the biggest problem of all! So they have to learn how to tell if a "soap" at the store is actually soap- and 99% of them aren't. And if its detergent disguised as soap, it will lead to drying (across all skin types!), and for some it will cause eczema. It is the detergent in our soaps today that make us believe "soap is drying, and not good for sensitive skin". They have to understand what constitutes PURE, true soap.... the kind that humans used for thousands of years, without the crazy rates of eczema we exhibit today.<br />
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They might then be surprised to learn that the Tide company invented detergent in 1943 and then as it became the preferred laundry product, replacing soap flakes in the 1950's, eczema immediately increased in rate and severity. (I would argue that steroids were introduced at this time as an answer to the demand for a solution to this new predicament- babies weren't handling detergent very well. We never had that problem with soap flakes!) There has to be a reason infantile eczema increased so sharply in the 50's and 60's, causing so many steroid prescriptions to be handed out in the first place. And many researches agree the cases have risen at far too quickly a rate to be explained by ordinary gene mutation (ie, the genetic theory). Many will say it is environmental, as rates are much higher in cities, and industrialized countries over those that are less so. But so far, science has not been pinpoint what it is about the industrialized environment that makes eczema more common. I don't think detergent is the only factor, but I think the factors are fewer than we realize, that whatever the others are they likely all tie in together, and detergent is clearly one of the primary factors.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-70895734063543019992012-09-13T00:41:00.010-04:002012-09-21T00:04:57.518-04:00Update on Sammy's Skin: The Learning Curve<div style="text-align: left;">
In the past 6 weeks or so since I last posted about Sam's miracle healing, I've been riding the learning curve. After our initial success it was tempting to feel as though we'd 'made it' and that the hard part was over. I'd imagined that things would be so easy moving forward. I have since learned you never really 'make it' when it comes to this kind of eczema. In some ways, maintenance has been easier than the initial work required to get his skin clear, and I'm told it will definitely get easier in the future as Sam gets older and his skin becomes naturally less permeable. But I did make the mistake initially of slacking off once we got rid of the eczema, thinking that I could let vacuuming and house keeping slide just a little since he did not seem to be reacting as readily to detergents. </div>
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The problem with slacking off is that detergent levels rise very quickly when left unchecked. No matter how much I reduce the detergent levels in our home, the lev<span style="font-family: inherit;">els are always going to be so much higher everywhere else we go or visit. Whether it is the grocery store, a clothing or toy</span> store, Grandma's house, the library, a friend's house, a homeschool science class at the nature center, or the park playground, all of us are coming home tracking in that detergent dust on our clothing, skin, and hair and then leaving trails behind on everything we touch at home. Technically, to keep on top of things I really need to continue vacuuming every other day (if not daily!) and regularly wiping down surfaces to get rid of those dusts we track in to prevent them from accumulating and becoming problematic for Sam. We should all be changing our clothing as soon as we come inside, putting on 'safe house clothes' and washing our hands and arms to minimize what is tracked in. </div>
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As you can see this is definitely a huge lifestyle change requiring a great deal of vigilance. I discovered that I was not staying on top of detergent levels well enough the hard way when, a few weeks ago, Sam's arms began to breakout more readily at home when he would push his sleeves up during the day. It got to the point where they would turn red even before they had significantly contacted any surface, just from being exposed to the <i>air</i>, which told me there was too much detergent dust present and flying around. The rest of his body remained (and still remains) entirely clear so this arm eczema is a minor issue comparatively, but still bothersome because I know I can do better.</div>
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Once I realized I was slacking and needed to drastically reduce our detergent levels again, I went on another crazed vacuuming and washing spree like I'd done the first time around, only this time including many areas I had actually neglected the first time. In June I focused mostly on exterior surfaces Sam could touch. This time I went further, including higher and interior surfaces as well. This extended to taking every item out of kitchen cupboards and washing down the insides and outsides with a soap/water spray (followed by a vinegar/baking soda spray to prevent scum) inside and outside of the fridge, sucking the dust off every individual knick-knack, vacuuming and washing windows, doors, door frames, baseboards, I even 'vacuumed' every inch of wall ceiling to floor with a flat attachment (certainly walls collect a layer of dust too?), removed hundreds of books from our bookshelf and vacuumed each one to suck off the dust, washed down all the bathrooms again... etc. Pretty much ANYTHING that might have detergent dust or residues that could be spread around I tried to wash or vacuum. </div>
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After all of this, his arms are significantly better. He is still getting eczema on them but that's okay. They really only bother me because the rest of him is very clear and eczema-free. Luckily the washing every night with soap and applying the ointment prevents it from ever getting out of control. So overall, I feel satisfied that we've retained our progress. I suspect that our carpet is such an overwhelming influence that no matter how much I clean everything else, we'll always have the issue of the carpet puffing up some amount of dust from under the pad and causing the eczema to exposed skin. <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/" target="_blank">SolveEczema.Org</a> actually recommends removing carpets if possible for full implementation of the detergent-removal methods. If we had wood or linoleum floors instead of this awful old carpet I can't get rid of, I'm sure the cleaning I've done would be that much more effective and we could let him wear regular shorts and t-shirts and not have to worry so much. </div>
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Sam lives in the footed pants and opening-mitten shirts from <a href="http://www.eczemacompany.com/brands/Kumfy-Cotton.html" target="_blank">this website</a> and also some awesome outfits from <a href="http://www.eczemaclothing.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. These create a safe barrier between his skin and the carpet, allowing him to stay clear where he is clothed. You might wonder why I even bother cleaning anything else if I have to worry so much about our carpet, but I do think reducing our detergent levels as much as possible makes a huge difference. I've noticed when he is at someone else's house his clothing becomes more easily saturated with dusts. I know this because later he will have developed a light spotty eczema under his clothes that he doesn't get at home. He also tends to break out on his face, neck and gets puffy around the eyes which does not happen at home either. Pulling his pants down to change his diaper at any other house might mean itchy leg eczema from just that brief exposure, but he is not effected by numerous diaper changes on our carpet at home. The overall levels make such a difference. (See the <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/thesolution.html#true_cause" target="_blank">Bucket Analogy for Allergy</a>)</div>
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It has become very tricky to make extended visits with friends or family because of these type of exposures. I do not intend to be anti-social but I do find myself turning down more invitations that require Sam to be in another person's home for any significant amount of time. Hopefully as he gets older and is less prone to break outs I will not have to worry about this so much. It's just that when we make house calls and he comes home with eczema, it can take a few days for him to heal. Prescription medication isn't really any option anymore either. I am committed to never using steroids again if I can absolutely help it! I have learned that many steroid creams contain detergents as an inert ingredient and overall make the skin more permeable and susceptible to the irritant with every application. In the short term they might suppress symptoms but in the long run they can only make things worse. </div>
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I am hoping to avoid having to do any future massive cleaning overhauls like I did last week by getting into a regular schedule of vacuuming and wiping down surfaces. My goal is to vacuum every other day at least and also wipe down exterior surfaces with soap or a vinegar wash, switching between upstairs and downstairs surfaces every other day. I hope this will make this maintenance phase easier... of course that means I have to somehow muster the discipline to stick with it... hmmm. </div>
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Lest I give the impression that this transition to a detergent-free home and an eczema-free Sam has been all tedious work and worry, I want to copy an excerpt from a letter I sent recently to a friend, highlighting the most wonderful part of this whole journey. This letter contains some rather sensitive personal content, but I've decided to post it here largely unedited in hopes of presenting a more honest portrayal of our experience, and hopefully encouraging others who might feel similarly that better days are within reach :</div>
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<i>Regarding Sam- yes I think you are right, and I hadn't really thought about it, but when you mentioned his skin looking even healthier than when on steroids (and that it looked kind of flat and pale before) I had to go back and look at photos and there is clearly a difference. That steroid skin that I always thought was so beautiful (because it was the only 'clear' I knew) was nothing, nothing compared to this truly healthy skin. I see children all over the internet everyday, some clear into their teens and STILL with terrible eczema, and I nearly want to cry at times thinking that we've managed to find ourselves numbered among the "lucky few" who have found a working solution, and so early on. My heart literally aches when I think of all those others. </i></blockquote>
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<i> I love seeing Sam this way, without eczema, with healthy skin. I feel like this is my REAL boy! I always was so determined to find a solution for him, but I really thought it would be tweaking his diet just right, I never ever in a million years would have suspected what it turned out to be. </i> </blockquote>
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<i>It wasn't just Sam's skin that healed as a result of following [solveeczema.org]. I feel like our whole family life is healing now. I was so depressed for so long when I realized around Sam's first birthday that he'd been on steroids for 8 months and his skin was just getting worse and worse. I felt so helpless. I spent every ounce of energy looking into finding a solution for him. It was all I could think about -despite many other priorities that needed attending to- and I tried so many things. I blew our budget nearly every month on this diet and that, purchasing special allergy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc health foods and just obsessed over my youngest son, even to the neglect of my two older children. I simply could not give them as much of myself, I was so drained, they were both acting out in ways that were out of character I think because they must have felt that I wasn't really 'present' with them. We were all miserable. Even my marriage was beginning to suffer because of the amount of time I was giving to this endeavor. Honestly I think my husband preferred me to keep applying the topical steroids to Sam if it meant we could pretend the eczema didn't exist. </i></blockquote>
