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UP & Awful SKIN PROBLEM...

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/11/2009 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
OK....  I have UP and this awful skin/scalp problem that has been with me since my UP started almost 4 yrs ago.  Now, this is only on my scalp(hair) and entire face(my forehead the worst, then elbrows and under my eyes, cheeks, next to both sides of my nose).

It's hard to explain this...  but i have these plugs that come out of my pores and hair follicles.  It has actually made my pores look wierd.  Now, my face will be very dry and moist looking at the same time.  When I get a hair cut, there are these little white/yellowish balls everywhere.  My skin will itch, be red, and inflamed.  It really boggles my mind.  I've tried everything possible for it.

I've been to many derms and they are stunned.  I'm not sure if it's sebum buildup that drying and then it comes out of my pores in these balls. 

The derms first thought it was yeast, but now believe it's sebborreih dermatitis.  It's really uncontrollable and my face is either really dry or oily looking , but always is very bumpy with these white balls/strings coming out...

Any advice or what I can do to figure out whats going on?

Thanks!

Posted 4/11/2009 6:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi...have the doctors not suggested you use a type of glycolic acid product?

What are you using regarding skincare...wash, moisturise, makeup..etc?

q
Posted 4/11/2009 11:08 AM (GMT 0)
I will sometimes get very small, white/yellow, round balls at the end of my hair follicles (the end that is inside the skin). Sometimes, they surround the entire hair follicle (the part that is in the skin that is) and look more like a plug than a ball. They come out when my hair comes out. Is that what you are talking about?
Posted 4/11/2009 4:25 PM (GMT 0)
I have the same thing but maybe to a lesser degree. Right now I am using Cetaphil face cleanser and that has helped tremendously with the white balls. I remember one derm telling me, this was a long time ago mind you, that if you use a tar based shampoo that it can help eliminate some of these bumps on the scalp. I tried it once or twice but couldn't get past the smell - yes it does stink but it's worth a shot yah? Do you wear any sort of makeup?
Posted 4/11/2009 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
hey subdued, that's pretty much on the point. There plugs, but sometimes they fall fall and are shaped like balls. But, yes that's it. Some are small and some are big. The derms also thought it was keratin, b/c of how hard and solid these plugs are. My skin looks like/actually is oozing sometimes. It gets that bad. I'm not sure if my sebum glands are out of wack.....

I have tried so many different soaps and shampoos. I've tried them all.

What have you done subdued?

Quincy, I've tried it all. I also tried cetaphil... nothing works...

BTW, it hurts to shave b/c my hair is so dry.
Posted 4/12/2009 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
I don't get them very often, and when I do, I don't get very many of them; so it hasn't been an issue for me.

I have had other skin issues which have been far worse for me. I once had this skin infection that just kept growing unless I took antibiotics. The skin infection was basically a huge red inflammation filled with clear liquid. I had two of them on my face. Heat would make them itch and grow. Boils grew on top of them. It was absolutely horrible. No one knew what they were. All they did was prescribe antibiotics, which kept them from growing. I probably shouldn't complain so much about having taken so many antibiotics. The infections would have kept growing if not for the antibiotics.
Posted 4/12/2009 7:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All
Even I used to get skin infection similar to Freaky. In so far as scalp is concerned, my dermatologist had given me Betadine based shampoo. Even otherwise you may put one tsp of betadine lotion in one bucket of water and wash your scalp with that. It helps to cure this infection. In so far as face is concerned, I too have exactly same problem. It comes and goes off. You should wash your face quite often with medicated soap or neem soap. I used to have such infection all over my body and particularly on my back, shoulders, face and middle of chest. When nothing worked, I started using Neem Soap and now it has got cured 95%. So try out if you can find Neem Soap in your country. It would definitely help.

Apply some turmeric paste (face pack). Have you used to some ayurvedic blood purifiers. Even neem leaves chewed in the morning help to treat such skin infections.
Posted 4/12/2009 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
I have provided some details about Neem soap on my other post.
Posted 4/13/2009 4:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone, thanks for the replys. I appreciate it. I've been having a tough time lately with things.

My skin is itchy, dry, red, inflamed, with plugs all over today. It sucks... My skin is very bumpy too.

I forgot to mention to that I have about 2-3 of these soars I would call them that never go away. It's wierd. Sometimes it look like an open wound and other times a white plug will come out of it.. This is on my face, the side of my face.

PSA, which brand of neem soap do you use? Will it dry my face? Can I use thatin my hair too?

Where can I buy neem leaves? I make green smoothies every morning, I'll just add them to the mix...

At this very moment, one of the little soars on my face is very itchy, but it feels like something is moving undernear my skin where it's at... It's strange!!!
Posted 4/13/2009 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Freaky
Well I am using Margo Neem Soap (Plain). This one is for oily skin. In case you want to use for dry skin they have Margo Neem Glycerine Soap too. I prefer Plain one as it is more effective. Nowadays, Neem face packs are also available from various companies. The plain neem soap will have dry skin. You may use Margo Glycerine Soap for hair. Infact it gives kind of shampoo feel.

You may find Neem leaves in some garden out there or you may plant it in one of the flower pots or in your kitchen garden. You can definitely add some tender neem leaves to your smoothies.

These boils (better to call them boils instead of acne) are common in cases of UC. Please wash your face regularly with neem soap. Some of the boils are very itchy and have pus or blood oozing out of them. I wonder why my skin also has lots of small pours which have white discharge, once they are pressed. The feeling of moving under your skin is because these boils are boiling inside, means the pus and bad blood is ready to burst open and this causes this feel. I have similar feeling on my face as well as my fistula in my base.

Don't worry. Please don't fiddle with these acne as if you try to poke them, they would leave scars. So treat them with natural products. Neem soap, neem face pack, turmeric face pack, etc. They would go away. Infact I remember my dermatologist used to give me some concoction of glycerine mixed with camphor for face pack. It used to give a glowing skin.

You may get neem leaves at Indian vegetable stores or stores selling plants.
Posted 4/13/2009 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hey PSA, thanks for getting back to me. I not sure which one to buy b/c sometimes my skin is oily like and then sometimes it's dry with the plugs... Well, either way, I have the plugs.


Last night, my face was dry, today it's more oily or oozy like. I haven't washed my face yet though. I'm debating what soap I should look for at whole foods. I will also use it in my hair too.

BTW, tomorrow I go for a flex sig.... I cant eat a thing today or much of tomorrow. My appt is at 1:15. I stopped eating last night at midnight... IT's suck big time!

I want him to culture for bacteria, can he do that if I ask? Does anyone know? I believe I have bad bacteria in my colon/intestines.... What can I say to my GI b/c this is the last straw with him, then it's on to a new GI...?

Thanks!
Posted 4/13/2009 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Freaky

I suggest that you go in for the plain neem soap instead of glycerine neem soap for face. For hair, you may use glycerine neem soap. That would help.
Posted 4/13/2009 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Freaky I can't suggest you much about your flex sig..... I am sure if you request your doc, he would do the culture for bacteria. Please keep us posted about the outcome fo your investigation/diagnosis.
Posted 4/13/2009 5:09 PM (GMT 0)
THanks PSA... I will first try the neem soap for my face and see how it works. Maybe I'll even clean my hair with it..LOL... We'll see.


I will ask my doc to culture since he will be in there(no pun intended). He did say he's taking biopsy...
Posted 4/14/2009 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
Well, just got back from Whole Foods and there was one bar of soap that had 10% neem oil in it. It also had lavender and chamomile in it. So I didn't buy it. I forget the brand.

Does this look like a good choice or should I order it off the internet?
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