83 replies to this topic

[NDM]

I bet you haven't tried two tablespoons/day of apple cider vinegar...check out what they say at earthclinic.com. Quite a few folks noticed improvement in skin-related conditions.

[NeverSayDie]

I bet you haven't tried two tablespoons/day of apple cider vinegar...check out what they say at earthclinic.com. Quite a few folks noticed improvement in skin-related conditions.

Believe it or not, I have. I went through bottles and bottles of this stuff a while back. I was taking 3 tbs a day (before each meal). I still use it now (I mix it with olive oil, a little lemon juice, and herbs) as a salad dressing. I never noticed any of the benefits that ACV is supposed to supply. I don't doubt that it is very good for you though, which is why I still take it. It just never made a dent in my skin situation.

I just got out of the shower and my entire body is now white with dead flaking skin. Moisturizer is useless- it does nothing. As soon as my skin comes into contact with water, it immediately dehydrates of all of its moisture. It is so bad that I can barely move my face. It feels like tight leather. Water is like a magnet, drawing every ounce of moisture out of my skin (especially my face for whatever reason).

My skin barrier is GONE. I lose all of moisture, and my skin is an absolute breeding ground for bacteria and fungus (a common symptom of barrier function disorders).

I am really at a loss here as to what to do. Every winter it seems to get a little worse and this one is no different. This is shaping up to be the worst winter yet.

I hope someone can help me...

[niner]

I just got out of the shower and my entire body is now white with dead flaking skin. Moisturizer is useless- it does nothing. As soon as my skin comes into contact with water, it immediately dehydrates of all of its moisture. It is so bad that I can barely move my face. It feels like tight leather. Water is like a magnet, drawing every ounce of moisture out of my skin (especially my face for whatever reason).

My skin barrier is GONE. I lose all of moisture, and my skin is an absolute breeding ground for bacteria and fungus (a common symptom of barrier function disorders).

It sounds like you need a barrier compound that is more hydrophobic than the typical moisturizer. Something along the lines of classic Vaseline, but there might be more appropriate products out there. (A dermatologist might be helpful here.) Your condition is sounding more and more like ichthyosis. Most of the ichthyoses are present at birth, but some are not. I was reading about a condition called Netherton Syndrome that is caused by a protease inhibitor defect. It is also related to allergy, with a number of inflammatory mediators involved. The symptoms sound very similar to what you describe, other than the fact that your disease was not present at birth, coming much later in life. Because of this dis-similarity, one can only take hints from NS, but the involvement of NF-kB made me think that resveratrol might be reasonable for you to try. It doesn't have much of a downside in most people, and is inexpensive. If you try it, use a 98+% product; RevGenetics is a reliable source. 500-1000 mg/day would be a reasonable dose. It might help the atopic (eczematous) component at least.

[Eugene]

Perhaps Lupus? My friend has skin problems when her immune system attacks her face.

[nameless]

Niner has some good suggestions there. All I can suggest is perhaps try a different dermatologist, although I am sure you are sick of them by now. Perhaps find one who specializes in unusual skin disorders, or works at a university, etc.

And it sounds like you ruled out allergies. But have you ever taken an antihistamine for several weeks or a couple of months? If there is an allergic component there, I'd think taking Allegra or a decent, non-sedating antihistamine for a month or so would demonstrate some type of benefit. If not, at least you ruled it out. But it wouldn't surprise me if you have already tried this.

[NeverSayDie]

...resveratrol might be reasonable for you to try. It doesn't have much of a downside in most people, and is inexpensive. If you try it, use a 98+% product; RevGenetics is a reliable source. 500-1000 mg/day would be a reasonable dose. It might help the atopic (eczematous) component at least.

I'm going to go ahead and give this a try. I'll pick up the revgenetics brand.

I was just wondering...is biotivia a good brand? I'm asking because I see that its available on iherb, which is where I do a lot of supp shopping.

Thanks Niner, for your thoughtful suggestions! I'm going to give this a go and I'll let everyone know what the results are.

