Lots of TSW'ers are reporting a weird symptom of lumps under the skin. The lumps could be anywhere in the body, but commonly appear in the neck.
I actually had two lumps appear at the back of my neck a few days ago. Upon further research, I believe that they are swollen lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes are bean-shaped and protect the body against infection. Each node protects a certain area of the body. For example, the nodes at the back of the neck protect the scalp region,
With TSW, it is common for the scalp to get itchy and if you scratch, it can cause the body to go into overdrive. Suspecting an infection, the lymph nodes in the back of the neck swell up and react to the threat. This can also happen to the nodes in other parts of the body such as the groin or armpits.
Of course, any kind of swelling should be investigated by a doctor if you are concerned, as there can be many different causes for lumps under the skin.
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone
Don't worry: the words in the title aren't part of a spelling test.
In fact, I had never even heard of these chemicals before yesterday.
A friend of mine called me up and said that her daughter, who suffers from allergies, had been reacting badly to certain personal care products. Upon further research, she had found that a preservative, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, was responsible for her daughter's skin reactions, which included rashes and small red blisters on the skin.
Apparently, the chemical is in many products, including shampoo, soap, hair conditioner and suncream.
The chemical, also known as Kathon CG is highly irritating in its pure form, although it is used in very small quantities in products. this clearly is enough to harm some sensitive individuals though, which is why i thought it fair to warn my fellow TSW bunch, as we are a sensitive lot.
A similar preservative, Methylisothiazolinone, or MIT, is known to be allergenic and cytotoxic.
According to Wikipedia:
"In 2013, the American Contact Dermatitis Society named methylchloroisothiazolinone as the Contact Allergen of the Year.[5] A common indication of an allergic reaction is eczema-like symptoms including redness and itching, and upon longer exposure also burning sensations and blisters on the part of the skin that is exposed to the allergen. Continued exposure can lead to high sensitization which will be triggered each time the individual comes in contact with the allergen due to the memory T-cells that will remain in the local skin area."
So I decided to check my kitchen and bathroom products to see which ones contained these potentially harmful chemicals....
Did not contain:
Did contain:
It is definitely something to bear in mind for those suffering from eczema or steroid withdrawal, because using irritants on our skin is only going to prolong the process. Readers; check your cupboards now and let me know whether you find any products containing this chemical. If so, are you happy to continue using them, or will you try something new? Maybe you have been using these products for years with absolutely no problems at all. I would love to hear about your experiences, both good and bad.
In fact, I had never even heard of these chemicals before yesterday.
A friend of mine called me up and said that her daughter, who suffers from allergies, had been reacting badly to certain personal care products. Upon further research, she had found that a preservative, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, was responsible for her daughter's skin reactions, which included rashes and small red blisters on the skin.
Apparently, the chemical is in many products, including shampoo, soap, hair conditioner and suncream.
The chemical, also known as Kathon CG is highly irritating in its pure form, although it is used in very small quantities in products. this clearly is enough to harm some sensitive individuals though, which is why i thought it fair to warn my fellow TSW bunch, as we are a sensitive lot.
A similar preservative, Methylisothiazolinone, or MIT, is known to be allergenic and cytotoxic.
According to Wikipedia:
"In 2013, the American Contact Dermatitis Society named methylchloroisothiazolinone as the Contact Allergen of the Year.[5] A common indication of an allergic reaction is eczema-like symptoms including redness and itching, and upon longer exposure also burning sensations and blisters on the part of the skin that is exposed to the allergen. Continued exposure can lead to high sensitization which will be triggered each time the individual comes in contact with the allergen due to the memory T-cells that will remain in the local skin area."
So I decided to check my kitchen and bathroom products to see which ones contained these potentially harmful chemicals....
Did not contain:
- Radox handwash
- All my Body Shop products (Body Shop refuse to use these dangerous chemicals in any of their products)
- Simpsons Sun lotion
- Right guard Shower gel
- Original Source Shower Gel
- Loreal Elvive shampoo and conditioner
Did contain:
- Asda Essentials Handwash
- Pantene conditioner
- Wilkinsons hair conditioner
- Asda Smartprice washing up liquid
- Rapunzel Disney bubble bath
- Asda 2 in 1 dandruff shampoo
It is definitely something to bear in mind for those suffering from eczema or steroid withdrawal, because using irritants on our skin is only going to prolong the process. Readers; check your cupboards now and let me know whether you find any products containing this chemical. If so, are you happy to continue using them, or will you try something new? Maybe you have been using these products for years with absolutely no problems at all. I would love to hear about your experiences, both good and bad.
Monday, 9 September 2013
Photo Update at 21.5 Months
I haven't had chance to post any photos on here for a while because I have been busy during the school holidays. Now that the kids are finally back, I have time for some photos.
It's such a shame that the weather has taken a turn for the worse. The cloudy, rainy weather has started to kick in, which is always bad news for my skin. When we were on holiday a couple of weeks ago, the skin on my face actually cleared up due to the amount of sun I was getting. Sadly, the improvements didn't last and my face took a bit of a downturn with all the bad weather recently. If you have time, check out my blogposts from October last year. My skin was really awful at that time and I think the weather had a lot to do with it.