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<i>I think back on that mess, it was such a dark, difficult time... while I am a person of deep faith, and I prayed so long and hard, I am not the type who is very good at "putting on a happy face" or maintaining my serenity in times of trial, I take things too personally... and I take too much responsibility on myself to ensure those around me are happy and well and taken care of, so I was simply not functioning. </i> </blockquote>
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<i>For the past few weeks, our life has felt a lot more... "normal". Finding a solution to Sam's eczema freed up so much time for me, no longer having to search for answers. I'm doing more with my kids now... I am getting more rest, and I don't feel so helpless regarding Sam's skin. Last Saturday we spent the day together as a family, we all went to the<span style="background-color: white;"> <span class="il">pet</span> <span class="il">store</span> </span>to see the animals, to north UGA campus to walk around (my husband works for University of GA) and then out to eat. I realized, it was the first time I was out enjoying my family where I wasn't completely preoccupied with Sam's skin. I looked around and saw everyone, including Sam, smiling and laughing, and realized that for that moment at least I was carefree. Though I was curious how his skin would react to the animals (he'd never been to a <span style="background-color: white;"><span class="il">pet</span> <span class="il">store</span> </span>before!) I didn't obsess, because I knew if he broke out a lot or even a little, we could take care of it quickly and effectively. </i> </blockquote>
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<i>Now that Sam's skin is clear, we've been able to add every food back into his diet, except for tree nuts and peanuts. For the longest time, that kid did not have a bite of any fun foods such as cookie, or ice cream, or pizza (not that he needs any of those things!) but that also meant his siblings didn't get those things either. We had to be fair. And my daughter, who is 6, would often ask "Why does Sam have to have eczema? Is he always going to have it? Because its not fun! We never get to do anything fun or even get treats because of Sam." And now when we go to the grocery <span style="background-color: white;"><span class="il">store</span>, </span>they get to eat kid cookies from the bakery, and that is the best thing in the world to them. Sam is still getting used to this business of getting treats. You should see his face when I hand him a cookie! His mouth and eyes gape open in amazement and his little face nearly shakes with excitement! It is one of my favorite things.</i> <i>What a terrific discovery to find out he was not allergic to all the foods we thought he was after all. </i></blockquote>
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<i>One starfish on the sand... no... an entire family! ... Every person in my family has been blessed.</i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">It's</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> true- despite the hard work involved and the hyper-paranoia over long visits away from home, I feel incredibly blessed to have been literally handed the knowledge to know how to heal my son's skin, how to predict and prevent break-outs, and remedy them when they occur. I wish this kind of power and change in perspective for every parent who has a child with eczema. I know how very helpless it feels to be on the other side of this. If you are needing help and not sure where to start with using Solve Eczema .Org, please visit a brand new Solve Eczema User's Forum at </span><a href="http://solveeczemaforum.proboards.com/">http://solveeczemaforum.proboards.com/</a><span style="background-color: white;">. I am sincerely hoping that within 6 months time we can see the category for Success Stories completely full of testimonials and photos of babies and children with healthy, eczema free skin.</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-42725604162416246052012-09-12T21:41:00.008-04:002017-01-16T21:45:38.595-05:00Detergent-free products I use at home<div>
I am frequently asked by other parents of children with eczema which detergent-free products we are using for everything, so here's the breakdown. You might be surprised to discover that all of these products you use in your home normally contain sodium laurel sulfate - a major skin and tissue irritant- or another form of detergent in them when purchased off the shelf from a regular store. I had no idea detergent went beyond my laundry and dish products before I started this journey, but we've really had to search beyond our local stores for detergent-free alternatives for all of these common household products. It is important for us to be fully detergent-free, because even retaining one favorite product such as commercial hair gel would result in a continual source of 'detergent dust' created by flaking hair and scalp cells, which then causes the eczema. (Kids with this "allergy" really are that sensitive!)<br />
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By the way, I am not affiliated with and of the manufacturers or companies that sell these products, and I don't get anything from 'advertising' for them. These are just my personal favorite products - the ones I actually use at home for maintaining Sam's skin. My entire family uses these products, because Sam's skin is that sensitive and its not worth the risk to have even trace detergents if we can help it. I am providing the links through which I usually buy for your ease. But feel free to shop around for the best prices. You might even find some of these locally if you have a Whole Foods or other health food store in your town. </div>
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<b>Laundry</b> - <a href="http://www.calbenpuresoap.com/seafoam-laundry-soap.php" target="_blank">Cal Ben Seafoam</a></div>
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<b>Hand Dish Washing</b> - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronner-Organic-Unscented-Baby-Mild/dp/B000HK1OOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1347500341&sr=1-1&keywords=Dr.+Bronner%27s+Baby+Mild+Liquid+soap" target="_blank">Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap</a> in a dish wand or just vinegar/water or water/baking soda.<br />
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<b>Automatic Dishwasher - </b> I have used and recommend <a href="http://www.calbenpuresoap.com/destain-dish-cleaner.php" target="_blank">Cal Ben Destain</a> if you like pre-made. However, after running out I now use <a href="http://www.ecokaren.com/2012/05/homemade-dishwasher-detergent-without-borax-recipe/" target="_blank">this homemade borax-free dish soap recip</a>e just because its simple and inexpensive and I don't need to order online. The recipe calls for a liquid soap and I use Dr. Bronner's for that.<br />
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<b>Shampoo - </b><a href="http://www.calbenpuresoap.com/five-star-shampoo.php" target="_blank">Cal Ben Five Star Shampoo</a>. I hate to say, nothing quite compares to detergent-based shampoo and conditioner. This is something I did bc I knew the detergent dust from my hair was inflaming my baby's face. I was never 100% happy with the results of soap-based hair products but I made this switch for my child. There will be a time you may be able to go back to a very mild detergent shampoo, when your child is older and the eczema is healed, usually with age they become less susceptible.<br />
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<b>For Hands and Body - </b><a href="http://www.vitacost.com/sappo-hill-natural-glycerine-soap-no-color-or-fragrance" target="_blank">Sappo Hill Natural Unscented bars </a> (also search on Amazon)</div>
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( I looooove this soap so much! I just purchased 25 additional bars after going through the first 10 my sister-in-law bought me and I was as giddy as a kid at Christmas when they arrived. We use them on hands, body, face, they are amazing.) (Note added 2016: STILL using this soap. For 3 years I used it on Sam almost daily. Its my favorite.)</div>
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<b>Conditioner</b></div>
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Apple cider vinegar diluted with water in a spray bottle, spray on after shampoo, leaves hair silky soft when dry!</div>
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<b>Lotion</b> </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aquaphor-Healing-Ointment-Advanced-Therapy/dp/B005UEB96K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377888777&sr=8-2&keywords=aquaphor+ointment" target="_blank">Aquaphor Ointment</a> has worked the best for Sam while he's been healing. We've tried so many other lotions and moisturizers, and this truly works best as a barrier cream (applying creamy or oily lotions everyday to dry skinwill backfire and just cause more dryness). If you suspect your little one's eczema may be infected, adding a small amount (start w/ just 1/2 tsp) of <a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71v6iaVXK3L._SL1500_.jpg" target="_blank">Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar</a> to a small container of Aquaphor and mix. Apply this on your child after each bath. (My local grocery store carries this)</div>
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I honestly don't use any lotions right now. My skin used to be so, so, so severely dry that I would never have believed I could go even two days without moisturizer. I always hated how dry my skin felt coming out of a bath. After ditching detergent products and switching to true soap, I find my skin is so 'normal' feeling I don't need any moisturizer at all. I know this is contrary to what you've always heard- that soap is drying. Usually a soap is dry because it either contains detergents (and therefore is not <i>really</i> and <i>truly</i> soap) or has been over-saponified. Traditional soap has chemical properties that are so very similar to that of our human skin barrier, unlike synthetic detergent molecules which are a different shape and protrude from the barrier causing permeability and moisture loss. Just keep in mind that humans used true soaps for thousands of years without the widespread skin problems and eczema we see today. Detergents were only introduced in the 1950's- and that same decade is also where history records the first significant jump in cases of eczema. </div>
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<b>For Cleaning</b>- </div>
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I keep two spray bottles handy. One has a TBS of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronner-Organic-Unscented-Baby-Mild/dp/B000HK1OOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1347500341&sr=1-1&keywords=Dr.+Bronner%27s+Baby+Mild+Liquid+soap" target="_blank">Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap</a> mixed with a full spray bottle of water, the other one has water with a little bit of vinegar. I probably don't need both but after I clean a surface with soap I like to follow with the vinegar to prevent and slick soap scum build-up. For tough stains and soils, try baking soda and water on a spot, let it sit, then scrub. The amazon link is an expensive price, I have found this at my local grocery much cheaper. </div>
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<b>Deodorant</b></div>
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Crystal or Salt Stone Deodorant is as natural as it gets and is good if you are not going to be very active. I'll be the first to admit though, it isn't the most effective if you're moving around and breaking a sweat. I haven't found my favorite yet but if you go to <a href="http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/" target="_blank">Skin Deep Cosmetic Database</a> and search "deodorants", any of those with a 0 to 1 rating should be safe options to try. </div>
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<b>Hair Gel</b></div>