Thanks again

[niner]

NeverSayDie, continuing with the ichthyosis theme, here are a couple abstracts that contain some good ideas. A moisturizer containing urea, lactic acid (or other hydroxy acid) and other keratolytics as mentioned in the first abstract sounds like it might be very helpful. This would probably be a prescription item. Have you ever tried anything like that? The second abstract regards retinoids, and brings up the issue of a good diagnosis. It doesn't sound like you have ever had a solid diagnosis, and your earlier bad experiences with the conventional medical community suggests that the doctors you saw were simply unfamiliar with your condition. Either that or your presentation at the time was quite a bit different than it is now. You might be able to find a doctor who really understands the disease through one of the ichthyosis patient organizations or by emailing the communicating author of papers in pubmed and asking them for suggestions. I could give you a hand with that if you're not familiar with pubmed.

Am J Clin Dermatol. 2009;10(6):351-64. doi: 10.2165/11311070-000000000-00000.
Ichthyosis: clinical manifestations and practical treatment options.

Oji V, Traupe H.

Department of Dermatology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. ojiv@uni-muenster.de

Ichthyoses constitute a large group of cornification disorders that affect the entire integument. The skin is characterized by visible scaling and in many cases by inflammation, for example, in bullous/keratinopathic ichthyosis or Netherton syndrome. From the viewpoint of classification it is useful to distinguish non-syndromic from syndromic types of ichthyosis. Ichthyosis vulgaris and recessive X-linked ichthyosis are common disorders - often of delayed onset, in contrast to congenital ichthyoses, which belong to the group of rare diseases and present at birth with either the features of collodion membrane or congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma. The diagnostic steps are based on clinical data, analyses such as the steroid sulfatase activity test, skin biopsies, and genetic results. However, the dramatic increase in knowledge about the pathophysiology of these conditions has not led to a curative therapy so far. The therapeutic management is multidisciplinary and involves ichthyosis patient organizations in many countries. The mainstay of treatment remains with moisturizing creams containing, for example, urea, lactic acid and other humectants and keratolytics, regular bathing, and mechanical scale removal. Patients with lamellar ichthyosis or ichthyosiform erythroderma in particular profit from oral therapy with retinoids or retinoic acid metabolism-blocking agents.

PMID: 19824737

Dermatologica. 1987;175 Suppl 1:107-24.
Retinoids in disorders of keratinization: their use in adults.

Happle R, van de Kerkhof PC, Traupe H.

Department of Dermatology, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Hereditary disorders of keratinization may be a considerable handicap. Oral treatment with retinoids has been shown to be effective in many of these diseases. In the group of ichthyoses, the best results can be obtained in the various types of nonbullous congenital ichthyosis (erythrodermic autosomal recessive lamellar ichthyosis, nonerythrodermic autosomal recessive lamellar ichthyosis, autosomal dominant lamellar ichthyosis). It should be borne in mind, however, that retinoid therapy alone cannot lead to a complete response of these forms of ichthyosis and that this treatment cannot replace an appropriate topical treatment. During continuous treatment with etretinate a reduction of the dosis to 0.5 mg/kg is often necessary. Etretinate treatment of bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma is more difficult, and it is advisable to begin with a low dosis of 0.25-0.5 mg/kg. The epidermolytic form of palmoplantar keratoderma is in our opinion no indication for retinoid treatment which seems to result inevitably in large erosions. Good or excellent results have been seen in other forms of palmoplantar keratoderma including mal de Meleda, Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome, erythrokeratodermia variabilis, verrucous epidermal nevi, Darier disease and pityriasis rubra pilaris. In patients with Darier disease it is wise to begin with a relatively low dosage of 0.5 mg/kg and to adjust the dosage to the further course of the disease. The same is true for the ichthyosis seen in the Netherton syndrome, which may be either a diffuse hyperkeratosis or ichthyosis linearis circumflexa. In view of the fact that any inherited keratinization disorder requires long-term treatment, the risk of bone toxicity should be carefully weighed against the benefit of this therapy. The results so far obtained indicate that the effect of etretin is comparable to that of etretinate in the treatment of inherited keratinization disorders. Intermittent therapy should be tried whenever possible. A combination therapy seems reasonable in pityriasis rubra pilaris of the adult type. We have seen good results by combination with PUVA treatment. Autosomal dominant ichthyosis vulgaris and X-linked recessive ichthyosis are inappropriate to treat with oral retinoid therapy because these diseases are too mild. Papillomatous epidermal nevi should also be excluded because they do not respond to the drug. Hailey-Hailey disease may even be worsened by this treatment. According to our experience, oral retinoid therapy has no effect in monilethrix.

