suggestions for skin rash/sensitivites?
 

My son has alway had some slight skin rashes at times - they can get quite itchy and bothersome. {soaps/laundry detergents}

now at age 25 they are flaring up again. Really bothersome while at work.

I suggested MSM, a good multi, oatmeal baths, a homeopathic remedy for skin irritations.

He does have some food sensitivities but has learned most of the time what to avoid. {dairy & some meats }

If you have any suggestions please let me know-
he doesn't have ins coverage yet-
plus the docs will just rx meds and topicals most likely.
he did go to urgent care {waste of time & money-eesh over a hundred bucks for nothing} they said it was nothing serious.

We'd rather approach it from a nutritional/vitamin/supplement angle.

Hi Jo,
Apart from using remedies to actually help the rash that he has now, if it was me, I'd start with the bathroom. I'd check and change what I was using in the soap or shower gels, hair products and especially the laundry powder or liquid. Oh and the hand wash. I love having antibacterial handwash but it's really harsh on the hands if used all the time.

they are double checking all those things- maybe the pay laundry machine isn't rinsing as well as it used to.

i suggested they use very little detergent for his clothes until this clears up.

Jo

zinc oxide cream (diaper rash ointment) is IMHO one of the best things to apply to soothe the rash
I like the one that Aveeno make

Calendula ointment or aloe vera gel are also good

jo...i have super duper sensitive skin. i use the liqued cheer free detergant. rinses out real well. no colors or perfumes.

caldascene powder is very soothing. it's in a pink bottle. for diaper rash. lol. gold bond powder too.

can he take benadryl? if i get a rash...this helps. oh...caladryl lotion...the clear gel. i keep it in the fridge. it helps take the itch away. great for bug bites too.

thanks girls-
I'll tell him about all of those.

Jo--has gluten ever been checked into. Many gluten sensitive people have skin problems. I do.

I would also
 

look to diet. Poor EFA status (low intake of essential fatty acids) and
low zinc status dramatically impact the skin.

Also Vit A helps skin heal.

I have a Zinc thread here, and and EFA one with details.

Males have high needs for zinc since their reproductive system concentrates this mineral in seminal fluid.

Where are these rashes? Location can be a clue. If in covered body areas, or areas that perspire then fabric sofeners and detergents can be a cause.

If on exposed arms, or legs, hands, feet, the soaps may be a culprit.
I find unscented Dove to be the best soap for us. Detergent soaps like Irish spring, or Zest, actually defat the skin and remove protective oils that you need.

If the rash is localized and does not cover large areas of the body, you can try hydrocortisone cream 1% OTC...this usually works quickly. But if it is a full body phenomenon, then oral Benadryl is the best bet.
Some creams have pramoxine in them for itching.
Aveeno anti-itch is one example. This works better than topical Benadryl IMO.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...48&id=prod4348
This ingredient can be found by reading labels, of products.

Hi Jo :) ,

I agree that gluten sensitivity deserves consideration, especially if he has other food sensitivities. You didn't describe the rash much, other than itchy. How wide spread is it? What areas? What does it look like?

Here are some links on the skin rash most associated with gluten sensitivity, dermatitis herpetiformis. DH is most often described as an itching blistering rash, although there is some variance in that. I would not expect most doctors, or even dermatologists, to recognize it. Here are some links.. there is a photo library in the last one with good pictures... of every day people with it. Sometimes, only the most extreme cases make the photo galleries, and not everyone has extreme cases.









My daughter had a recurring rash that looked like mosquito bites... that has never returned since we removed gluten. People describe all different rashes with gluten sensitivity.

I'll check out those links-

The rash is pretty much all over, pinkish and slightly raised patches, then little blisters will appear and burst, and if he does scratch it gets raw looking.

Dietary info-
He seems to think meats or meat juices give him stomach problems. {IBS}
he can eat jerky and turkey dark meat with no troubles.

At one time last year we did wonder if Celiac was a problem but I sent him the links to read about it and he said he thought not.

starches seem to not be an issue.

but I'll reread again in case we missed something.

here's a photo similar to his rash-
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q...jo84/hives.jpg