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Right now Adam uses 98% pure Aloe Vera Gel. Really anything natural and gel like will work. You can also search 'hair gel alternatives' on the web and turn up some fun recipes. You could also search the <a href="http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/" target="_blank">Skin Deep Cosmetic Database</a> for hair gel and again, look for a 0 to 1 product rating.</div>
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<b>Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Soap</b></div>
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When we first started I was using a bottle of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronner-Organic-Unscented-Baby-Mild/dp/B000HK1OOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1347500341&sr=1-1&keywords=Dr.+Bronner%27s+Baby+Mild+Liquid+soap" target="_blank">Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap</a> for almost everything, but since Sam really didn't make much visual improvements in the beginning, I wasn't sure if it was the right product for us and quickly moved onto other products. However now that his skin is clear I've tried the Dr. B's again with no reaction so I am sure this is a good product to use for many aspects of going detergent-free. It's also probably one of the most readily available and economical options, they carry it at most of the stores here locally. I've even heard of people brushing their teeth with it! I recently read a review from a <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/" target="_blank">solveeczema.org users </a> who used it as a laundry soap, just a little squirt with a 1/4 cup washing soda. It can also be used for cleaning, as shampoo, body wash, hand soap, floors, and probably a lot of other things I'm not thinking of. </div>
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<b>Save Money: Make Your Own Detergent-Free Products</b></div>
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I love all the products listed above that we've used, but most of them I've had to order online and pay for shipping, and now that I'm starting to run out of some things I may try to make my own detergent free products<b>. </b>I've found quite a few recipes online that look easy and would probably save a lot of money. If you need to pinch pennies and are feeling ambitious, try an online search for "all natural personal products" or "all natural cleaning products". </div>
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*The last product remaining in our home that I haven't switched out yet is my make-up. Cosmetics do contain detergents as well (which is likely one reasons many older women get facial and eyelid dermatitis... I'm just guessing). Luckily I wear so very little so I've compromised to wear it just when going out and keep my face washed in the house. Detergent-free cosmetics are out there but the ones I have seen are <i>ex-pen-sive</i>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-11527922607100064412012-08-04T15:02:00.015-04:002013-04-25T23:40:54.512-04:00A Miracle.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I really have to apologize for the poor quality of these photos, but in the absence of a working camera my husband's ipad was the best I could do. Still, you get the idea? These were taken this morning. Sam's skin looks incredible. Truly this is the best it has looked ever, in his entire life. This is <i><b>without</b></i> aid of any medication. No steroids, wet wraps, supplements or creams whatsoever.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLjVKsGK1Nw/UXnzWZrMeCI/AAAAAAAAIVI/2gYUZqDZh84/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLjVKsGK1Nw/UXnzWZrMeCI/AAAAAAAAIVI/2gYUZqDZh84/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="271" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"> Sammy says: "Thank you </span><a href="http://solveeczema.org/" style="text-align: left;">SolveEczema.org</a>.!!"</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">By the way, I do not gain anything from linking to the solve eczema website in every post but I shall continue to link to it because if any parent looking for eczema help stumbles upon this blog via google search, I want them to easily be able to find this miracle-working website that has changed our lives. I would be so happy if someone else found the answer to their child's eczema through Sam's blog! I really believe as the author of the website does that this particular cause of eczema accounts for up to 60% of eczema cases. I see children all over the internet who look just like Sam did, who's stories sound just like his, and I just want to reach through my computer screen and shake their parents and say "TRY THIS!" Most will pass by this solution though because it is so involved and it requires work and time and problem solving, while western medicine has trained us to look for quick, easy, overnight solutions. It took 5 weeks of hard work before seeing small improvements and nearly 8 weeks before seeing big ones. Now at 10 weeks, we are seeing and maintaining clear, healthy, baby soft skin and enjoying the fruit of our labor. Stick with it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2T1MOLnURlo/UXnzT_7eSVI/AAAAAAAAIVA/jrx8tBDVPVM/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2T1MOLnURlo/UXnzT_7eSVI/AAAAAAAAIVA/jrx8tBDVPVM/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="242" /></a></div>
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PS - Below you can see what his skin looked like at its worst, 2 1/2 months ago. Red, itchy, burning skin!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-35886641862232258362012-07-30T23:37:00.002-04:002012-07-31T02:03:13.494-04:00Gratitude.I've had a few family members asking how Sam is doing and when I am going to update this blog. It's probably time. I've mostly been putting this off because I'm a picture kind of gal and my camera broke a couple of weeks ago. I was really hoping to be able to post a photo of Sammy's skin just so I could say... TA-DA! ... and blow you all away.<br />
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Sam looks like a different child and I am constantly finding reasons to undress him so I can admire his clear, soft skin. By using the eczema solution described at <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/">www.solveeczema.org</a>, we have seen a complete and total change for the better in Sammy's skin. My heart is full. I am grateful that after so many months of discomfort and struggle and prayer and pleading, that Heavenly Father has mercifully led us to the information that would finally unlock the door we'd been pounding upon in vain for so long. I am grateful beyond words for so many benevolent angels sent our way, without whom Sam would not be where he is today. Among the kindnesses bestowed upon Sam and our family were prayers, fasting, help with specialty clothing, soaps and other "safe" products we could not have afforded on our own, advice, invaluable support and encouragement. Thank you so much to all of you who made this progress possible.<br />
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This process has been a lot of hard work, but the results are definitely worth it. The redness in Sam's legs finally disappeared- all but just a faint hint around the thick skin of his knees. I have found that if I keep all of his body clothed and covered with the exception of his face and hands, he is able to remain comfortable and eczema free the majority of the time. He still has minor break-outs when we visit other people's houses or stores or the library - all of which have much higher levels of harsh detergents than our home. But those break-outs are limited to exposed areas of skin, typically hands, wrists, neck and face. Some break-outs can be washed away within hours by simply washing the detergent out of the skin with soap. Over time the irritation fades. Other break-outs still take 2 to 3 days of washing to heal, not sure why but I think those must be from harsher detergent exposures. Sometimes I can prevent an exposure from showing up on the skin at all if I know it has occurred and wash the area immediately. In that case the eczema will not develop at all. <br />
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The most important thing that has emerged from this entire <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/" target="_blank">pursuit of detergent removal</a>, is the understanding that eczema is not random, but rather predictable and follows certain rules (thank you AJ)! Once you are able to understand the rules, you go from being ruled by the eczema to being in control of it. For parents of children with unrelenting, full body eczema, this shift in understanding is nothing short of life changing. I no longer worry about Sam's skin the way I did ten weeks ago. Even when he is not completely clear or a new rash appears on his body out of the blue, I am not phased because I understand where it came from and how to handle it. I know how to make it go away. Such a contrast to the feeling of helplessness, despair, and anxiety that I used to experience when seeing new rashes appear on Sam's body.<br />
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Good news, no?? I promise I will post some pictures very soon! ( If I can't figure out how to get my camera fixed I'll just have to borrow Grandma's!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-2311034810166035582012-06-27T23:02:00.003-04:002012-06-28T02:41:59.215-04:00Biggest Improvements After 5 Weeks:<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">Well things are looking better this week. A couple of weeks ago I started a support/discussion group on facebook for those using or interested in using SolveEczema.Org as a guide and I am going to copy here what I posted over there a few moments ago (with some additions for the purpose of this blog) ....</span><br />
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</span></span></div><b style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">"Biggest improvements after 5 weeks of implementing the SolveEczema.Org methods:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><b>1 - No more dry skin!</b> Sam's skin feels totally normal and healthy, I only apply aquaphor once a day. Such a difference from before when I did not dry him completely and then slathered on vanicream 4 to 5 times a day and his skin was still dry after all that! I used to literally get a cloud of white skin flakes whenever I changed his clothes, no more! Even the areas that still have the most redness feel soft and naturally moisturized and not the least bit dry. I am interpreting this as his skin barrier being repaired and restored. This confirms the principle taught on the SE website that dryness and eczema are actually separate issues and not a direct cause and effect as the majority of the world preaches. It also confirms to me that most of what we do to 'cure' dry skin and eczema, namely applying more and more moisturizing products, only exacerbates both issues. In the case of dry skin, less is more. And, I think also of all the times I have been told never to use soap on Sam's skin because it is too drying, and in the end it has been switching to traditional, true soaps for washing him that has so quickly restored his skin's healthy feel and moisture.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><b>2-</b> <b>Face, arms, and back are beautiful clear 95% of the time now, and quick to heal when they do have minor break outs which does not happen as frequently or easily as before.</b> I attribute this to an improved skin barrier and greatly reduced antigen load.</span></span><br />
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<b>3-</b> <b>No more splotchy redness or flaky skin around his eyes</b>. He used to have that all the time. Now his eyes are clear and soft.<br />
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<b>4-</b> <b>S-L-E-E-P !</b> <b>Sam has been sleeping through the night for 4 weeks. </b>That means I'm sleeping too!<br />