PMID: 2961628

A retinoid may or may not be right for you, more likely not, but it really hinges on an accurate diagnosis.

[DrEvil]

Hi I know this must be painful, but any chance you could show us photos of ur skin condition ?
Which body parts does it affect. sorry i u mentioned it before..

I had excema in my face in September and after reading up on it eventual put vaselin on my face before and after showers. 6 weeks later a model at a a lunch party asked me why my skin looks so clean and tight and good,what I do?
I also put calendula lotion on it. I also eat charcoal tablets and took liver tablets and ate plenty of rice.

Not sure u have excema, but I also have a skin condition on my hands I get from time to time.
It gets worse with water and better with lots of lotion etc. I think it is a fungus of some sort but docs never confirmed this. It goes away with olive oil also, but I would not put olive oil on skin if u have excema and stick to calendula baby cream and vaselin or similar petrolatum based products.

Also had psorisis , but on very small spots.. and yeah calendula lotion also help..sounds like I am selling the stuff.. but it really works..I don;t even think it is the calendula just the greasy substance they put it in...My theory is that animals have lots of greese on their skin and the moment u wash them with shampoo they develop all sorts of skin condition...so don;t wash too much and if u have to put the grease back on ur skin..

[Brafarality]

Ponds Dry Skin Cream:

It is the richest moisturizer I have ever come across, without being pure petrolatum.
I wish they made it fragrance free.
It has the perfect consistency for the dry skin you are describing:
It is rich and light, the perfect combo of oil and humectant.

Also, Ponds has made strides to be more ethical in its research, if that matters to you.

Try it every day for 3 months and see if there is an improvement.

Skin is a slooooooow system to change:
You have to try anything for months and months to have a chance at long term improvement.

Finally, whatever you do, if at all possible, stay away from prescription skin creams.
There may come a time when you will decide that your skin needs dermatological aid, but I dont think you are there yet.

Just a few more 'basics' products.

Again: Ponds Dry Skin Cream.
2-3x/day.

I wish you much improvement whatever you try.

[niner]

Finally, whatever you do, if at all possible, stay away from prescription skin creams.
There may come a time when you will decide that your skin needs dermatological aid, but I dont think you are there yet.

I don't see how you can say this. He has a very unusual skin condition and he is at the end of his rope. You don't think he's ready for a prescription moisturizer that is designed for his exact symptoms? What exactly would you wait for? Ordinary consumer products are simply not meant to deal with a desquamating situation.

[Brafarality]

Finally, whatever you do, if at all possible, stay away from prescription skin creams.
There may come a time when you will decide that your skin needs dermatological aid, but I dont think you are there yet.

I don't see how you can say this. He has a very unusual skin condition and he is at the end of his rope. You don't think he's ready for a prescription moisturizer that is designed for his exact symptoms? What exactly would you wait for? Ordinary consumer products are simply not meant to deal with a desquamating situation.

You are probably right.
I was making the very unwarranted assumption that non-prescription products weren't really being tried for long enough to have an effect.

Like if I had back pain and tried every therapy once and only once and dismissed each one thereafter, I would be ridiculously hasty in my assessments.

