Eczema

[pharvey]

Certainly sounds promising Pete. Hope all turns out well.

[PeteC]

Certainly sounds promising Pete. Hope all turns out well.

Thanks. I'm not doing an Irish jig just yet, but I'm going to let loose on the diet and beer over the holidays and see what happens. Fingers crossed. Pete

PS: It is odd though that using a product for 20+ years and all of a sudden out of the blue, a reaction. Must have to do with aging and/or they changed the ingredients in OFF?

[pharvey]

Certainly sounds promising Pete. Hope all turns out well.

Thanks. I'm not doing an Irish jig just yet, but I'm going to let loose on the diet and beer over the holidays and see what happens. Fingers crossed. Pete

PS: It is odd though that using a product for 20+ years and all of a sudden out of the blue, a reaction. Must have to do with aging and/or they changed the ingredients in OFF?

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the product had changed somewhat over the years.Is it possible to have an allergy test (with the active ''ingredient(s)'' of OFF) done in Thailand.

[PeteC]

Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if the product had changed somewhat over the years.Is it possible to have an allergy test (with the active ''ingredient(s)'' of OFF) done in Thailand.

I don't know. We've had allergy tests done on our little one and the wife but they use the standard template with about 20 things on it that they place on your back, and I guess it has a very mild abrasive that slightly punctures the skin to introduce the substance. You then wait a bit and see which item reddens up. With the OFF I know it's causing a reaction but I would think very expensive for a place here to break down all the ingredients and test for each. Pete

[pharvey]

Might be of interest Pete. I know you mention DEET as being an unlikely cause, but look at the concentrations quoted in the table - maybe this is the difference?

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in419

[PeteC]

Might be of interest Pete. I know you mention DEET as being an unlikely cause, but look at the concentrations quoted in the table - maybe this is the difference? http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in419

No, I don't agree with that one at all. The OFF spray orange can is 15% and the Thai substitute cream is 15% Deet as well and I don't rash up with that like I do with the OFF spray. I have noticed though about a year ago the OFF orange is now "Sweat Resistant". It never used to be before. Perhaps whatever they put in there to stop water from washing it off quickly is the problem with me. I imagine some kind of resin to make it stay on in wet conditions.

Further, that chart on the link is not accurate for me. The OFF Orange works for me for around 6 hours and is only 15%. That's way off what the chart is indicating. I've proven mine as well many times as I put it on usually at 0300-0330 when I come outside.....on the computer here until about 0600....then some yard work until I take a shower around 0900. Even at 9 I have mosquitoes buzzing around me but not landing or biting. I think that study was done in a lab, not outdoor real life. Pete

[Big Boy]

That's interesting Pete, I always sweat a fair bit in Thailand, but if I use anything chemical to stop mosquitoes I tend to sweat at least 5 times as much, to the extent that I've had to stop using such things. It's literally as if somebody has turned several taps on. (OK, too much information )

It always gives me a burning sensation until the sweat kicks in. If you're not sweating with the OFF, maybe you're burning your skin as opposed to Eczema.

I don't bother with such things any more.

[littlebird]

I know it sounds a bit daft but sometimes natural yoghurt applied to the affected are can help

[PeteC]

No, no....I sweat buckets when working outside but the stuff supposedly does not wash off with it and you maintain protection. That seems to be true as even after prolonged sweating the yungs are still buzzing, but not landing. The cream I've been using as a substitute is not sweat resistant and when working it indeed washes off and the mosquitoes start to bite. In any event no more OFF spray. I may test it again in a year to see if still a reaction. Maybe I should use Frontline? Pete

[bill]

6 months on no sugar diet. fungus mostly gone. now applying liberal use of cold weather, here in usa, to kill off even more. this i figured myself. fungus thrives in hot moist climates so the opposite kills them. it's working. much of skin now smooth and free of the bastards.

[MrPlum]

6 months on no sugar diet. fungus mostly gone. now applying liberal use of cold weather, here in usa, to kill off even more. this i figured myself. fungus thrives in hot moist climates so the opposite kills them. it's working. much of skin now smooth and free of the bastards.

Sleeping in the fridge, Bill?

[PeteC]

Two new items, at least new to me here. Both have helped outbreaks tremendously.

1) Ivory Soap. Yes, it has made it to the shelves of Foodland and perhaps elsewhere. No reaction to it and it helps me get rid of what's flaring.

2) Booths Seaweed Shampoo. This is a true winner IMO. Even if I have it no where else, I always have some flare up on the back of my scalp, back of neck, behind ears and in top fold of ears. Using this stuff for a month and it's gone completely with no sign at all of any return. This is at the same time my legs are flaring. I may start to use it as a body wash.

Give them a try and see what happens. Pete

[Nereus]

Two new items, at least new to me here. Both have helped outbreaks tremendously.

1) Ivory Soap. Yes, it has made it to the shelves of Foodland and perhaps elsewhere. No reaction to it and it helps me get rid of what's flaring.

2) Booths Seaweed Shampoo. This is a true winner IMO. Even if I have it no where else, I always have some flare up on the back of my scalp, back of neck, behind ears and in top fold of ears. Using this stuff for a month and it's gone completely with no sign at all of any return. This is at the same time my legs are flaring. I may start to use it as a body wash.

Give them a try and see what happens. Pete

I don`t know about the soap, but what is in the shampoo? Most shampoos use sodium lauryl sulfate as a wetting agent, and that can cause skin irritations. Look it up, it does not get very good press. Very hard to find shampoo that does not use it, even some so-called "herbal" brands.

[PeteC]

^ Don't know as the Thai language decal is covering the back. It's a common Boots shampoo so I wouldn't expect it to be different than any other run of the mill shampoo. Perhaps whatever seaweed or seaweed extract that's in it is enough to help. It's not just coincidence as I've used many shampoos and others do nothing, or make matters worse. A month long trial with this one is showing good results. I'll report if everything eventually goes pear shaped. Pete

[lomuamart]

A slight digression but skin problems are all too common over here.
I've recently returned from the UK where I was for 2.5 months in temperatures down to -8. Of course I've returned to a heatwave and have broken out in prickly heat everywhere. I never got that when staying here full time and it dosn't half itch.
Walked up to a chemist earlier to check that the cream and anti-histamine tablets I'm taking are correct as areas of skin have changed from prickly heat to full on, solid red rashes. It is the correct stuff and areas are responding well after a few days. However, just a kilometer walk this morning and the sweating associated with it has brought the right side of my torso out in prickly heat now - that wasn't there when I woke up. I'll just have to grin and bear it until my body adjusts but as I normally spend a lot of time outside walking the beach, swimming or golfing, it's going to be a pain staying put at home in air con for a while.
Good to hear that you've found something that works for your eczema, Pete. I also sometimes suffer slightly with that and have made a note of what's working for you.