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<b>5 </b>- <b>I'm not seeing any new rashes or worsening areas</b> <b>on his belly or legs</b>. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">He has some permanent rashes that have been there for about 5 months on belly and legs, which I still don't know for sure what it is but the ACV (apple cider vinegar) baths seem to really be helping. The healing is slow slow slow and changes almost imperceptible, but it is a huge thing that these areas are not getting worse or showing new irritation. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"> The only places I see new rash now are his hands, neck, and cheeks (exposed skin only, go figure!) but they are minor and controllable and I can usually help them to clear up within 12 hour or so by washing with soap and applying an ointment barrier.</span></span><br />
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<b>6-</b> <b>Sam's itchiness is minimal now and discomfort caused by his skin almost none.</b> Again, a huge change from before when he was constantly itchy and scratching. The only time I ever see him scratch is when I remove his pants for a diaper change, he'll take the opportunity to scratch his legs! Or during naps if I have failed to mitten him he will usually scratch at his hands and wrists. As for discomfort, the red skin that remains on his legs and belly bother me much more than it does him.<br />
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<b>7-</b> <b>I can now predict and head off breakouts. Eczema is no longer "random"</b> . For example today we went to the library and I clothed him in thin but long cotton clothing, then when we got home removed it all, washed him thoroughly with soap and put clean clothing, and no break outs from dust or detergent exposure. Also did this yesterday when he took off his shirt and was sliding down the stairs on his back. Washed him right away and was able to control the break out so it was very minimal and almost gone today.<br />
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If we can in fact sustain these improvements over a few months, I think it will be easier to accept that I will likely not see 100% elimination of Sam's eczema while we are living in our current home because of the old carpet. The change in quality of life for Sam and for me and our family has been night and day with these changes from the detergent removal. I hope others who have little ones suffering from eczema will be able to make some of these changes and see big or even little improvements over time! Even little improvements in eczema can make a big difference in quality of life and easing the stress level!"</span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">To anyone who might be new to this blog, I want to reiterate that all of these changes have come without any steroids creams, prescriptions, special producs or lotions. The changes we are making are exclusively to our home environment. To read more about what has led to these great improvements, please visit and review the information contained on the pages of <a href="http://solveeczema.org/">www.solveeczema.org</a>. I promise it will change the way you view and think about eczema! Every itchy, sleepless child needs this information. Every day I am so grateful I came across this website. I wish I had been more open to trying it the first time I found it nearly a year ago! Oh well, better late than never. ... of course this information will not help every child with eczema but its author estimates that this particular cause is accountable for up to 60% of childhood eczema. From what I have read on forums, so many other parents describe their child's eczema as nearly identical to Sam's in presentation and behavior, so I could only assume that the are caused by the same environmental influences. </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: inherit; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;">I am just amazed that the medical community does not yet have or recognize or accept this huge piece of the eczema puzzle. I am also amazed that most of the guidelines I have taken from solveeczema.org that have worked (no small miracle after 18 months of trying literally every recommendation out there) are exactly opposite of the things that Sam's pediatrician, allergist, and dermatologist advised us to do. I can see now that many of the things that were doctor recommended were actually perpetuating the eczema. I think the medical community probably does the best they know how but it seems many are regurgitating information that hasn't really helped anyone, because they just don't know any better or aren't willing to consider drug-free options. </span><br />
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In my research I did come across a list of natural anti-fungals. One is raw un-diluted Apple Cider Vinegar with "the Mother" (that is the term for the enzymatic healing part) mixed in with bath water. This works just like the bleach, but sounded a lot safer to me! I picked up a jug of this stuff at Earth Fare for about $16 and we've done two days worth of ACV baths. I also picked up a small dropper sized bottle of Oil of Oregano. It cost me $25. Yikes. For a tiny little bottle. It is also supposed to be a powerful anti-fungal when diluted heavily with olive oil and applied topically. I just applied in a very small spot on one knee yesterday and today. His knees seem to have the thickest and most irritated spots of red. <br />
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Sam still <i>appears</i> to look amazing in the morning. This morning I thought, wow, that ACV must have worked a miracle! But tonight at bedtime, same as always, he was very red again. Even though this has been happening for months, it still shocks me how different his skin can look from morning to evening. I also can't seem to keep my emotions from riding daily on how his skin looks. It seems my spirits soar when he seems to be clearing, and come crashing down again when I realize he's not. I have kept Sam covered in long sleeves and pants in the house for the past 2 months at least, and washing with soap every night. If the red was just contact eczema, I should be seeing more of a difference. A lot of what I am doing is to treating for possible yeast infection, but it could even be something totally different like hypopigmentation which is a documented side effect of the particular steroid cream we used. I read that sometimes this unnatural pigment due to prolonged steroid use can last months or even years when the steroid is discontinued. I have no way of knowing what this redness is due to really. Since none of the doctors I've been to will even attempt to find out, I guess I'm on my own to figure it out. The only thing to do really is continue the anti-fungal treatments and continue the detergent-removal and constant dust removal and hope that something will give.<br />
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That probably sounds like a repeat of previous posts, but that's where we are.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-38626112046211608782012-06-16T22:25:00.002-04:002012-06-21T23:36:17.492-04:00And yet...There is still that underlying red patchy look to Sam's skin, that makes me think we might need to treat for possible yeast infection. It looks so much like the yeast infections my other kids would sometimes get on their bums as diaper rash. The dilute bleach seems to have helped the infection ever so slightly, but this rash is so persistent. It keeps fooling me too, because in the morning it is so faded that I keep thinking his skin is more healed than it really is. I think I read that morning to early afternoon is when natural cortisol levels spike, causing the skin to appear more natural. I could be way off. But his skin always looks awesome in the morning, I get so excited. Then by evening/night its back to looking redder again and I see those stubborn red spots more clearly. Still better than before, but not the progress I want to see. I'm having Adam get some Lotrimin for yeast infection tonight, will try on a small spot first for awhile to see what happens. SolveEczema clearly points out that if eczema skin is infected, it will not respond to soap washing until the infection has been treated and eliminated. So maybe this is what is impeding more rapid progress.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-77883655855784963952012-06-16T11:43:00.000-04:002012-06-16T11:43:00.648-04:00Something is workingWell I am not seeing the immediate results of soap bathing - as in, clear skin minutes later- but I <i>am</i> seeing definite results and that is the important thing. I wrote in my post yesterday how Sam came home from Grandma's with a red rashy face and arms. I washed him off in the bath with Dr. B's Baby Mild Castille bar soap and puzzled over not having it 'wash away' before my eyes, but when Sam woke up this morning his face is 90% clearer and arms and hands 75%. So it is working! Perhaps his skin just so weak and sensitive that it takes longer to see the healing. I never would have seen clearing like that with his regular eczema, normally those rashes existed in the same place for weeks or until we slathered them in hydrocortisone cream.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-901581821603652262012-06-15T23:04:00.004-04:002012-06-16T00:24:32.393-04:00Two steps forward, two steps back.It has become quite obvious now that Sam's eczema is of the detergent-related variety. I keep reading and re-reading the solution to this kind of eczema on the Solve Eczema website but I am still a little confused about how to manage it in our particular situation. This is something I know I will just need to figure out with time. Due to our circumstances of being in a rental that will not allow removal of the carpet, and being in GA in the humid summer where washing the carpet ourselves might induce mold, I feel like there is only so much I can do. I don't know if we'll get all the way to clear skin for Sam while living where we are, but if I can just manage the rash to where it is not out of control, that is still much better than where we've been. The rashes that do still exist don't bother him nearly as much as they used to. We are all getting sleep!<br />
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Certain areas of Sam's skin have regressed a bit in the past two days. Grandma lives across the street and often watches the kids for me, a couple of hours here and there so I can get things done, or else she just invited them over for the company. Sam spent just an hour there Wednesday evening, and a few hours today, and he is quite broken out now. The breakout screams detergent because it is only on his face, arms and hands, which were the only parts exposed at Grandma's house. (Even though I keep him in long sleeves inside, he still pushes them up.) His legs, which I have kept covered in footed pants, continue to heal. But his lower arms and hands are pretty bad compared to how he looked before going to Grandma's. Both times after coming home I stuck him in the bath right away and washed him well with soap and then dried with a layer of Aquaphor, straight in to clean cotton clothing. His face looks a *little better from the washing but his arms and hands are still red and rashy. I am not sure why we are not getting that washed-away result from bath time. It certainly has worked for my own eczema, but doesn't seem to work that way with Sam.<br />
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I don't want to have to keep Sam home all the time, my other two children would go crazy, but maybe I do need to commit to keeping him home for at least a couple of weeks to give his skin a chance to fully heal, or at least to discover how much it is capable of healing in our home environment. It's tough because I think the only way we survive is by getting out and doing things! It is pretty hard to keep a 6 year old, 4 year old, and 2 year old happy in a tiny two-room apartment all day in the summer. We already do not play outside much just because the sunshine exacerbates Sam's eczema, and now it seems all of the indoor places are also problematic and consistently interrupting healing. *Sigh*.<br />