Again, it is pretty unjustified to make this assumption.
NeverSayDie may very well have tried everything in super abundance and for more than adequate time periods, thus, necessistating a change from the holistic and cosmetic to the medical and pharmaceutical.

In any event, NeverSayDie: I hope you find that magic bullet.

[SK1N]

Not trying to advertise but have you tried any topical probiotics? There are several brands on the market today, mine being one of them. SK1N Probiotic Systems.

[NeverSayDie]

Wow...this is super severe with the winter weather now.

I am 100% covered in infection and have such debilitating chapped skin over every inch of my body that it is a chore just to move.

This may be kind of ironic for a life extension website, but I am seriously considering ending my life.

The intense burning and itching are literally driving me insane. Every square inch of my body is red and chapped and covered in peeling/flaking/scaling skin.

My scalp, face, back, chest, arms, legs, neck, buttocks, shoulders is covered in the most painful acne/seborrhea you could every imagine.

This is clearly an incurable genetic condition. No topical, drug, vitamin, or herb supplement has ever made even the slightest change.

After 15 years, it just continues to get worse. I think I may end my life before I get even more grotesque which it will because it only gets progressively worse.

[niner]

Wow...this is super severe with the winter weather now.

I am 100% covered in infection and have such debilitating chapped skin over every inch of my body that it is a chore just to move.

This may be kind of ironic for a life extension website, but I am seriously considering ending my life.

NeverSayDie, I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling so bad. You might have missed it before, so I will reiterate my earlier suggestion (post #37 in this thread) that you try a prescription moisturizer containing urea, lactic acid or other keratolytics to deal with your desquamation. I hope that you will find a dermatologist who has experience with ichthyosis. If you'd like, I could probably help you with finding someone. Please try these things before considering killing yourself. You can have a better life.

[VidX]

My GUESS - there's something wrong with the abosrbtion of Vit.D in your system (or just overall issue with absorbtion of nutritiens/supps you've tried). I have really NO IDEA if there exists an injectable form of Vit.D, but if you'd manage to find - try it.

[NeverSayDie]

You might have missed it before, so I will reiterate my earlier suggestion (post #37 in this thread) that you try a prescription moisturizer containing urea, lactic acid or other keratolytics to deal with your desquamation.

Hi niner...thanks for your suggestions. I have used numerous creams with urea and lactic acid before, even quite high concentrations. I have not gone and asked for prescription creams containing these actives. Urea, lactic acid, and countless other topicals like azelaic acid have done absolutely nothing for me.

This suffering just isn't worth it. I don't even look human and the physical pain is out of control.

Seeing as it appears to be worsening by the year now, I really don't have much to live for at all anymore. The last thing I want is to extend my life that is full of suffering.

[mustardseed41]

Hang in there buddy. There is always hope. Don't give up.

[Orthorexic]

NeverSayDie, have you tried biotin supplementation? It surely sounds like you might have a biotin or biotinidase deficiency. If you have issues with biotin, a supplement of 5-10 milligram of biotin daily might resolve some of your issues.

And reading through your posts, it looks like you've tried a lot of things over the years, but I still think it's a good idea to evaluate your diet with a program like CRON-O-Meter or a website like nutritiondata.com to ensure adequate daily intakes of all nutrients. It surely seems that you have a deeper health issue, but a diet with a focus on skin health really can't hurt, even if it doesn't completely resolve your skin condition.

-Carotenoids:
Study supports lycopene protecting skin from within
Kemin reports strong evidence lutein's skin health benefits
Beta-carotene boosts skin health, suggests study
Astaxanthin protects the skin against UV damage, study

-Flavanols:
Grape seed extracts could improve skin from within
Flavanol-rich chocolate could improve skin from within
White Tea Could Keep You Healthy And Looking Young

-Hyaluronic Acid:
Study backs oral HA for joint and skin health

-Omega 3/6:
Omega-3 DHA shows promise against eczema
Flax and borage oil may boost skin health from within

-Silicon:
Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin

-Taurine:
Role of taurine accumulation in keratinocyte hydration
Effect of taurine on wound healing

