My hands have been off-the-scale bad the last few weeks. They just peel constantly, with no nice layer of skin underneath; just more peeling flesh. In my desperation I've taken to slathering my hands in thick ointment and applying tubular bandage on the top to try and seal in the moisture and get some relief.
I'd been using the Robertsons eczema cream, which was helping a lot, but I'm now running low and really can't afford any more due to the high cost of postage and the customs charges (hopefully it will be available in UK soon), so I'm back to using Vaseline right now as it seems to be the thing that irritates me least. I would love to be able to do moisturiser withdrawal on my hands, but when I try I get deep bleeding fissures, so I really am dependent on the gooey stuff for now.
Anyway, during my research I found a forum thread about a man who used Vicks Vaporub on his eczema and it cleared it up. I also found a few references on the Itsan forum of users who swear by the stuff. There is no way I would have ever considered using Vicks on my eczema, as I just presumed that it would sting like crazy.
It's cheap enough to buy though, so I thought a little experimentation wouldn't harm and got myself a nice big tub of Vicks for about £4 from the supermarket. It's slightly runnier in texture than Vaseline so seems to be easier to apply. After a few seconds, WHAM! I felt an icy cold tingle in my hands. It didn't sting at all. It was lovely. It felt so refreshing and cool. My itch vanished. It tingled cool on my hands for several minutes. I felt like I had Elsa's ice powers.
I've had no adverse reaction or allergy to the Vicks and I really like the way it feels on my skin, especially how it kills the itch dead. For now, it's another useful tool in my TSW armoury and I'm thankful that it was mentioned on he Itsan forum. Hopefully it will give my hands a break, as I'm getting really fed up of not being able to use them properly. I've not had hands like this in the whole of my TSW journey so far, so I don't know what's going on.
Anyone else tried Vicks and found it helpful?
13 comments:
Argh! I'm sorry youre still suffering Louise. It must be so frustrating. I've actually never thought of using Vicks but I guess it makes sense that the menthol would numb the itch. Will definitely be adding that to my repertoire too :)
Hope you get some relief soon <3
Sarah
I just wish I'd known how good the Vicks was sooner. It's one of those things I'd never have thought to use but it is amazing! Getting lots of icy cool relief from my TSW rash now. Bliss.
I've never heard of it! I'm glad you find it helpful though.
Did you speak to your doctor about going on the non steroid asthma inahaler? I know there's like one kind.... that could be why your tSW hasn't cleared completely, since my twin sister's flared up just from the inhalers alone.
Sorry if I keep rambling on about this it just makes me so mad.... my twin sister's hasn't gotten as severe but the rash spread to the areas my rash was on before I started TSW.... so a lot of places!
Hi wynter!
I'm not off the steroid inhaler, but I am on a really low dose. Do you have the name of the inhaler you are referring to?
Vicks is basically like mentholated Vaseline, for those not familiar with it. It's used as a chest rub when you have a cold. Maybe there's a generic version where you live?
Hi Louise! My hands are bad right now and the itching is out of control. I am definitely going to give Vicks a try, thank you! Hugs from Texas!
I'm currently 13 months topical steroid free and I've been having the same issues with main problem areas on my wrists and in between my fingers. Right now I'm finding relief only in calendula ointment. Its been extremely effective in locking in the moisture and healing any cuts or sores that would appear. Maybe give that a try? The con is it could start getting pricey! (I buy bulk on Amazon.. three small bottles for $16��)
The Vicks is something I've never heard and sounds pretty amazing! Love how inexpensive it can be. If menthol wasn't an antidote for the homeopathic remedies I'm taking I would definitely try it! But good luck with the rest of your healing! And thank you for your info and blog.. wishing you the best on your continued journey to Wellness! Best, Angelica
http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/uploads/content/195-Asthma-Medication-Chart-2015.pdf
See the bottom left.
Your hands might be playing up because of the lower dose of your inhaler = withdrawal. Hope this helps!
Thanks wynter. Will check it out.
I have had eczema now for 40 years now on and off. My last outbreak was behind my left knee... Within days it had spread up my leg as I was night scratching in my sleep. When it starts to itch there is nothing on this planet that focuses the brain on that itch and the wanting to scratch it! Please make it stop itching...easier said than done - until now. I have tried all kinds of things in the years that I have had it and now I am using Hot water to instantly kill the itch - so good it is, magical :) and vapour rub (Vicks) on the affected skin. The vapour rub is working wonders in the 2 days that I have been using it and the large red rash is fading. I think the reason is that the scratching causes tears in the skin and the fungus grows in the tears/just under the skin. The vicks is anti-fungal and penetrates the skin and kills the fungus, allowing the skin to slowly heal. Vicks was used in the wars for curing trench foot and is great for getting rid of athletes foot - more fungus. I have tried all the prescribed creams and only one worked for a short time. They just seem to irritate the skin when applied.
So I do this hot water treatment and vapour rub as needed - throughout the day and especially at night. Hope soon that is is gone and my brain can focus on something else more interesting. Give it a try if you like me are suffering and just maybe it will help and cure it...so that next time you get an outbreak you can quickly treat it. Vicks and its many uses ;)
My eczema on my hands are bad I'm mean in a terrible state.
The only thing my so called doctor gave me was a strong steroid cream, as soon as that cream ran out BAM! back 20x worse. This has gone on for 2 years.
I couldn't do anything making a juice for my kids, pushing a buggy everyday task where so hard.
By accident I came across Vicks to use for eczema, I too was terrified of the burning sting it would cause.
But I thought give it a try if it stings stick my hands in the freezer.
Complete opposite I mean the skin on my hands where deep cuts, blisters pure agony.
But the Vicks soothed it and when it felt itchy and cooling tingling sensation came.
I couldn't believe all the tears, pain and suffering iv gone through a little tub of magic was in my cupboard. ����
If you done everything bathed in salt, payed £20 for a tube of cream size of travel toothpaste.
Give it ago, you may be pleasantly surprised
��
So glad the Vicks worked for you!
Hi Louise, just found out about the Vicksburg last night and Awww relief at last. My eczema was off the chart bad 20 yrs ago and a surgeon did cryotherapy on them. Yes, it's painful but was gone for 20 yrs and now it's back again. That surgeon no longer does cryotherapy and finding one that will is hard. I saw Vick on facebook as a eczema reliever last night and in 1 day I am 50% better already. So glad it is being put out there and talked about by people like you! Thanks from Texas!
I saw a chiropodist yesterday who hacked off some of my fungal toenail and advised using Vicks to prevent it coming back. I also have had very bad hand eczema for 20 years, so will be trying it on my hands also!
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