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Another thing I have found to be a huge challenge personally is keeping on top of 5 people who are coming and going at various times, picking up detergent and dust residues and bringing them home. I'm still not sure if everyone has to change and bathe whenever they come home before lounging about. If they don't is it just undoing everything I have done? The solution makes so much sense in concept and on paper but I am finding it difficult to implement practically. I know it must be doable because I've read the letters and testimonies of parents who have done it and been successful. One mother saw her son's skin heal after EIGHT years of severe eczema by implementing the SolveEczema.org methods. It's a learning process I know, and I am constantly having to step back and remind myself of the scope of this process and the ongoing work involved, and to be patient. The reassuring thing is that it IS doable, and it IS a real solution that does not involve any creams, oils, drugs, wet-wrapping, or other crazy quick-fix band-aids that are a pain in themselves. This solution addresses the cause and I'm convinced that when its done right and all the way it knocks out eczema. Just knowing that possibility is out there is exciting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-46719808563704635482012-06-13T17:20:00.005-04:002013-04-25T23:28:59.353-04:00Sammy's Skin June 13th - We are smiling!For those who are not interested in reading through the previous monstrous post, of which these photos are the climax, I am posting them again here so you can see why my faith and hope are soaring today! Sam's skin looks great! It is not fully healed by any means, but the redness is fading significantly for the first time since March and I am seeing a normal, healthy skin color peeking through! His chest is clear, arms about 70% improvement from last week and legs 50% improvement. He has been off steroids for 15 days and the only medications I am using is Hydroxyzine which helps calm the itch at night. Even still, the hydroxyzine did not even touch his itchiness and discomfort two weeks ago. This is incredible progress and we will take it! This is coming after a lot of hard work, to read more about that see the previous post.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-3685011003773052802012-06-13T17:05:00.010-04:002015-11-22T09:38:39.248-05:00Progression of Sam's Eczema Over Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wanted to make a visual record of Sam's eczema and how it has progressed over time. I could not explain the progression then but I feel I can explain it better now in light of <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/" target="_blank">AJ Lumsdaine's detergent theory</a>.</div>
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<b>October 2010</b> : baby eczema around 4 months. The problem started initially at bout two weeks old as pretty bad cradle cap which "crawled" down to settle on his face (mostly cheeks) and neck. It presented as a scant, spotty rash of individual rough pink patches. </div>
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The next stage of progression or "worsening" came at about 5 months when Sam started crawling. It was winter so he was still wearing pants but just the tops of his feet exposed and dragging on the carpet and also he was spending more time closer to our carpet in general. So not only did the tops of his feet develop large bright red patches but also all other areas such as face, arms and hands that had previous only been exposed to less serious detergent sources like bed sheets, now worsened also when exposed more frequently and for longer periods of time to harsher detergents in our carpet. Sam was 5 months old when we filled our first prescription for topical steroid creams. Until the time he became mobile on the carpet his eczema had been quite manageable.</div>
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When springtime came and Sam traded pants for shorts, he was now crawling with bare shins and knees, and I next noticed large bright red patches just under his knees, then on his knees, with smaller spots of lighter irritation in between. As summer came and the months got even warmer, I let him go without clothing all together. In just a diaper, now crawling, walking, rolling, and rubbing his body all over our carpet and furniture, the eczema worsened still with growing number of eczema patches all over, covering him from head to toe. Here are some photos to show what this worsening and spreading detergent-related eczema looked like:</div>
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<b>Clear on steroids in October 2011: </b></div>
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<b>Off Steroids in November 2011:</b></div>
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<b>First dose oral steroids Prednisolone (as opposed to topical cream) in Nov 2011:</b></div>
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When Sam was just over a year his eczema worsened markedly, and he was starting to break out randomly at mealtimes. We thought he was allergic to everything. We started working with an allergist and I started putting Sam and myself on strict elimination diets to try and uncover hidden diet triggers. During this time the allergist put him on several doses of oral steroids. I remember feeling so hopeful when his skin seemed to heal but now I understand how that was just an immuno-suppressing effect, masking the damage. Steroids can never heal chronic eczema. In fact, knowing what I know now, I believe the detergents in steroid creams (most contain them!) play a huge role in worsening eczema. Literally we were taking the very thing causing Sam's eczema (although we didn't know it at the time) and slathering it into his skin. </div>
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<b>Off Steroids in March 2012: </b> This is the stage when I first became alarmed because of the growing number of red patches, closer together. From this point on we saw less and less healthy skin and more red each time coming off medication. I didn't know what to think of it at the time but now I think it was probably a growing bacteria or yeast on the skin. (<a href="http://sammysskin.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-relationship-between-topical.html" target="_blank">Read my post</a> about how the overuse of topical steroid creams can lead to nasty widespread infections like this one, as I believe was the case in Sam's situation after having used TS for over 16 months.) </div>
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<b>April 2012: </b>Below is Sam's eczema at its worst, completely inflamed and infected. I didn't let him run around naked much anymore at this time (except for photos like this one) so he would normally be wearing short sleeves and shorts and you can see how his eczema follows the clothing lines almost exactly, with total inflammation beginning exactly where the clothing ends. My theory for why his exposed skin looked so much worse in his second year than exposed skin in his first is that continual accumulation of detergents just made the skin barrier more and more broken down over time so that where he may have had intermittent weakened areas before, the whole surface of skin was now more easily susceptible to break outs and irritation from even the slightest exposure. I think the topical steroid creams we use (most of which contain detergents themselves!) further increased barrier permeability, increasing both detergent absorption and skin irritation tenfold. </div>
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(As an aside, I am familiar with ITSAN.org and while I agree that steroids can seriously worsen a child's baseline eczema, I disagree with their interpretation and understanding of this problem. I especially disagree with the suggested approach to healing I will address this at a later time.)<br />
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<b>Early May 2012: </b>This rash is not budging! I thought it was so odd that his earlier eczema, back in the fall, had shifting and changing spots, but now all the irritations seemed to be "stuck" and worsening. Again, I had no idea at the time that Sam's eczema was infected. In fact multiple pediatricians and dermatologists assured me this was a normal eczema presentation.</div>
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<b>Mid-May 2012: </b> This is what a viral infection on top of previously-existing infection on top of eczema looks like! All 3 kids got Hand, Foot & Mouth and this is what happened to Sam's eczema during that week. Not fun!</div>
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<b> June 2 2012, after last oral dose of Prednisolone:</b> Sam came off this last dose with fully red arms and legs. I was very unsettled by this as around this time I shifted from focusing on his diet to focusing on our environment, and was discouraged to see things seemingly getting worse instead of better:</div>
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<b>June 13, 2012:</b> Wow! <span style="text-align: left;">This mommy is smiling today! </span>This is seriously the best Sam's skin has ever looked in the past 8 months while completely steroid free. After finally being tipped off that Sam likely had an infection, I was able to start addressing that issue with a combination of bleach baths and ACV baths (apple cider vinegar is a natural anti-fungal) At the same time, following the council of solveeczema.org we removed all detergent products from our home, switched over to only pure soap products for washing, and kept Sam's skin covered at all times to protect it from environmental detergent residues beyond our control. </div>
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He is not fully healed by any means but I am so encouraged to see that stubborn angry redness fading a little more noticeably each day. I think he looks at least 60% better than he did last week or even two days ago. His face and arms in regular daylight look almost normal. The timing of this correlates exactly with the last week of dilute bleach baths which I am guessing have helped with infection on the skin, presumably allowing his skin to finally respond to our environmental changes. This remains to be proven but it is my guess. </div>
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This hypothesis would make chronological sense because our first big dust/detergent removal following the steps outlined on <a href="http://solveeczema.org/">SolveEczema.org</a> was about a week and a half ago, and within 3 days I was seeing similar healing. Then bam, two days later, all inflamed again. BUT, in those two days we had been away from home, visiting Grandma and then the hospital which would have huge amounts of detergent residues from the cleaning and sanitizing chemicals. I wasn't positive the rash was due to those outings, or that the previous healing was due to our clean-up, so to be sure I kept Sam home from church on Sunday and we've stayed close to home the past couple of days. Sure enough the previous healing repeated itself after 4 days of being at home in our newly cleansed environment of greatly reduced dust and detergent levels. Today he looks great.</div>
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If this healing continues long enough to prove the correlation, my work is obviously not done. We will need to maintain the safe environment, which I am told is so much easier once the soap switch is fully complete. Then it is just a matter of continuing to use the right products and dealing with breakouts that occur from exposures, which I've also heard is much easier once the skin is healed and often a matter of "washing" the eczema away in the bath with a true soap. I know that sounds crazy and I was hesitant to believe it but <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/" target="_blank">AJ</a> has not steered me wrong yet so until she does I will trust her experience with contact eczema. To me it is more productive to follow an optimistic voice even if remains to be proven 100%, as opposed to the countless other voices that preach "No Cure. No Answer. No Solution." </div>
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Will update in a few days and let you all know if he is still looking good. Hopefully he will be even better!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-48756963665894800032012-06-10T23:35:00.002-04:002012-06-10T23:57:12.647-04:00Sam's Visit to Georgia Health Sciences UniversityOn Thursday I got a call from the nurse at our new pediatrician's office saying they were able to request a special favor and had an appointment for us the very next day with a prominent dermatologist at the Georgia Health Sciences University in Augusta. We figured this was our best chance at talking to a specialist without having to wait until September, so Adam kindly set aside all of the surprise plans he had for my 30th birthday, and instead of spending the day celebrating we left at 8 am and drove two hours to the health center.<br />