-Vitamin C:
Vitamin C and linoleic acid may slow skin ageing
Vitamin C can help skin heal, say scientists

-Vitamin D:
Vitamin D may protect skin from within: Study

-Vitamin E:
Vitamin E supplements effective in raising skin antioxidant levels

-Vitamin K:
Vitamin K shows potential in the fight against wrinkles

-Zinc:
Efficacy and safety study of two zinc gluconate regimens in the treatment of inflammatory acne

Furthermore, make sure that your diet has enough monounsaturated fat (good sources: avocados, olive oil), protein (at least 0.8 gram per kilogram of bodyweight), fluids (ensure 3.7 liter daily from food and drinks) and fiber (40+ grams a day). It's also best to completely avoid red meat and refined products, and limit caffeine, alcohol and saturated fat intake. And if you have bad digestion, enzyme/bile acid supplements can help with that. Finally, don't go overboard. I saw in one of your posts that you took 4 tablespoons of fish oil a day for 8 months. If you did the same with other supplements, it's very possible that you took too much. More is not always better, in fact, it can make things worse.

Besides diet, some other things you can try:

-Dead Sea salt:
Bathing in a magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt solution improves skin barrier function, enhances skin hydration, and reduces inflammation in atopic dry skin

-Phototherapy:
Phototherapy in severe atopic dermatitis. Comparison between current UVA1 therapy, UVA1 cold light and combined UVA-UVB therapy

-Stress relief:
Stress is Associated with Eczema on the Dorsa of the Hands in Atopic Dermatitis: A Study of the Psychosocial Aspects of Atopic Dermatitis

Last but not least, don't give up! I'm sure your skin condition can be managed eventually, you just have to find out what's wrong. And even if you do find out what's wrong with your skin, it can still take a while before things improve. Take for example isotretinoin, a very powerful anti-acne drug. Even with such a powerful drug, it often takes 6 months or more before improvement is seen. With skin conditions, it's very important to be patient.

[MP11]

Have you tried taking whatever vitamins and powders you have interest in sublingually? I suppose it's one way to rule out an absorption issue.

Also, have you considered taking a clorox bath? I've read about people using it for eczema and scabies among other conditions. The clorox is mixed with water to bring it to a diluted state. A web search should turn up more information.

[niner]

You might have missed it before, so I will reiterate my earlier suggestion (post #37 in this thread) that you try a prescription moisturizer containing urea, lactic acid or other keratolytics to deal with your desquamation.

Hi niner...thanks for your suggestions. I have used numerous creams with urea and lactic acid before, even quite high concentrations. I have not gone and asked for prescription creams containing these actives. Urea, lactic acid, and countless other topicals like azelaic acid have done absolutely nothing for me.

They might be helpful if they were combined with a barrier compound. The fact that you have gotten so much worse with the dry winter weather speaks to your poor barrier function. I think what you really need to do is, like many ichthyosis patients, cover yourself with grease. Your skin is such a mess now with infection and inflammation that you probably need a course of prednisone and an oral antibiotic to bring those problems under control, and a barrier compound to help your skin heal.

Have you ever checked out the Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types (FIRST) ? They have various resources, and can connect you with experts. They also have a store and forward telemedicine system to help your dermatologist with your case though expert consultation. This page has link to a powerpoint-like presentation on diagnosis of these diseases, of which there are many known types.

[curiousz]

I have a very similar condition to the OP. This first started at around the age of 17-18 and has continued now a decade later. I'm not sure if it's genetic, seeing as how I had normal skin previously and none of my family members or siblings share this condition.

It first started out as acne, but it was only relegated to my face. At this time, I did not have the dry skin issues. After going to dermatologists I was prescribed multiple antibiotics for months on end. And this is where the true problems (I believe) started.