Anyway..here are my pics....
My legs have been clear for ages now. The skin is absolutely normal and smooth.
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My face is STILL a little bit blotchy!!! This is as much as I flare these days though. The flares are mild but still noticeable. My biggest problem areas are my left cheek and my chin.
My neck is normal and super smooth. I so happy about this area.
The back of my arm is normal skin and even has a tan!
My inner arms are more troublesome. As you can see, there is still a little pink blotching, although I must confess that this is the best they have ever been. I feel like this area is nearly done now.
The majority of my body is now rash-free at almost 22 months of steroid withdrawal. My rashy areas are confined to parts of my face and inner arms.
I am worried about how the impending winter will impact on my TSW, but I will have to wait and see what happens. There is no use stressing about it.
It's such a shame that the weather has taken a turn for the worse. The cloudy, rainy weather has started to kick in, which is always bad news for my skin. When we were on holiday a couple of weeks ago, the skin on my face actually cleared up due to the amount of sun I was getting. Sadly, the improvements didn't last and my face took a bit of a downturn with all the bad weather recently. If you have time, check out my blogposts from October last year. My skin was really awful at that time and I think the weather had a lot to do with it.
Anyway..here are my pics....
The majority of my body is now rash-free at almost 22 months of steroid withdrawal. My rashy areas are confined to parts of my face and inner arms.
I am worried about how the impending winter will impact on my TSW, but I will have to wait and see what happens. There is no use stressing about it.
Friday, 6 September 2013
Soapnuts: The Verdict So Far...
So I tried the soapnuts out for the first time yesterday. I placed 5 shells in the washbag provided and placed it in the drum of the machine and set the temperature to 30 degrees.
The Good:
The thing that impressed me most was the general softness of the clothes. I put a fleece jacket in the wash and it came out very soft, as if I had put fabric conditioner on it. I think this was because all of the detergent residue was removed from the clothing.
I was also generally happy with the cleanliness of the clothes. My son's collars are always grubby, but the soapnuts did a good job removing the marks. most stains were removed and they even did a decent job getting a bloodstain out of a pillowcase, a common problem for TSW'ers.
The Bad:
No scent! I am getting some essential oil to add to the wash though.
A couple of armpits of T shirts still smelled of sweat/deodorant.
No brighteners means that whites do not get really white.
Conclusion:
Soapnuts are ok for general wash purposes, but you may want to use Vanish to boost the whitening power. Some items, especially sweaty stuff used for sports will still need traditional detergents to get the sweat smell out of the fabric. Soapnuts work really well on fleecy items and fluffy towels.
I had heard that regular use of the nuts stops the must smell you get in the machine and reduces the grey sludge you get. I did notice less grey sludge round the door, but the machine still smelled a bit fusty.
I also used the nuts in the dishwasher. You just place 3 shells in the cutlery tray. the results were very good. There was no residue on the plates and everything came out clean. The only downside was that the machine didn't smell as fresh as when I use detergent. I used regular rinse aid along with the nuts.
The Good:
The thing that impressed me most was the general softness of the clothes. I put a fleece jacket in the wash and it came out very soft, as if I had put fabric conditioner on it. I think this was because all of the detergent residue was removed from the clothing.
I was also generally happy with the cleanliness of the clothes. My son's collars are always grubby, but the soapnuts did a good job removing the marks. most stains were removed and they even did a decent job getting a bloodstain out of a pillowcase, a common problem for TSW'ers.
The Bad:
No scent! I am getting some essential oil to add to the wash though.
A couple of armpits of T shirts still smelled of sweat/deodorant.
No brighteners means that whites do not get really white.
Conclusion:
Soapnuts are ok for general wash purposes, but you may want to use Vanish to boost the whitening power. Some items, especially sweaty stuff used for sports will still need traditional detergents to get the sweat smell out of the fabric. Soapnuts work really well on fleecy items and fluffy towels.
I had heard that regular use of the nuts stops the must smell you get in the machine and reduces the grey sludge you get. I did notice less grey sludge round the door, but the machine still smelled a bit fusty.
I also used the nuts in the dishwasher. You just place 3 shells in the cutlery tray. the results were very good. There was no residue on the plates and everything came out clean. The only downside was that the machine didn't smell as fresh as when I use detergent. I used regular rinse aid along with the nuts.
Thursday, 5 September 2013
Soap Nuts
I recently read a blogpost over on the Itchy Little World site extolling the virtues of soap nuts.
My curiosity was piqued.
I did a little research and found out that soap nuts are actually dried berries that release saponins when they get wet, causing them to foam up. Native peoples have been using them for generations to wash clothing, the body and hair.
There is much anecdotal evidence from parents with eczema prone kids who quit using detergents and found that their children's eczema improved.
However, I have also read lots of bad stuff about them too, such as this report suggesting that they do not work at all and are just a marketing gimmick. After all, the first few times you wash you clothes with the soap nuts, there will be a certain amount of detergent still embedded in the clothes from previous washes. Maybe that is why they seem less effective over time.