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Honestly, the visit was what I would have expected from any dermatologist here in town. Dr. Davis was not able to shed any light on why Sam's skin might be so red, she just said that she saw dozens of atopic kids in there every week that look just like Sam. I stressed that I did not want to use any more steroids, and she honored that and did not prescribe any. She did prescribe Elidel, a "steroid sparing cream" but it does not have much research behind it and is blackboxed for kids under 2, and has plenty of negative reviews already around the web for having side-effects very similar to steroids. I will not be filling that prescription.<br />
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I was a little aggravated that this derm did not seem to want to give straight answers to my questions. At one point I guess I became impatient enough that Adam became uneasy and left the room. Well, I must have asked a particular question 8 times and she kept changing the subject, I was a little frustrated. I was making the point that Sam's eczema started out with scattered red patches with lots of healthy skin in between, and that over time the patches had become more numerous and closer together, until the past couple of months his entire arms and legs were of total red pigment with no healthy skin in between. I told her how I was worried we had been over-prescribed the steroid creams and oral steroids, and expressed concern that perhaps they were the reason for the worsening rash and redness. She said something like "Oh, I would never prescribe oral steroids, only as a last resort" or "I would never prescribe Triamcinolone" which is what we had used. So I pressed "And <i>why</i> wouldn't you? There must be a reason you wouldn't prescribe it. What side effects would you be worried about?" And that's when she kept changing the subject, never directly answering my question no matter how many ways I rephrased it.<br />
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She kept saying the redness was just the normal eczema. Finally at the end, after Adam left, I got her to say that one of the side effects of topical steroid overuse and misuse would be adrenal suppression, a symptom of which can be red skin. I told her I was worried about that and asked if we could have Sam tested for adrenal suppression. She said there is no point, if he is suffering from that I would know because he would be in great pain and misery, and he obviously was not, smiling and acting just fine in the room there with us. I told her he'd only been off steroids completely less than a week and asked if it might take time for symptoms to show, she said she didn't think it was an issue.<br />
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When I asked about doing a skin culture to see what kind of bacteria or yeast might be colonizing the skin, she again said there was no point in doing that because the skin was not broken, and swabbing unbroken skin would turn up all kinds of bacteria that were just sitting on top and it would be anyone's guess as to which was causing infection. She also said that she wouldn't want to prescribe an antibiotic, but that if Sam does have an infection he might benefit from using an antibacterial soap like Cetaphil and also doing the dilute bleach baths.<br />
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At one point I told the doc of some of the efforts we were making at home to see improvement, I said something to the effect of "If we could just figure out the allergy or cause of Sam's eczema, I feel like we could eliminate it and..." she didn't even let me finish before laughing out loud! She said, there is no cause, that I would drive myself crazy pursuing that end and I needed to focus on making Sam as comfortable as I can until he grows out of it. I told her that was not so and that many moms had been successful finding a cause and eliminating their child's eczema. She said "Yes, that's only on the internet" ... whatever that means.<br />
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So, not the greatest visit but I'm glad we went because if we hadn't I would just be wondering if she could have helped in some significant way. Now I know, and I'm pretty convinced after all of my research and all the medical professionals I've talked to that they all feel pretty much the same way. I don't think we will find one who will tell us any different than this: Eczema and allergies are to be drugged and suppressed.<br />
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This is the regimen we were given:<br />
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1- Bleach baths: once a week, 1/4 C bleach + half tub water<br />
2- Cetaphil Antibacterial Soap daily<br />
3 - Wet Wraps- as many nights a week as possible for moisture. (this is wearing a pair of wet pjs under dry pjs)<br />
4- Hydroxyzine (antihistamine) every 6 hours while flaring to help with itching.<br />
5 - Doxepin 30 mins before bedtime to aid sleep.<br />
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I have already done 4 of the bleach baths since last week, which seems like a ton but next week will only be 3 and then twice a week, then once. I hope we see improvement! So far, no difference in redness but I have noticed a huge difference in itchiness. I can't say for sure its because of the bleach but this past week Sam has slept through the night every single night. Actually, that might also be thanks to his magic pajamas with the 'silver soothe' in them that is supposed to calm itching! I just remembered that. Gosh we love those pajamas and I wish they had a store in the USA! Come to think of it, he has slept soundly every night he has had them on, except for one night when he wet through his diaper in the middle of the night. I had to remove the special mitted pjs because they were soaked, and put him in normal cotton top and pants, and the rest of that night he was whiny and itchy. In fact I woke up 3 times to find him completely naked because he had pulled everything off his lower half to scratch. <br />
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I am still focusing a lot on the dust in our house. I am vacuuming like crazy, and keeping our linens and bedclothes washed in hot water at least weekly. I will probably wash Sam's sheets every few days.<br />
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I am not sure what more to do with detergents and soaps. Only because of the carpet, it is such a big obstacle in both dust reduction and switching to soaps. Because if he is allergic to just dust or both dust and detergent, either way it is bound to have a huge stubborn amount of both that is constantly being picked up and spread to other areas of the house. We had our downstairs carpet replaced a few weeks ago, and Adam said that when they lifted the old carpet up there was at least 20 gallons of dust underneath. Ick. Our landlord was kind enough to replace our downstairs carpet but said he will not do the upstairs while we are living here. He did offer to have it cleaned for us, but I've already talked to the carpet cleaner he uses and they would only use harsh detergents, so I don't want to do that. We cannot remove the upstairs carpet because there is no usable, livable flooring underneath. Just very raw wood with lots of tacks and staples. I feel like placing any other carpet or floor covering on top of our old carpet would just trap the dust mites in a moist environment and cause more problems.<br />
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One day we will have an allergen-free home with all wood floors and leather furniture!! I dream of this!! And by that time, Sam really will have outgrown all his allergies. ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-11318693561322816072012-06-07T01:26:00.005-04:002013-04-25T23:31:55.711-04:00Sammy's skin June 4th - RED.<div style="text-align: left;">
These pictures were taken on Monday. Sam's skin was very red and swollen. It was worse on Tuesday, but starting to look better today (I think? I still don't always trust my perception of what's happening with his skin because I know sometimes I see only what I want to see). The third picture shows his skin next to mine, for comparison. He's a little lobster! This is off all medication.</div>
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There have been several suggestions made as to why his skin is red, and why the redness has been unchanging for some time. So here are some possibilities:</div>
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1) He has a yeast or fungal infection on top of his eczema, and the infection must be treated for the eczema to go away.</div>
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2) He recently had hand, foot, and mouth virus with a nasty rash, and this rash is still left over from the virus due to high levels of biological detergents circulating in the bloodstream (who knew there was such a thing?? Thanks A.J.)</div>
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3) The red pigment of his skin is due to blood vessel dilation or HPA axis suppression, both potential complications of topical steroid overuse or misuse. </div>
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So, I suppose time will tell which we are dealing with. Some who read this will already know that I have been on an emotional roller coaster ride even considering that we are dealing with #3 after having been contacted by a few kind-hearted and very well-meaning people who are already suffering from Red Skin Syndrome or Topical Steroid Addiction Withdrawal. While some doctors dispute the existence of such withdrawals, the <a href="http://www.drugs.com/pro/triamcinolone.html" target="_blank">official FDA label on Triamcinolone</a> and Hydorcortisone creams clearly allows for this: </div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Infrequently, signs and symptoms of steroid withdrawal may occur, requiring supplemental systemic corticosteroids. Children may absorb proportionally larger amounts of topical corticosteroids and thus be more susceptible to systemic toxicity (See </span><span class="Bold" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://www.drugs.com/pro/triamcinolone.html#s13">PRECAUTIONS-Pediatric Use</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">). If irritation develops, topical corticosteroids should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted.</span></i></span></div>
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The reason for my concern over Sam having such a complication due to steroid use is because of the suffering that many of these people are going through in order to fully withdraw and heal from topical or oral steroids. I visited the blog of one little boy four months into being completely off topicals and it still haunts me! Not only has Sam been on the topicals for 16 months but his allergist also prescribed 3 ten-day courses of oral steroids in the past 8 months, which are a more serious problem and only to be prescribed as a last resort. </div>
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I will be honest, yesterday I was sold on Red Skin Syndrome, but today I feel less emotional and am equally considering that we may be dealing with an infection or viral effect. No sense losing my head until I know for sure, right?</div>
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To address the possible infection, I am planning to do a week of dilute bleach baths. I know it sounds a bit crazy. I would never have tried them before, but I have done so much this past week toward cleaning up and de-toxing our home environment, and I feel like if this is an infection holding us back from seeing the potential effects of reducing dust and detergent, I need to address this. I did take Sam to a doctor two days ago who came highly recommended, and he was open to all of my concerns, but admitted Sam's case was beyond his expertise and wanted to send us to Egleston Children's Hospital for a skin culture. Only problem is the soonest available appointment is in September and I can't wait that long. We are on a cancellation list, but in the meantime, I don't think the bleach baths will hurt ( I've had several moms recommend these to me) and I don't intend to use them long term. </div>
