Hi everyone

[worried4me5]

Hi everyone,

I'm new on here but have had eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis for some time. I'm from Manchester, UK and I've currently noticed the skin on my face flaking. It's driving me mad. I've been using Dermol 200 for showering and now moisturising my skin (including my face) but it doesn't stop the flaking. It's spreading over my body now so when I take off my pants, the skin is also flaking from there too. I don't know what to use now because my GP just prescribes mainly hydrocortisone type gel or creams which are not really doing anything.

I itch all over but mostly on my scalp and face. I've even tried putting vaseline on my face which works for a few hours then it's back to dry, itchy and flaky skin.

Any suggestions? Thanks

[kenster1]

have you tried methetretate sorry spelling wrong but it`s a pen you inject yourself with works ok on me.

[worried4me5 in reply to kenster1]

Hi

Thanks for replying. Is it methotrexate? I've heard of that. I think my uncle uses it for cancer and it can be used for psoriasis. Is that it?

[kenster1 in reply to worried4me5]

yeah that`s the one on my profile I looked like I`d been skinned but using the pen works wonders only downside is the regular blood tests.

[worried4me5 in reply to kenster1]

Yeah, I've been reading the side effects. You need the blood tests to monitor the toxicity levels. Doesn't sound like it's something to be used long term.

[kenster1 in reply to worried4me5]

UV treatment or the tar works good but tar can get messy.

[worried4me5 in reply to kenster1]

I will have get back in touch with my GP to see if they will send me back to dermatology because I have more than one condition on my face and it's getting me down a bit.

[Tapps]

my husband has CLL unmutated; on Ibrutnib for two 1/2 years. End of October 2022, started with a full body red itchy rash. Saw six Doctors, no answer’s. Finally a Dermatologist started him on Dupixtan shots and Strong Steriod cream. Also Antihistamines!

Within two days it was clearing the horrible itching rash.

[worried4me5]

Thanks for responding. What is CLL unmutated?

[chotiroti]

I have similar but undiagnosed but not psoriasis. Itching and sores ALL OVER , bleeding and scabs etc. but no flaking skin, or pus since May and several steroid tabs and creams but it comes back when stopped. Finally got myself referred so now under consultant ... more steroid cream but more tests too. Get your GP to refer you to Dermatology, at least you will have access to someone more expert.

[worried4me5 in reply to chotiroti]

Thanks. My doctors have no real idea and I was diagnosed with thrush on my face during lockdown with pictures! The flaking on my face only started about 4 months ago and I haven't bothered asking the GP about it yet. Just been trying all sorts of things.

[Ell17]

Hi worried4me5,

I deal with the same skin issues. And particularly when it affects your face and scalp....words really can't adequately describe the embarrassment and stress it causes. Over many years, through trial and error, I have managed to hit on a protocol that has helped with the flares and the flaking, that I still follow today.

Generally speaking, skin issues are often indicative of gut problems. Healing the skin is an inside out job. Leaky gut can equal leaky skin. Often times you have to work on both simultaneously. I'm in the US, and really like Dr. Jockers. He is a naturopathic physician. He has a great website that offers a wealth of info on all things health, including healing a leaky gut, skin issues, etc. Just search his name and his website will pop up. But, I'm sure you have some wonderful naturopaths in the UK, too.

Those of us that deal with these types of skin issues all have a compromised skin barrier. Our skin has lost the ability to keep in the good stuff (natural oils, nutrients) while allowing all of the bad stuff in, further displacing what little of the good we can manage to hold onto.

The skin itself has an acid mantle that must be maintained. When the skin becomes too alkaline it can cause serious issues, especially for people that are predisposed to having skin issues. Soap and cleansing products are alkaline for a good reason. They must be able to cut through dirt and oils. Those with healthy skin barriers have no problems because their skin will naturally reestablish the acid mantle shortly after bathing. But, folks like us have to help our skin out by reestablishing what our skin just can't accomplish on its own.

Below are the items I use, along with the directions on how I use them:

>>Vinegar (Apple cider with the mother or natural rice vinegar usually works best. But, regular will do.) ***Do not use flavored vinegars.***

>>Spray bottle (preferably glass, but whatever you have on hand is fine.)

>>Natural bristle shower brush with midrange firmness (not too soft, but not too firm). Preferably with removable handle, that way you only deal with the handle when you are cleansing your back.

>>E45 cream is an excellent, hypoallergenic, fragrance free moisturizer. It is emollient without being heavy and allows your skin to breathe. It also has lanolin it, which I personally can't live without. But, if you have a favorite use that.

>>Water softener shower head. They are easy to screw on and install. This is to help remove mainly chlorine and other things added to the tap water that are harsh on the skin.

**All the items above are available on Amazon. **

Directions:

>>In spray bottle, mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. Shake to mix.

>>In shower, wet skin with warm water and apply cleanser of choice (preferably mild and fragrance free) all over face and body. Then use the shower brush using a light touch (except on feet which you can scrub harder) to cleanse your face and body. Leave cleanser on your body while you wash/condition your hair. This helps to further soften the dry skin. Then rinse everything. Personally, I lightly run the brush all over my skin while rinsing to help with getting as much dead skin off as possible.

>>While still wet in the shower, spray your scalp/hair, face (close your eyes of course;), and rest of body with the vinegar mixture. Lightly rub it in. Let it soak in skin for a bit before drying off. (Also, it is diluted enough that if a little should get misted on your genital area, it shouldn't pose a problem.)

>>Another key tip is to never rub but press and blot when drying off. Then moisturize all over.

>>This vinegar rinse is really great for scalp and hair. It helps reduce itchy/flaking scalp and your hair will be shinier and healthier than you have probably ever seen it. Also, it takes the place of toner for your face.

Now, don't be surprised if your skin stings and burns a little until it becomes accustomed to the vinegar mix . And any dry irritated areas that you have scratched into oblivion will always sting until your skin has balanced and has hopefully started to calm itself down and heal.

Also, though it may sound counterintuitive, I have found reducing the number of full showers you take in a week can be really helpful. Lightly bathing at the sink when you are not too terribly dirty has helped my skin tremendously. This gives your skin a chance to build up its natural oils and heal. The same goes for washing your hair. I used to wash my hair everyday and my scalp was a wreck. But, by reducing the wash days and also the number of products I use on my hair, I very rarely have scalp flairs now. I use the vinegar spray daily on my scalp and hair and brush it through. It’s amazing how well it cleans and refreshes. And my scalp leans towards the oiler side, so that says something when I can delay a full washing for a week or more. Not to mention using in place of toner on my face has greatly reduced the itching and flaking, as well. I can truthfully say that my skin has been in much better shape for the past several years by following this regimen.

Give it several weeks to really start seeing results . **But, of course stop immediately if you are having a serious reaction. **

Note: While most people have no issue with apple cider vinegar, my skin doesn't like it no matter how much I dilute it. I have found natural rice vinegar is the best for me. I have no issue with regular vinegar either.

Well....I didn't intend for this to be quite so lengthy. But, I do hope that you can find something of value that can be helpful to you.

All the best and Happy New Year!!

[worried4me5 in reply to Ell17]

Thanks for replying. That is really helpful actually. I do have a tendency to scratch and dig away at both my scalp and my face unfortunately. It's a bit more than a habit. I don't ever remember having dermatitis as a child because my mum used to wash my hair with vinegar. I wish I'd have kept it up. I'm not sure about putting vinegar on my face though.

I get the connection between the gut and skin. It's basically like saying 'you are what you eat'. My diet is the worst and in the winter, I tend to drink less water unless I'm feeling hot or thirsty.

Thanks again.