My skin started to flake; particularly on my scalp, and on my face around my nose, cheeks, and between my eyebrows (the T-Zone). It also became very dry and sensitive around my body, but mostly on my trunk. Not only that, but I began receiving many monomorphic lesions on my trunk, arms, and face. These lesions were different than acne because they were superficial (itchy, but not particularly painful or 'deep' feeling like acne -- just a localized, inflamed bump with visible pus -- but again, not 'deep feeling'). These lesions are what I believe to be 'Pityrosporum Folliculitis' / also known as 'Malasezzia Follioculitis' -- basically folliculitis caused by yeast as opposed to bacteria.

This is when I began to suspect that it was a fungal infection, spurred by many months of antibiotic abuse that allowed the yeasts to proliferate. Skin yeasts will metabolize the lipids on your skin, and will produce FFA's that will cause inflammation and eventually lead to increased cell turnover and shedding. Topical antifungal treatments don't penetrate deep enough to clear the infection and I've found that they are highly irritating.

Unfortunately doctors/dermatologists don't appear to be as well versed in this condition and simply believe it is acne when it is not. My acne has gone away now that I'm older, yet the folliculitis persists. How can I tell? I don't have any microcomedones (blackheads) on my skin that I once used to have. Pityrosporum folliculitis is sometimes hard to differentiate between acne, but there are visible differences and one of the primary ways to tell is that comedones will not be present. So after wasting lots of money on topical solutions and doctor's visits I'm basically done with them. They do not want to prescribe me a short term dose of oral antifungals to help correct this imbalance, but the efficacy and safety of something like Itraconazole is well established.

I'm absolutely certain that what I have is yeast related, and is seborrheic dermatitis/pityrosporum folliculitis. And that the only thing that could potentially provide clearance is a short term dose of Itraconazole. I have tried over the counter steroid creams and they help with the flaking on my face, but this obviously isn't a solution for my trunk.

To the OP: Do you suspect you may have a fungal infection? Are your skin shedding issues mostly relegated to sebaceous tissues (face, trunk, but not so much legs and hands?)

Does anyone know how I can get an overseas prescription shipment of itraconazole? I am done trying to explain my situation with doctors I deem to be completely ignorant. Someone please PM me a link if you know of a legit place. If taking this doesn't resolve or at least temporarily mitigate my condition, then at least I have solace in knowing that my initial theory was proven incorrect and I can move on to looking at different solutions.

Studies:

http://ijdvl.com/art...t=Prasad;type=0

We compared the efficacy and safely of short-term itraconazole with that of placebo in 26 patients of pityrosporum folliculitis. Twenty-six patients of mycologically proven pityrosporum folliculitis entered a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Patients were randomly assigned to 7 days of treatment with either itraconazole, 200 mg once daily, or placebo. A global clinical assessment and mycological examination (KOH and smear examination) were performed at baseline and at 4 weeks after treatment. In this study, itraconazole in a dose of 200 mg for 7 days produced a distinct and statistically significant improvement over placebo (p<0.01). 84.6% of itraconazole treated patients were considered to be healed or markedly improved at the study's end point compared with 8.3% of placebo treated group (p<0.01). Eighty-four percent of patients receiving active treatment showed negative mycological examination as compared to 8.3% of placebo-treated group (p<0.01). Short-term treatment with itraconazole is effective and well tolerated in the management of pityrosporum folliculitis.

http://www3.intersci...l...=1&SRETRY=0

Results Twenty-eight patients completed the study. There was a statistically significant decrease in the mean severity score at the first, 12th, and 14th months. On the final evaluation at the 12th month, 19 of the 28 patients showed a complete improvement, and three patients showed a slight improvement.

Conclusions This study indicates that itraconazole plays an important role in the treatment of SD.

[niner]

This is when I began to suspect that it was a fungal infection, spurred by many months of antibiotic abuse that allowed the yeasts to proliferate. Skin yeasts will metabolize the lipids on your skin, and will produce FFA's that will cause inflammation and eventually lead to increased cell turnover and shedding. Topical antifungal treatments don't penetrate deep enough to clear the infection and I've found that they are highly irritating.