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This past weekend was a whirlwind of cleaning, scrubbing, vacuuming, and dust removal. I had my mom take the kids overnight and spent a total of 21 hours tackling our dust! I sucked up at least two vacuum bags worth of dust out of our carpet, walls, doors, baseboards, and our air!! Oh my goodness. There must have been 5 inches of dust coating every side of the air intake box in our house, and all the vents were blocked by significant amounts of dust, not to mention our ceiling and floor fans. All so dusty! I cringe to think of the air Sam was breathing in, after testing very allergic to dusts on his skin test. All of our mattresses and pillows are covered, and I also packed away dozens upon dozens of dust traps that were in the open such as stuffed animals, blankets, coats, sweaters, and draperies. All vacuum sealed in space saver bags. </div>
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That's a huge dust mite reduction! I am still vacuuming every day, obviously not to the same extent but on maintenance level, and trying to spend a good 10 minutes in each room on the carpet especially. I had read that it can take up to a week after reducing the dust in a home to see improvements in the skin of a dust allergy sufferer. So I'm still holding out for that improvement! I could have sworn Sam's skin was looking just a little better today! It was for sure less red. Glimmer of hope?</div>
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We are also full-swing on soaps and I am loving the Cal Ben's products. They just feel good on my skin. I hope they help Sam too. </div>
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Oh and on top of all that Sam is also on Dr. Pagano's diet for Healing Psoriasis which some eczema sufferers have had success with - probably because it eliminates almost every possible thing anyone could be reacting to. Let's see, the rules are no dairy, no eggs, no citrus fruits, no strawberries, tomatoes, nightshades (potatoes, peppers, parika, onions), hot spices, refined flour or sugar, junk food, fried or greasy food, processed food, beef or processed meats. Phew! And for Sam specifically we have added no nuts and no wheat. I know it sounds like he doesn't eat but actually I think he eats quite well. Lots of rice, beans, avacado, fish, chicken, goat yogurt, fruits and green smoothies. </div>
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This eczema stuff is serious business folks! </div>
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That's the update for now. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-86359531714498926052012-06-01T00:23:00.001-04:002013-04-25T23:34:50.031-04:00Spiffy New PJ'sI amazed that I posted about these awesome pajamas from Europe on Saturday, and less than 5 days later I already had two pairs show up on my doorstep! Sam is one lucky boy to have some amazing people in his life who care so much!<span style="background-color: white;"> <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">THANK YOU!! You are an angel and we love you!! (you know who you are). </span>I am so impressed with the softness and quality of these pjs, I put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes while Sam was bathing so they would be cool on his skin before bed. (I had washed and dried them earlier in the day). I thought Sam might be upset initially about having his hands completely enclosed but he seemed to think the mittens were neat and was showing them off to his older siblings. Sleeping peacefully now. It comforts me so much to know that if he does wake up itchy tonight (likely, since he was so red after bath time) that he won't be able to damage his skin.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-74482670024584661602012-05-30T16:04:00.001-04:002012-05-30T16:04:41.841-04:00A Better Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1Gtx1BwwQ8/T8ZzlG1DHOI/AAAAAAAAHxM/LV2pRbDFiNY/s1600/spring-sunshine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1Gtx1BwwQ8/T8ZzlG1DHOI/AAAAAAAAHxM/LV2pRbDFiNY/s400/spring-sunshine.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really do feel bad for being so negative yesterday. I not only unloaded here, but I also opened wide the floodgates on my poor mom when she stopped by with a box of Cal Ben's Soap products and then again in an email to my unsuspecting little brother. I'm just lucky these people put up with me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I know that when I allow my emotions (and my wild imagination) to get the best of me, I open the door to believe the worst and I make mountains out of molehills. I know there are countless childhood diseases that are much worse than what we are dealing with. Sam does really well during the day, when his natural cortisone levels are up. I am grateful for that. So far it has been the nights that are hard, and nights are when a mommy of 3 young children needs to be sleeping. The chronic lack of sleep does sometimes place my good judgement and ability to honestly and unemotionally asses the situation in serious jeopardy. We also have several other significant stressors in our lives right now that weigh on me and leach some of the energy and emotional reserve I might otherwise have for Sam. I tend to take way too much on myself and spread myself too thin, and sometimes that makes every difficult situation seem ten times more challenging than it probably needs to be. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last night I sent out an email to family and a few friends requesting help to find some medical advice on what to do next for Sam. I received so many emails back, some with recommendations for a specific practice or specialist, some with encouraging words, some promising prayers. Yesterday I was feeling terribly alone in all of this - the hubs can't be much help because he works long hours in the busy season of his job and when he comes home is exhausted and does not really see or deal with Sam in the difficult hours of the night. I do not begrudge him that at all, I would rather he sleep because he needs to be on his game at work and I can sometimes squeeze in naps during the day if I really need one. (Am I the only mother who shamelessly uses Netflix to babysit my kids when I need a break!?) But as I was saying, I was feeling alone, and today after reading the emails, I feel lifted by the support and I'm sure the few prayers that have already been offered are reaching me and buoying me up today. Thank you. I also feel a greater sense of peace, much less frantic. I feel more peaceful that things will be okay and Heavenly Father is looking out for us. I am comforted to know that He cares about me and my trials, even if they might be small compared to the trials others face, He knows my heart and my personal weaknesses and flaws and understands my pain at seeing my child struggle. I also know that He sends other people into our lives to bless us sometimes, to help us feel His love and uses their hands as His own. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-62961235925021347442012-05-29T23:34:00.002-04:002012-05-29T23:43:57.689-04:00just BLAH.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGm1rJH03pw/T8WVmt_MB0I/AAAAAAAAHxA/yAceiG4dKYA/s1600/images+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGm1rJH03pw/T8WVmt_MB0I/AAAAAAAAHxA/yAceiG4dKYA/s1600/images+(3).jpg" /></a></div><br />
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I've super washed all of Sam's clothes, towels, bedding, and most of ours, at least 10 times per load already. I have scoured our tub with soap, washed his body in it every night, rinsed well, dried well, followed by Aquaphor. I've kept him in long pants and sleeves and socks up to his thighs for over a week now to keep him from rubbing extensively against the carpet. His skin does not look any better. It looks worse. It itches insanely at night. It still looks like it did before the last course of steroids. The last course of steroids did not even help much at all.<br />
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I still think soap is a good idea, if it doesn't solve Sam's eczema it can only help. A child with sick skin does not need harsh chemicals. So I'm not giving up soap. But I am beginning to wonder if I imagined the "incredible" results of our first "soap test". Switching to soap has for sure improved the eczema on my hand 100%. It hasn't bothered me for over a week. So that's good. But I didn't do all of this for my little ol' hand. I wanted to see those results in Sam! Shouldn't we have seen even a little improvement by now? I am beginning to wonder- did I see what I wanted to see when I checked Sam's legs a few hours after washing him with soap that first time? Because I have not been able to duplicate those results since, and I've done a lot of soap washing!!<br />
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I think when you have a sick child, you grasp on to any hope you can and hurl yourself at it full force- at least I do. You believe almost anything. Anything to give your mind even a shred of hope to pull you out of the despair and madness of not having an answer. I'm sure I've imagined many things that have not been real, in the name of hope and sanity. I know I've imagined Sam was looking better many times because of a certain diet we were doing, but looking back if I'm honest, it was really just the drugs.<br />
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Can't remember how many times now I have read something online about how some stranger I don't even know cured their kid of eczema, and I think, this is our answer! It makes perfect sense! That kid sounds just like Sam! I take hold, start preaching it everywhere I go, believe with all my might it will work and make everything better. I have to believe those things, its what keeps me going. Because all I want is for everything to be better! Actually right now I would take even a little bit better! All I want is for my baby not to suffer anymore. All I want is to see some improvement, to have hope that will last more than a week or two. All I want is to stop feeling confused because every other week I happen upon a theory that is completely 180 degrees the opposite of what I previously believed or understood, but that apparently has "cured" enough people who are now urging me to go that way instead of the way I was going.<br />
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I am so tired, very nearly depressed, desperate for answers, and it feels like all my prayers are bouncing right off the ceiling. I have gone from feeling pretty confident a few days ago in what I was doing for Sam, to questioning everything and feeling incredibly unsettled and anxious. I am probably being overly dramatic, over anxious, and completely irrational, but who knew eczema and allergies could be so maddening!? I always thought this would be the least of ailments that could strike my child. Eczema is "just dry skin" right? Just slap some moisturizer on it and it will get better. Allergies? Just keep them from the thing they are allergic to, right? No big deal!! Ha. No, this truly sucks (please forgive me, that is actually the worst my language gets, you know I am losing it when I say or type the word "sucks") and the worst part is that nobody seems to have answers. Sam's doctor and allergist are clearly just as confused as I am. "There is no reason for eczema!" Eczema just IS. Apparently. It has increased by crazy numbers over the past several decades, there must be a reason, why hasn't anyone been able to figure this out yet!<br />
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So very sorry, innocent accosted readers. I wish I could say I'm not always this negative but that's kind of the personality battle I've been fighting my entire life. Negativity sure makes trials harder, I wish I could figure out how to be more optimistic! I really do try! I've resolved so many times to be a more positive person! Someone recently suggested to me that eczema is caused largely by stress and emotions, perhaps Sam is not getting better because I am constantly projecting my negative emotions onto him?? Who knows.<br />
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This all has been on the verge of spilling over all day long and what just happened is me unloading so I can get some sleep before Sam wakes up crying and scratching himself like mad.<br />
