Skin Deep

It’s been 5 years since I wrote my first blog about my skin. I probably should have been more frequent with my updates, as now I’ve got a few years worth to catch up on. Consistency is not my forte.

2013

After my last blog, I thought I had discovered the root causes of my eczema and how to handle it. Back then, I found that I’m allergic to perfume (and all products with any kind of synthetic fragrance) and nail varnish, so stopping using these products worked for a while, but not in the long term. It’s a pretty shit feeling when you think you’re doing everything right and yet still suffer the same symptoms.

During 2013/2014 I went through another course of skin patch testing through the NHS, and they found nothing more than what they had the previous time. Anyone who has had patch testing done will know how delightful the process is, but I know people go through worse so I’ll just leave you with this photo of my back after the patches were removed. I also had to have the patches on my upper arms and my stomach.

2014

In 2014, my mum read an article in the newspaper, about a top London Dermatologist who specialised in skin issues such as mine, but her approach was plant based rather than the harsh steroid medication most doctors and specialists prescribe. At this point, I had been through the mill with the NHS, and they didn’t seem to have any answers other than the standard steroid treatment. For anyone that doesn’t know about steroids for skin and thinks they need to use them, please do your research. Topical steroids thin the skin - I would recommend avoiding them at all costs and trying out alternative options. However I know from experience, sometimes flare ups are so bad that using them for a few days to get your skin back on track is what’s needed. In my experience, I’ve used steroids and it’s like a miracle cure… however, quickly after stopping using them my skin returned to how it was. Surely this goes to show it’s never a long-term solution, yet the doctors/specialists and NHS dermatologists haven’t offered much in the way of an alternative.

So I booked a consultation. With a Harley Street Dermatologist. At £180 per appointment. I had a lot of doubts about openly sharing fees/prices regarding this Harley Street Dermatologist, but to be honest when it comes to my health, I personally would be willing to pay pretty much anything I could afford if it was going to help me.

They carried out various tests and took blood samples, looking at everything from liver function to cholesterol and body fat percentage. I found out I was very anaemic and this wasn’t helping the situation. They also did blood tests to find out what foods I was allergic to, and I was prescribed a couple of internals and a couple of externals:

Externals:

Shampoo 1

Shampoo 2

Body wash

Body oil

Cleanser

Toner

Moisturiser

Internals:

Iron

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Amino acids

Herbal Tincture

Just a few.

2015

Skip forward a month or two after that first appointment, and I’m looking and feeling great – the best I’ve felt in a long time actually. The problem was, every few months I would go back for a checkup and usually a week before my appointment they would call me to rearrange it, as the Doctor was out of the country, at a conference (insert any other excuse here). When it happens once, it’s fine, you deal with it and rearrange. But when it happens for three appointments in a row, you wonder why you’re giving your money to someone who can’t seem to keep to their schedule.

And all this got me questioning where my money was going to. Those internals and externals I listed above were not cheap. The herbal tincture alone was £100 and it lasted a month. And the thing is, it didn’t have a list of ingredients, so I had no idea what I was actually ingesting. All I knew was it tasted pretty gross. I wanted to see how my skin would hold up without these supplements, so my dermo agreed that I could stop taking the internals.

2016

Here’s me thinking I’ve been cured and I can crack on with my eczema-free life! But as the pattern in the last few years has gone, my skin slowly started to get worse. This coincided with a very stressful time in my life; a long term relationship ending, work stress and moving house all happening at the same time. Regardless, I forced myself out of the house everyday, red puffy eyes and all, and tried to get on with life as best as I could. I know eczema is pretty low down on the serious health issue scale, but I was so unhappy in my appearance during my worse skin times. Your face is the first thing people see and no matter what people say to you, for example, “nobody notices/cares” etc, it’s still not fun being self-conscious about your appearance when you know what you used to look like. With that comes the discomfort. Constant itching, breaking the skin when you give into the itch, and infected eczema that hurts when you shower/wash. For those of you out there who have beautiful, clear skin that is itch-free, please be grateful for that. 

In the Summer of 2016, I went on a yoga retreat in Majorca and had a consultation whilst I was there, with a woman who practices Ayurvedic medicine – an ancient Indian system which is focuses on the natural healing powers of food and plants. This introduced me to healing myself from within with food, rather than topical treatments and tinctures that you need to take a mortgage out for.

2017

Then in the Spring of 2017, a friend suggested I try goat’s milk kefir. I did a lot of research and read all the reviews on the website and had so much hope for it. And I’m glad I did – it was life-changing. Kefir is a probiotic which replenishes the good bacteria in your gut. I’m a firm believer that skin conditions are not just ‘skin conditions’ that can be treated topically. Especially in my case and experience, I do believe that healing your immune system is going to have such a positive effect on eczema and a ton of other conditions. I won’t go into this too deep now, I could talk for a while on this subject, but I’ll share more on this in another blog – hopefully not in another 5 years, more like 5 weeks let’s hope!  

After a 9-week course of the kefir, my skin was entirely different and so clear. I carried on for a few months, and finally stopped taking it in December, but the effects have stayed. I’m still trying (but not always succeeding) to avoid sugar, cow dairy and wheat, as I know these really do have a big negative effect on my skin. It’s a constant journey that I’ll likely be on for my entire life, but I feel I’ve got good control over my skin right now and I’ll always strive for better.

I feel I need to get my story out there, so other people suffering similar conditions can first of all know they’re not alone – it’s more common than you think. And secondly, to show that there is another way that isn’t steroids or expensive dermatologists, and a much more natural approach to your health. If just one person reads this, and can take something away that helps them with any skin issues, that would make me happy.

Thanks for reading
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