Skincare journey

Some of you may be aware of my agonizing 2 weeks of horrible rash/itch which started on the knuckle of my left pinky.

Its been re-occuring for the past 6 months or so. Started from an insect bite but after it heals..it would come back again to torment me.

At first we thought it was a fungal infection.

2 Fridays ago, I went to see our Hospital's M.O. (Medical Officer) and she prescribed some anti-biotics (Doxycycline) and Hydrocortisol cream.

I don't think it worked...this was after 3 days.



So, I paid the M.O. another visit the following Monday (she only prescribed 3 doses of Doxy).
Even the H-Cort cream didn't seem to have any effect.

She immediately referred me to a Dermatologist at one of our Panel Hospital and told me to go see her RIGHT AWAY!!

Okay, pack up n go....

But when I called up the Hospital, I found out that the one and only Dermatologist was on a week long leave from work.

Ish...

Did some research and was told to go to another G.P. (also qualified Dermatologist). So I went over after lunch and all he told me was that I was suffering from Lichen Simplex Chronicus.
Sounds fancy-smanchy huh?

Gave me a gel and off I went. WHAT?? No Oral Meds???
By that time, I had developed some lil red dots around the back of my hand and a lil redness on my chest (and that started to itch too).

Ok la...I'm not a doctor, so I'll just accept his diagnosis and do some googling.
Biasa.

The next day my M.O. called me up to check on me and also wanted to know what the diagnosis was, so I told her and she prescribed some Polaramine (an anti-histamine) for me, coz by that time the lil red dots had started to spread and boy, do they itch.



The gel worked on the infection on my knuckle..and after just about 2-3 days it started to look much much better and slowly peeled off.



But the RASH! Oh HELLO!?!?!

Ok, for the whole week...I was drugged up on Piriton and Polaramine all night..sometimes 2-3 pills a night..and I was STILL up scratching!! (yes i know i'm ODing)



You can NOT imagine the agony!

The rash spread to my arms and back of my thighs.


Back of my thighs

The really hot weather doesn't help either!! Whenever I start to feel hot and sweat...I start to itch and more red dots sprout!

It was so bad, I could hardly concentrate on work...so I asked another M.O. whether I could take another Clarityn during work. The prescription says "One a day". So she said...kenot lo.

GAH!!

*scratch* *scratch*

The next day, I decided to pay the other M.O. a visit..and she freaked when she saw my spots! Gee..thanks...

She said I had Scabies!! YiiiYyyeerrr!!! (ok la..at that time I didn't have a clue what Scabies were, but it doesn't sound very nice)

She asked the other M.O. (we have 3 M.O's) and they were like..."yea, u got Scabies..HAHA!"

Apparently they're mites that burrow under a layer of your skin and er....lay eggs and procreate?

PRETTY LA....PRETTY.

(human mites and animal mites are different so don't go blaming my doggies! I bathed them and washed my sheets twice since my rash started!)

So I was prescribed a pretty strong smelling lotion (to apply to my whole body at night and only wash off the next day)...and given an M.C. (kenot come to work coz I'd stink - Grr!)

Collected the lotion from a local pharmacy and well...showered, and put it on...
Aiya..it didn't stink THAT bad...just very strong chemical smell (containing Benzyl Benzoate). Not like dog poo or cat piss.

Used it for 2 nights..and still itching like MAD and did NOTHING for my rashes.

Oh found out that Neem helps with Scabies...so I popped into another local pharmacy and picked up a Himalaya Neem & Turmeric soap bar. Hey, its natural and herbalistic..so how much harm can it do, right?

Enriched with oils of Neem that protects skin due to its antibacterial activities; Lemon that refreshes and protects skin due to its antiseptic activities, and Turmeric nourishes, improves complexion and its antiseptic activities protects skin.

I've been soaking myself in dettol and even chopped up garlic and rubbed it all over my arms n legs!

Sigh....couldn't stand it any longer so I decided to finally face the daunting several hours wait and go to the most famous Dermatologist on the island.

Woke up at 8.30am last Saturday (well, not like I was sleeping very well anyway), showered and asked mom if the Derm was open on Sats. She made a call and fixed an appointment for me at 9.30...WHAT? His clinic was way over in town and it was already 9am! Ok la ok la...

