Tandem Tom

My wife has been having an issue with the CD. It started all of a sudden around her mouth. She has been to a dermatologist ,her Family doc, and just recently an allergist. They will test to see if she is allergic to anything. She has been eating clean and all our soaps have been scrutinized.
So anyone have any success with something "natural"?
Thanks!

canklecat

Did the doctor describe it as "contact dermatitis?" Irritation around the mouth is often due to cold sores, a virus; ringworm, a fungus; or psoriasis, usually due to an auto-immune disorder.

I get frequent bouts of psoriasis due to an auto-immune disorder (Hashimoto's thyroid disease). Scalp, hands, sometimes around the jaw and nose. Nothing to do with anything I've been in contact with. I don't seem to be allergic to most ordinary products and foods, soaps, etc. No doctor or endocrinologist has been able to determine what provokes the occasional symptoms. I've cut back on ibuprofen and NSAIDs, which seems to help a bit. But it's still a mystery.

Regarding "natural" vs prescription remedies, I'm a skeptic. Very rarely have I found any alternative remedies to be more than a placebo, and some are actually harmful. Generally speaking it's better to go with what a dermatologist or other specialist recommends, whether prescription or OTC.

I haven't found any "natural" remedies that work as effectively as well researched OTC and prescription topical ointments and meds for skin problems. The closest you'll find to a "natural" remedy that's also recognized for being effective on psoriasis is salicylate cream -- Aspercreme or anything comparable, even from the dollar store. Salicylates were derived from natural sources -- willow bark is the common reference. But it makes better sense to take an aspirin or use an ointment containing salicylates than to brew up our own stuff from tree bark.

jguit

Oil of primrose worked wonders for me. I was a chef and the contact allergies had my hands in a bad state. A nurse told me about the primrose and it cleared everything up in short order. Took max does til it cleared and then maintained with min dose. I have passed this on to other chefs in same boat and all had success.

As a cream that old school Ozanol does some good too, and it is not a steroid so it has no downside.

JLDickmon

Windex. weak ammonia solution
styptic pencil, maybe?
Blistex creme?

Tandem Tom

Update on my wife's skin. She has been to an allergist and just finished the testing. A number of things she is allergic to most being the chemical additives that we can start to avoid. The bit of a shock was beeswax. Many of the natural creams and lip balms she has been usinf contain beeswax so this was aggracatiag the problem.
slowly it is getting better.

FBOATSB

Some are sensitive to certain kinds and amounts of citrus, presenting as rash around the mouth.

canklecat

Fascinating. I had to Google beeswax allergies because I'd heard that beeswax doesn't usually cause allergic reactions. But the propolis used by bees to glue their honeycombs together can cause allergic reactions, depending on the natural sources they use to form the propolis glue or binder. It may be resin from various trees or plants that actually provokes the allergic reaction. But there's no practical way to separate the beeswax from the propolis.