I also had a bad experience using ecoballs, which simply did not work for me and there is no concrete scientific evidence showing how they work anyway.
I am open minded about the soapnuts. I hope they work, as it will save me a fortune in detergent costs. Having a family, I usually do a couple of wash loads a day and it soon adds up. I would sincerely love to go detergent free because I do not think that detergents are good for the skin barrier or the environment.
I will report back tomorrow on how the soapnuts tackled my sons dirty collars on his school shirts.
Watch this space.
My curiosity was piqued.
I did a little research and found out that soap nuts are actually dried berries that release saponins when they get wet, causing them to foam up. Native peoples have been using them for generations to wash clothing, the body and hair.
There is much anecdotal evidence from parents with eczema prone kids who quit using detergents and found that their children's eczema improved.
However, I have also read lots of bad stuff about them too, such as this report suggesting that they do not work at all and are just a marketing gimmick. After all, the first few times you wash you clothes with the soap nuts, there will be a certain amount of detergent still embedded in the clothes from previous washes. Maybe that is why they seem less effective over time.
I also had a bad experience using ecoballs, which simply did not work for me and there is no concrete scientific evidence showing how they work anyway.
I am open minded about the soapnuts. I hope they work, as it will save me a fortune in detergent costs. Having a family, I usually do a couple of wash loads a day and it soon adds up. I would sincerely love to go detergent free because I do not think that detergents are good for the skin barrier or the environment.
I will report back tomorrow on how the soapnuts tackled my sons dirty collars on his school shirts.
Watch this space.
Monday, 2 September 2013
Doctors Need to Wake Up!
This is going to be a ranty post.
I took my daughter to the doctor today with a suspected ear infection. She had been swimming a lot on holiday and her ear was hurting.
The doctor looked in her ears and explained that she had a lot of wax and that she would prescribe some ear drops. No problem so far.
However, she then noticed a bit of dry skin behind her ear. She seemed very concerned about the dry skin and warned me that if it was left, it may lead to infection. She printed me off a prescription, explaining that she had given me some moisturiser to apply to the dry skin.
So I come out of the office and glance down at the prescription. She has given me olive oil for the earwax and a nice moisturiser called Epaderm for the dry skin.
But hang on. There is a third item on the prescription too. What could it be? Betamethasone valerate and Fusidic acid cream? The same stuff that got my skin addicted. The steroid that is hundreds of times more powerful than hydrocortisone? I don't think so.
What makes me really angry is the fact that the doctor never mentioned anything about a steroid cream. She kind of sneaked it in. And for what! To treat a patch of dry skin? These doctors seem awfully trigger happy about prescribing steroids for ANYTHING these days. How about saying "try this moisturiser for a few days and then if it doesn't work, we will try something different?" No. They go straight to the steroid as the first port of call. And not the weak steroid. The strong stuff.
Needless to say, I scrubbed the steroid cream off the prescription and took the oil and moisturiser instead. I had a nice chat with my daughter about why I will never let her use steroid cream to treat dry skin.
Steroids have their place in medicine. I am not anti steroid. But seriously. Prescribing steroids for every little patch of dry skin is both stupid and dangerous.
Thankfully, I knew all about steroid cream dangers and refused the cream. But how many parents are given this stuff on a daily basis for their children, unaware that they are even using steroids?
Something's gotta give.
I took my daughter to the doctor today with a suspected ear infection. She had been swimming a lot on holiday and her ear was hurting.
The doctor looked in her ears and explained that she had a lot of wax and that she would prescribe some ear drops. No problem so far.
However, she then noticed a bit of dry skin behind her ear. She seemed very concerned about the dry skin and warned me that if it was left, it may lead to infection. She printed me off a prescription, explaining that she had given me some moisturiser to apply to the dry skin.
So I come out of the office and glance down at the prescription. She has given me olive oil for the earwax and a nice moisturiser called Epaderm for the dry skin.
But hang on. There is a third item on the prescription too. What could it be? Betamethasone valerate and Fusidic acid cream? The same stuff that got my skin addicted. The steroid that is hundreds of times more powerful than hydrocortisone? I don't think so.
What makes me really angry is the fact that the doctor never mentioned anything about a steroid cream. She kind of sneaked it in. And for what! To treat a patch of dry skin? These doctors seem awfully trigger happy about prescribing steroids for ANYTHING these days. How about saying "try this moisturiser for a few days and then if it doesn't work, we will try something different?" No. They go straight to the steroid as the first port of call. And not the weak steroid. The strong stuff.
Needless to say, I scrubbed the steroid cream off the prescription and took the oil and moisturiser instead. I had a nice chat with my daughter about why I will never let her use steroid cream to treat dry skin.
Steroids have their place in medicine. I am not anti steroid. But seriously. Prescribing steroids for every little patch of dry skin is both stupid and dangerous.
Thankfully, I knew all about steroid cream dangers and refused the cream. But how many parents are given this stuff on a daily basis for their children, unaware that they are even using steroids?
Something's gotta give.
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