By the time I got there, made two rounds to find a parking spot about 200 meters away, powerwalked and prayed I don't start sweating, it was already 9.45am.

Late...Great..oh well.

Would you believe it? Clinic opens at 9 am and already EVERY inch of his 6 long benches were FULL!

Haiyooo HAIYOOOO...

Didn't help that I had a wedding dinner to attend on Sunday...(felt like a leper)

So waited patiently for my turn...and thanks to Mom's appointment, I was called in about 1/2 an hour later!! Whee!!!

I told him all I've been thru and the diagnosis I've been given..."lichen simplex chronicus"..."Scabies"...
and he looked at me and asked.. "Are u a medical student?"




Eh, was he being sarcastic? Or was that a genuine question? I mean...when you've seen 3 doctors in a span of 1 week and been given different diagnosis...You should know all these things right?

Ok, a friend said he was probably impressed. HAHAH! Doubt it.
He's prolly thinking..."buat macam pandai saja"

So he barely glanced at my arm and said its not Scabies.
PHEWWWW!!!!!

Okay...so what is it Doctor?
"Just some sensitive skin"


My left arm Doesn't look like much but it sure itches like HELL!


WHAT?!??!?!? Sensitive skin keeping me UP ALL NIGHT?!?!!?!

You seriously gotta be kidding me innit....INNIT?!?!?!

Alright, so I didn't question his diagnosis. He didn't really offer anymore explainations or information about what I was suffering from....and sent me off.

I was given 2 different types of tablets, an unidentified cream and a bar of soap. It wasn't cheap.
The pharmacist (at least i think she was one - if not, what is she doing dispensing drugs?) started to tell me the instructions in MANDARIN! *annoyed*

I was too tired to argue or tell her that just because I'm chinese, it doesn't automatically mean I can understand Mandarin. Hell even my Hokkien is half past six!

So I just asked her wearily..."Can u please speak in English?"

Girl : Take this one and this one 2

Me : What is this for?

Girl : Skin

Me : (no, Really?) and what about these pills?

Girl : To take care your skin

Me : *rolls eyeballs* Oh ok, whatever nevermind.

Paid and left...

Went home...and immediately started rubbing in the cream...

Actually after 2 days, the itch started to subside and red dots controlled.

Ok, side track sikit...on the way home I stopped by to pick up some Chiu Thau (chinese alcohol used for prayers) and Bedak sejuk (Chinese rice powder thingie)
(as extra insurance!)

Ok, can't say that worked.

I took all the infamous Dermatologist's medication religiously and applied the cream on 3 times a day.

I must say....everyone swears by this Dermatologist and they weren't wrong.


After about 4-5 days

When I was about 15-16, I had really active hormones and started sprouting huge-ass pimples all over my face. After a visit to the same Derm, used the cream he prescribed...I tell u...they were CLEARED!! No one seems to believe me when I tell them I used to suffer from horrible HORRIBLE pimples all over my face.

So yes, although he won't tell you exactly what you are suffering from and a visit to his clinic might set u back a couple of hundred buckaroos...the stuff he prescribes DOES WORK!

I'm down to just a couple of tiny dots and absolutely NO itch whatsoever!

Oh and, since I ran out of facial wash and am too lazy and cheap to get a new one...I decided to alternate between the Himalaya's Neem & Turmeric soap bar and Oilatum soap bar (prescribed by the infamous Derm) and what do you know??



My face is absolutely smooth like a baby's skin! and blackheads reduced!

I just recommended these soaps to a girl friend.

I guess people try all kinds of products till they find the right one...sometimes I must admit, I've used too harsh products on my skin.

Now I only do a facial scrub once a week with a herbal scrub

Cellande Hand, Face & Body Scrub




Wash my face daily with non-harsh cleansers and use Aloe Vera gel to seal in moisture.




Oh, ok la I do use NuSkin's Clear Action day & night gels.




I haven't been for a facial in yonks! But don't feel the need to either.

I'm back to drinking heaps of Honey & ACV daily, plus VIT C every day!

Oh and, I did attend the wedding dinner and still managed to look....

GREAT!

*WINK*

(haha! Perasan!)