I woke up this morning and most of my face was covered in a fine yellow crust. I do not think the skin is infected, but it could very easily go that way in its current state.
This is the most tempted I have ever been to go back to steroid creams. I can't function like this. I have to go to parents evening tonight for 2.5 hours looking like a tomato and I have to meet all of my sons teachers. I will be so embarrassed. My husband is at work all weekend, leaving me to look after the kids, and they are off school next week, which will be awful if my skin is like this, as I won't want to leave the house.
The crusty skin was not only unsightly, but also exuding a smell of rotting flesh. I knew I would have to clean up the area, but was worried what to use on my inflamed skin. I put a little baby shampoo in some warm water with some Epsom salts and dabbed the crust off gently with a cotton wool pad. My skin now looks like this:
I have more energy today than I did yesterday, but I am still very depressed. My fellow Itsan forum members have tried to encourage me by saying my skin is having a final blow-out before healing. I hope it is true. Every day it gets worse rather than better and I don't know whether to use creams or just leave it alone.
This is clearly NOT eczema. This is Red Skin Syndrome caused by nitric oxide dilating my steroid-starved blood vessels.
Red is my least favourite colour right now.
7 comments:
hi! is the peeling continuous? how long do you think the crusting and peeling lasts? thank you. I am also in topical steroid withdrawal stage. my face right now is so red, flaky and has a smell. Like what you have mentioned in your blog.
PS: Can I also join the forum at itsan? I don't know how to join, I am looking a "sign up" sign or "join" sign on the page but I can't see it. thanks
Hi arjane. The flares go in cycles. The skin is hot and red nd then flakes off like sunburn. The length of flares varies depending on the individual. The itsan page has a forum tab in the top corner. All are welcome.
my face continuously shed off during the day then usually feels like burning at night. Then when I woke up in the morning crusts was built up. It feels like there is heavy material on top of my face,It also feels dry and tight. And after shedding, the skin becomes red againa. Is that normal? thanks :)
Yes, it sounds very typiical of topical steroid withdrawal.
Thanks for the reply! tonight my face looks pink, lighter than this morning. I also feel quite itchy. I think this is what kelly said, itchiness like a wound healing. I hope it gets better every day. You too louise, happy healing :)
I found your blog to be very interesting!
Many people take steroids for recreational purposes
However, yours is medical.
Do you believe the use of steroids to help you was the right decision?
or would you advise to trial other treatments first?
Hi james,
Personally, i think that doctors are far too quick to prescribe steroid creams for eczema, as they offer a quick fix.
My daughter had eczemaon her neck and i treated it with a non-steroid cream. It took longer to heal, but her skin is fine now. I would not use steroid creams on her.
I understand why my doctor prescribed the steroids but i think that doctors are unaware of the long term dangers of these creams. They are very addictive.
Post a Comment