Unfortunately doctors/dermatologists don't appear to be as well versed in this condition and simply believe it is acne when it is not. My acne has gone away now that I'm older, yet the folliculitis persists. How can I tell? I don't have any microcomedones (blackheads) on my skin that I once used to have. Pityrosporum folliculitis is sometimes hard to differentiate between acne, but there are visible differences and one of the primary ways to tell is that comedones will not be present. So after wasting lots of money on topical solutions and doctor's visits I'm basically done with them. They do not want to prescribe me a short term dose of oral antifungals to help correct this imbalance, but the efficacy and safety of something like Itraconazole is well established.

I'm absolutely certain that what I have is yeast related, and is seborrheic dermatitis/pityrosporum folliculitis. And that the only thing that could potentially provide clearance is a short term dose of Itraconazole. I have tried over the counter steroid creams and they help with the flaking on my face, but this obviously isn't a solution for my trunk.

Curiousz, you have a plausible hypothesis, but it all seems to hinge on a correct diagnosis of pityrosporum folliculitis. I wouldn't expect antibiotics alone to be likely to give you a generalized topical fungal infection, though it's not out of the question. If you were also immunosuppressed, and the fungal infection was in a moist part of the body, it would make more sense. If topical antifungals have no effect, that would seem to be an argument against a fungal etiology as well. Are you sure they don't penetrate sufficiently? Even ketoconazole? Anyway, if you ask a dermatologist "is this pityrosporum folliculitis?" and they say "absolutely not", then maybe it's time for a re-think. If they say "yes", or even "it might be", then you could pull out the abstract you posted and make a good case for a prescription. Or maybe you could pursue the diagnostic test described in the paper. If that's positive, then you've nailed it. Or, you could just scare up some itraconazole and self-medicate. That's not the end of the world. Just make sure that you are up on the possible adverse reactions. The biggest problem seems to be drug-drug interactions due to P450-3A4 inhibition, assuming you are otherwise healthy.

[curiousz]

I'm not immunosuppressed and the infections are in lipid-rich areas of the skin, which previously did not have any flaking prior to heavy antibiotic use.

I've tried OTC ketaconazole shampoo and it helps my scalp, but it is too irritating for other areas of the skin and it even irritates my scalp like most other shampoos. Pityrosporum infections are also deeper than what a topical solution will be able to resolve.

I'm done dealing with dermatologists. Most of them even look puzzled when I bring up the condition, and seem to shrug it off because they don't have any real experience diagnosing it. They just assume that lesions on the face and trunk that are from someone that is in early adulthood are due to acne. This speaks more about the incompetence of the dermatologists that I go to then anything else, but I don't have the time, the money, nor the want to deal with trying to fine a needle in a haystack for one that is competent.

I'd rather self medicate temporarily, and if I need further treatment I will be happy to go through the proper channels to make sure I won't be doing myself much harm.

Edited by curiousz, 11 January 2010 - 07:21 AM.

[Elus]

Wow...this is super severe with the winter weather now.

I am 100% covered in infection and have such debilitating chapped skin over every inch of my body that it is a chore just to move.

This may be kind of ironic for a life extension website, but I am seriously considering ending my life.

The intense burning and itching are literally driving me insane. Every square inch of my body is red and chapped and covered in peeling/flaking/scaling skin.

My scalp, face, back, chest, arms, legs, neck, buttocks, shoulders is covered in the most painful acne/seborrhea you could every imagine.

This is clearly an incurable genetic condition. No topical, drug, vitamin, or herb supplement has ever made even the slightest change.

After 15 years, it just continues to get worse. I think I may end my life before I get even more grotesque which it will because it only gets progressively worse.

Please don't resort to something foolish like suicide! You must be in extremely agonizing pain. I can imagine what you're going through. Get yourself to a hospital/lab so scientists and doctors can give it a shot. At the very least you should receive something to kill the pain while you get to the bottom of this.

Don't give up!!

