|
|
try typing in white cotton glovesOct 12 '00 Write an essay on this topic.I see commercials on television with a snake and a model endorsing a product for those of us who have sensitive skin. I have thought for many years that this must be my last layer of skin. But like a snake I keep getting new layers with the old scratch marks somewhat visible. Just last month while in the courthouse mediation room with my two children and their father the Mediator wanted to know what those marks were on my arms. I said I have eczema and left it at that. I could of said the stress brought on by this entire process of having to take a sick child to the court house, and another one out of school could of contributed to the restless sleep that resulted in my ripping apart my arm. There are steps that I follow in trying to control my eczema. I keep my finger nails cut very short to make the scratching less harmful to myself. There are white cotton gloves that I wear when I sleep. These gloves are found in fine department stores in the amount of $10 - $15. I have tried beauty supply stores and purchased when I was desperate a man’s glove that turned out to have more perfume lined inside than a woman’s magazine. I put in a request every few months to my family in New Jersey for another two pairs of gloves from their local pharmacy at the price of $3.00. I learned that they might not be selling them anymore and now have to start my search for the gloves again. 3M™ Nexcare™ is the brand of band-aids that I use for the cuts and sores on my fingers. I purchase a box just about every other week. There are the comfort strips and active strips with several size options and I either get the package with 30 one inch strips or the 45 ¾” strips. These cost under $3.00 and a coupon can be found often in the newspaper for a $1.00 off as well as inside the box of bandages. They are flexible foam and ultra comfortable bandages. At the end of the summer they changed the design of the outside peel off part of the bandage. The color was a green one and now it is a red and white with the following printed on it: ” Caution: The Packaging Of This Product Contains Natural Rubber Latex Which May Cause Allergic Reactions” The product texture has changed as well. I could tell instantly and now have been wearing the cotton gloves more often, which is resulting in having to type with them on. I have worn bandages on each finger since the early 1980s and these were the best types I found in staying on and not itching my sores more. I do plan on writing a letter to the company about the change in their wrapping. This has not bothered my skin in opening these but I am not happy with this change. I see a Dermatologist as well and get a prescription for pills called Atarax, which are known as anti-itch pills. I had 25mg, which caused me to need twelve hours of sleep when I took them so my Dermatologist switched the dosage to 10mg which is much better. Another contributing factor to my sensitivity is being allergic to lanolin, known as animal fat. This is an ingredient in most everything from soaps, shampoos, detergents, baby wipes, powders and cosmetics. I do not use fabric softener, dryer sheets, bleach and do not hang clothing outside to dry. I hang all clothing on the shower curtain in the bathroom. I use for cleaning only Arm N Hammer Baking soda and the Huggies Natural Care babywipes, not listed here at Epinions either. They are the only wipes on the market that do NOT contain lanolin. The detergents I use are for sensitive skin, either FAB, ALL or Arm N Hammer. I cannot use plastic or those kitchen type gloves that make my skin itch ten times more the few times I made the mistake of using them. When that does happen simply go to the sink and hold your hands under cold water to help stop the itch. Taking an oatmeal bath regularly helps in relieving the irritations brought on by this skin ailment. Soaking in one for thirty minutes will soothe my skin. Making sure the water temperature is never too hot to dry out sensitive skin is another tip to be aware of. One time I scratched my face when making meatloaf and I ended up at the emergency room due to the fat touching my face and I scratched it raw. Now I use a wooden spoon and just toss in the pan and do not touch anything. The same for chicken if I get any type of skin that would touch my lips they blow up and it itches like crazy and vaseline is the product to use when this happens. My neighbor loves to bring me plates of chicken and mashed potatoes and I try to tell her although I love the chicken I cannot handle it ten minutes after eating it. One other drawback to having cuts on the fingers is how to open items in the kitchen. I cannot grasp the can opener and pulling the tabs of the orange juice is difficult. I have asked my neighbor to open things many times The effects of having eczema my entire life resulted in one time in high school coming home and asking my Mother what scabies was because someone asked me if I had it. I was sent to my room and thought I had done something wrong. When I turned 21 I hopped on a Greyhound bus and headed for San Diego. I lasted six months before calling my family to send me a ticket back. The stress and weather was a bit much on my face and hands. I was banned to a room for my Aunt’s baby shower due to the embarrassment of my face to my mother and the food was brought to my room. I have been treated like I had leprosy and people have thought I used needles on my arms as well. I have spent many years explaining this ailment to people who think nothing but saying rude and unkind things because someone has some cream on their face due to a rash. The worse times for me are in the summer with the heat and the sweating makes me scratch my arms more. I have scabs on my legs from the early 80s that are hard to detect but I know they are there. The act of shaving legs is also hard to do when you have rashes all over. In the early 1980s I saw a female Dermatologist who thought the culprit was chocolate and wine for me. She took pictures of me before and after the treatments, which consisted of lotions and creams. My current Dermatologist says to use crisco, but I opt for the cream over the ointment he prescribes. There are many things that cause an irritation to my skin due to being sensitive as well as outside factors that weigh in. The change in temperature plays a key role in eczema as well as stress factors with the best advice being to maintain good overall health and de-stress. This review is my response to the question posed at the beginning of this heading, What are the characteristics of sensitive skin and what special needs are associated with this condition?  |
| Read all comments (6)|Write your own comment |
- Top 100|
Ads by Google
|