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Good night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-24050882806400142412012-05-26T00:28:00.028-04:002013-04-25T23:44:25.888-04:00Maybe the carpet is evil.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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So... if money were not an issue, I would totally buy some of these adorable pajamas from the <a href="http://www.eczemaclothing.com/" target="_blank">Cotton Comfort line of clothing</a> made especially for kids like Sam with eczema. These look so awesome! No socks to pull off, 100% gentle cotton, flat non-irritating seams, attached mitten to prevent nighttime scratching, so soft. Sadly these are quite costly and they aren't located in the US either. Boo.</div>
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Each day now I try to dress Sam to protect him from our carpet. It might be 80 degrees in GA but Sam is in long sleeves and long pants in the house, with crew socks pulled up to his knees over his pant legs. But who am I kidding, those clothes do not stay the way I arrange them. He's a little monkey! He rolls around and climbs and falls and wrestles with his siblings. He pulls his socks off any chance he gets, his pant legs get pushed up, his shirt comes up over his pudgy little belly, and by night time all of these areas are irritated. He plays on and is in contact with the carpet all day long. He is almost two, there is really no keeping him off of it.<br />
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Why am I so concerned about the carpet? Well, when we moved into our town home our landlord told us ours was the last unit that had not been renovated with new carpet and tile. We were okay with that at the time, we had to move quickly and could not wait for another unit. I have since learned this carpet is probably 7 to 10 years old. Who knows how many times it has been "cleaned" with harsh chemical cleaners. Not only that, who knows how much mold and dust is embedded deep in the fibers?! As I've learned from studying the <a href="http://www.solveeczema.org/" target="_blank">Solve Eczema </a>website, dust is made mostly of human skin cells and hair and lint, which for probably 95% of humans walking around, are covered in detergent residues from our laundry solutions, lotions, shampoos, deodorant, etc. So for my purposes, dust = detergent. It's no wonder, if my suspicions are correct, that his little legs and feet and arms up are flaming red by the end of every day after rubbing up on that carpet. (And I'm sure this is the case with our furniture too, which are third generation hand me downs).<br />
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I may have already posted this picture in a previous post, but for the purpose of illustrating my point, here it is again. Notice where his eczema is so much worse. Now, I should interject here that I do still believe Sam has a fair amount of ingestion related eczema. But it is quite obvious from these photos that those arms and legs are largely contact eczema. Otherwise they wouldn't follow his clothing line so precisely.<br />
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Another thing to note here is the area where the collar of his shirt would have been rubbing against his skin. Apparently synthetic materials in the collar of an otherwise 100% cotton t-shirt don't have to be listed as such, and those synthetic fibers retain higher levels of detergent. Another clue pointing towards detergent sensitivity.<br />
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As a side note... one of the first places on Sam's body to show severe eczema flare was the tops of his feet, around 6 months old. He'd always had it on his face, arms, pretty much everywhere but it was a scant, lacy rash (like on his belly above... you can barely see the eczema but it is still there). His feet though were constantly bright red and irritated and I could not for the life of me figure out why it would be just his feet that were severely inflamed. Well now it makes sense, that was around the time he started army crawling and rolling around on the floor, wearing longer clothing in the winter but no socks. So it was just the tops of his feet being exposed constantly to the carpet. </div>
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One last thought for tonight. I actually first came across the solve eczema website last fall, when Sam's eczema first started getting really bad and I was desperate for answers. I did a lot of research online and came across the website about how this mother traced her son's eczema to detergents and got rid of them all. I read the entire website and even thought about it for a few days. But in the end I thought no, Sam's eczema is definitely food allergy related. I was just starting to see an allergist, and we were working towards getting his skin clear for an allergy test, and I was so sure that would give me all the answers I needed. In comparison, the detergent thing sounded like so much work. So we did lots of elimination diets and food experiments all throughout the fall. I learned a few things to stay away from: Nuts (he's anaphylactic with those), dairy, citrus, tomatoes, oatmeal, bananas. Eliminating all those things did help, but Sam's arms and legs still looked like he'd been attacked by a colony of red ants.<br />
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It was not until two weeks ago that I was reminded of the website again. I was at Kroger with all the kids late at night picking up some medicine for Sam. Adam was working late and Sam was too itchy and uncomfortable to sleep, and I had only just realized after bath time that we were out Vanicream, ointment, and Attarax liquid. So I took him to the store in his jammies and we sat in the pharmacy area waiting for the prescriptions. It is interesting how much worse Sam's eczema can appear in various lighting. The flourescent lighting in this particular area of the store, combined with how flared the skin was already after a bath, made for some truly horrific looking skin. I had Sam on my lap and he was busy taking his socks off repeatedly while I repeatedly put them back on. Finally I gave up and let him pull his pant legs up and scratch away. Sometimes that's easier than fighting him. <br />
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There was a man sitting not even a foot away from us and I saw that he was staring and staring at Sam's rashed skin. Finally he says to me with some alarm in his voice: "It's the soap lady. The socks are eating his foot up! You need different soap." I told him we had already switched detergents twice, and it did not help, so that wasn't the issue. I informed him it was food allergies, and ended the conversation. He just kept staring like he didn't believe me and what I had said was the most ridiculous thing ever.<br />
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I was tempted to be annoyed with him. How dare he sit there and try to diagnose Sam after watching him for less than two minutes, while I had spent months working on solving this problem with blood, sweat, and tears. Did he think I was sitting by doing nothing while my son suffered?<br />
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And yet I could not stop thinking about the weak explanation I had just given him. Was I really convinced the "soap" as he called it was not an issue? Sure we had switched detergents to milder formulations twice. First to Dreft, then to All Free and Clear. And it did not help. But that did not mean it wasn't a detergent problem. Because both of those laundry detergents, while not as harsh as others, are still detergents! The man had called it soap, and its true that these days the terms are commercially interchangeable. It was while I was thinking all these thoughts that an idea from A.J. Lumsdaine, the solve-eczema mom, pushed its way into the forefront of my mind. Describing her own light bulb moment she had written something to this effect: <b>Detergent and true soap are two distinctly different chemical classes. They are not the same. They have different properties. They behave differently. </b><br />
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Yes, I had tried switching detergents. But I'd never tried switching to <i>soap</i>. Really, if a child is sensitive to detergent, how does it make sense to switch to another detergent?<br />
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<i style="background-color: white;">Maybe he's right. Maybe the socks are eating Sam's feet up, because maybe he can't tolerate any detergent at all... not even the mild kind for babies. </i><br />
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From that point on I could not shake the thought from my mind. As soon as the kids were in bed that night I went in search of the website and read everything again. A few days later I did the soap test, saw enough of a change to know we had to pursue this, and now here we are on this journey.<br />
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To the rude pharmacy man, thank you and bless you, wherever you are. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8567056072384004584.post-87960284980561706482012-05-25T11:08:00.001-04:002012-05-25T11:10:54.652-04:00Slow GoingI wrote last week about superwashing the first few loads of laundry 5 or 6 times each. Now I don't think that was enough. Even with Sam on Orapred, he has been itching at night and breaking out in a fine rash even though everything he touches after an evening bath was superwashed in soap: towel, jammies, bedsheets. Maybe there is still detergent in the tub, or I'm not washing it off his skin well enough, or there is still a fair amount left in the fabrics. Maybe its his diet. We were doing Dr. Pagano's Healing Psoriasis diet for a couple of weeks and I swear his chest and cheeks cleared from that effort but I couldn't keep it up long enough to prove a direct cause and effect. The diet was quite costly. In fact lately we've had to break pretty much all the rules for the Pagano diet simply because our budget doesn't exactly allow for a diet requiring specialty foods like goat milk and yogurt, salmon, gluten-free grains and lots of green. (Yes, when you are trying to do green smoothies everyday, produce actually gets very expensive. It's sad that eating in a healing manner has to break the bank.)<br />
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<div>I haven't been able to do much more in the way of soap since those first couple of days. Everyone being so sick last week got us off track, and then I ran out of soap so I'm sitting here with piles of laundry everywhere that I refuse to wash in detergent. I am lucky to have some family members who care about Sam enough to have helped with ordering some soap from Cal Ben Soap Company and that box is on its way! For now there is not much I can do to further this effort. In fact, I did give in in the dish department when hot water rinses weren't getting my dishes clean. I started using my box of powdered detergent in the dishwasher again (though now I cringe everytime I pour it in) so we will at least have clean dishes until the soap arrives. It is interesting to note that the first time I used the dish detergent again, my hand eczema immediately returned and started itching like crazy. However after washing my hands with soap (we still have some in the bathrooms for hand washing) the itching stopped immediately. The connection is definitely there. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I'm starting to realize this change will not be immediate, and especially on our limited resources, seeing results will likely take some time. We just have to do what we can when we can. Most of our clothing is several years old or hand-me-downs and will probably need to be washed 10 times to get the residues out. That is a lot of washing, water, and expense when you have 5 people, their bedding, the extra sheets and bedding and towels. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Sorry, I know I have done a lot of whining in this post but one of the purposes of this blog for me is to record my experience through all of this including the ups and downs and setbacks and frustrations. Hope to be able to post some good news and progress soon. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3