[JLL]

To the OP:

Have you tried oral/topical ketoconazole? If it's a fungal infection, keto might have an effect. It's probably too harsh for topical use at this point, though.

What about coconut oil orally and topically? It seems to be helpful in atopic dermatitis.

The AD patients who were treated with virgin coconut oil in this study had significantly lower objective SCORAD scores for dryness and dryness-related conditions, such as excoriation and lichenification, and for erythema, edema, and papulation.

Topically applied virgin coconut oil reduced Staphylococcus aureus colonization in 95% of the patients, compared to 50% reduction from virgin olive oil.

[NeverSayDie]

To the OP: Do you suspect you may have a fungal infection? Are your skin shedding issues mostly relegated to sebaceous tissues (face, trunk, but not so much legs and hands?)

I am shedding (scaling, flaking, peeling) over 100% of my body from the crown of my scalp to the soles of my feet. The massive infection (acne/pustular eczema, etc) are mainly in areas of sebaceous tissues, yes. This includes face, scalp, chest, back, shoulders...

I spent years treating this as a fungal infection using numerous antifungals (including nystatin) and every antifungal herb/supplement including olive leaf, wil oregano oil, caprylic acid, heavy probiotic usage (i've used so many different varieties), etc, etc...

Not even the slightest bit of improvement ever.

[NeverSayDie]

You must be in extremely agonizing pain.

Every day is pure unadulterated torture.

I am dreaming of the day when I finally have the courage to end this suffering and free myself. I am very close...

Non-existence will be my heaven.

[rwac]

Have you considered not showering for a bit ?
Perhaps applying coconut oil topically might help ?

[sentrysnipe]

hey there, please stay strong.

1. how long did you try the keratolytics (lactic, azelaic) before you stopped the treatment? Did you apply them everyday for 6 long months or did you stop too early? It takes months, even a year or two, for them to kick in. Even warts and calluses take longer to treat before you notice significant results.

2. LOCAL GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid). Apply borage oil / pure GLA + E locally. Taking them orally alone MAY NOT give you any desirable effects unless you apply them on site as well.

Essential-fatty-acid metabolites in plasma phospholipids in patients with ichthyosis vulgaris, acne vulgaris and psoriasis

The concentration of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their metabolites in plasma phospholipids were measured by gas chromatography in normal individuals, and in patients with ichthyosis vulgaris, acne vulgaris or psoriasis. In all three patient groups, concentrations of arachidonic acid (20: 4ω6) and docosapentaenoic acid (22: 4ω6) were significantly below those in controls, suggesting that these abnormalities may occur in many skin diseases. Concentrations of dihomogammalinolenic acid (20: 3ω6) were low in ichthyosis, normal in acne and elevated in psoriasis. T

Linoleic acid preparations for topical treatment of acne vulgaris William R. McDaniel
http://www.google.co...AAE..."&f=false


3. Have you tried longer exposure to sunlight? How much D3 do you take? Galderma has released a topical bioavailable D3 (Calcitriol) last February, perhaps you could get an Rx for that. It is very expensive.

4. Apply Sulfur ointment (10%) to the infected lesions before applying borage oil.

Please keep us posted!

[curiousz]

To the OP: Do you suspect you may have a fungal infection? Are your skin shedding issues mostly relegated to sebaceous tissues (face, trunk, but not so much legs and hands?)

I am shedding (scaling, flaking, peeling) over 100% of my body from the crown of my scalp to the soles of my feet. The massive infection (acne/pustular eczema, etc) are mainly in areas of sebaceous tissues, yes. This includes face, scalp, chest, back, shoulders...

I spent years treating this as a fungal infection using numerous antifungals (including nystatin) and every antifungal herb/supplement including olive leaf, wil oregano oil, caprylic acid, heavy probiotic usage (i've used so many different varieties), etc, etc...

Not even the slightest bit of improvement ever.

Did you try a real antifungal though, and not some supplement that isn't proven to clear fungal infections?

In other words, did you try prescription medication?