Skin and itch management at 35 months TSW seems pretty simple compared to our treatment and skin/wound care routine at 5 months TSW seen here.

Brian’s current regimen has been as follows. This will likely change (again) as the weather gets cooler, the skin dryer, and the “eczema season” begins once more.

Goals:

• To keep the skin clean, hydrated, and infection-free
• To utilize effective itch/scratch management to prevent breaks in the skin
• To support the body/skin via taking needed vitamins/supplements, monitoring sugar and dairy intake, and getting proper nutrition/hydration, exercise, and sleep
• Utilizing stress management and deep breathing techniques

Treatment/Skincare Routine: At least once daily shower, followed by application of organic coconut oil (face, extremities, trunk). Hot summer months require a “lighter” moisturizer.

***Lately Brian’s been able to go without using coconut oil (or any) for moisturizer. He still uses it as sunscreen for face and exposed areas when playing baseball.

Infection control measures:

• Apple cider vinegar (ACV) bath (10 minute soak) or 20 minutes in microsilk tub bath 3-5 times per week,  followed by shower/rinse off and coconut oil or nothing
• Spray sovereign silver, as needed, on any open areas or broken skin.
• If all other measures fail and skin/itch worsen, short term oral antibiotics have helped, but thankfully he hasn’t needed them much. In fact, he needed antibiotics more often when he was on topical steroids for his eczema.
• Change sheets every day

Vitamins/Supplements/Diet: Vitamin D3, Omega 3 fish oil capsules, recommended by pediatrician;  pantothenic acid, DAO histaminase, B complex, culturelle probiotic–supplements prescribed by naturopath to address methylation issues (difficulty processing histamines and sensitivity to eggs, dairy, and fruit-sugar combos) and provide gut support; try to monitor dairy, egg, and processed sugar intake

 Itch/scratch management: Generally 0/5 to 2-/5 scratching (See log for scratch scale.) Cut and file fingernails short. Deep breathing/relaxation techniques, acupressure points, ice packs, distraction. He will use benadryl liquid as needed but hasn’t used it in months.

If needed for >3/5 scratching: Dr. Wang’s purple eczema ointment, The Home Apothecary’s lemongrass balm, moisturizer such as coconut oil, or sovereign silver gel/spray–haven’t needed these lately

Remaining TSW symptoms: (compare to March 2, 2014 at five months TSW and 28 months TSW. )

• Shedding—As in past 2 summers, progressive decrease in visible, measurable shedding from end of June to now (beginning of September). Now shedding is almost imperceptible even when shaking sheets in morning.
• Elephant skin—not evident in July, August, or early September
• Red sleeves, edema—none noted this summer in upper or lower extremities compared to January/February 2016 (feet) 
• Ooze smell—light to strong ooze smell in May and June but none too obvious from July to now. Heavy night sweating with faint ooze smell was also absent the past few months.

Skin quality:
–Back is soft, smooth but has intermittent eruptions of erythematous papules scattered on posterior scapulae and low back–haven’t pinpointed the trigger

–Shoulders, elbows, knees textured with scattered hypopigmentation from scratching on tan skin. Dry but no obvious flaking

–Still with periodic small breaks in skin on shoulders, elbows, hands, or knees from scratching/picking

–Able to play in the sun and heat and sweat like the best of us–without freaking out

See 9/6/16 pictures

Function: Sleeping through the night (roughly 10:30p-7am). Staying active with 8^th grade, travel baseball with 2x/week practice,  cross country, church, golf (which he took up on 8/30/16). Overall, he’s doing well despite “not perfect” skin, but then, no body’s perfect!

We are very thankful that Brian’s skin is no longer limiting his participation in or enjoyment of activities. So, is TSW finally over? Only time will tell. Fall and winter are just around the corner, and we’ll have to wait and see what symptoms arise with the lower humidity and cooler temperatures.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to praise God for his healing touch, live beyond the itch, and “Play ball!”

“You make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.”

Psalm 92:4

Beyond the Itch