01022018 REMDII Sensitive

Hello everyone! 

It is the second month of 2018 *time flies*!

In this post I am going to share a follow up from my last post,

and also a Malaysia locally produced product which I think is quite helpful.

So first thing to note is that,

I not only have ichthyosis vulgaris, I also have eczema.

If you've read my introduction post, 

I shared that many doctors do not know about ichthyosis,

thus commonly diagnosed whatever skin problem as eczema.

Somehow everything is eczema 😌😌😌😌

In my last post I wrote about my contact dermatitis.

The flaring was bad, I had cracks and my skin was peeling terribly.

I went to the clinic and as usual was given topical steroid cream.

The problem is I had been on steroid cream on and off for almost all my life now.

The cream that this doctor gave is probably milder 

and it took quite a few days to get the flare down.

After the cracks were reduced, I started using a locally made cream,

which is steroid free.

You can see the difference in the image below.

In the before photo, my skin on my fingertips was reddish and so thin, 

even touching was painful.

In the after photo, the skin on my fingertips is already thicker and became less reddish.

For the past few days I have stopped using steroid and started using a cream called

"REMDII Sensitive"

I found out about this cream in my local country's Eczema community group.

Being steroid free, it has definitely improved my skin condition.

This is not a paid review but if you are my readers from Malaysia,

with skin condition alike eczema, or dry patchy skin,

and have not known about this cream, do write to me!

So here are some photos of the cream!

Here is the big original tub, RM150 for 250g when I bought it.
If you happen to get trial packs, I think RM15 for 5g? 
Some RM20, some RM30 😌 depending on how the clinic packs them.
Mostly sold at selected clinics all over the country (Malaysia).
The trial packs are not labeled.

The list of ingredients, all lab tested.
Lots of R&D were carried out to produce this cream

This is the colour of the cream. 

Unlike most which are either white or transparent (gel type). 

I saw some first time users questioned whether they bought the right cream, 

 because this colour makes it looks "expired" 😅😅😅 

But no worries, this is the actual colour.

24012018 Is this contact dermatitis?

Happy New Year 2018!

Might be a little late for this but finally find time to update, 

and coincidentally I have my allergy back *sobs

I had been using gloves for dish washing and laundry so I am not sure what caused this.

Even if I accidentally touched either of them, it would be very minor...

So I figured that my fingers must be really sensitive, 

or there could be other triggers which I don't realized

I have not make any changing to my body wash or shampoo,

so I am really not sure what caused this...

Went to the doctor again yesterday and he gave me the H-Cort cream,

I hate steroid creams because I became reliant on them,

but the doctor said usually these dermatitis or eczema cream all contain steroids.

Perhaps I should try alternative, like traditional medicine?

Write me your views and opinions if you've tried any!

Honestly I am having problem even holding stuffs and typing right now.

The skin on my fingers are peeling and cracking, became so sensitive.

Pretty sure it is due to something I touch (contact dermatitis?) 

because only my right hand is affected,

which is my dominant hand.

This was my post back in 2014,

  https://copingwithichthyosis.blogspot.my/2014/12/20141211-skin-allergy.html 

since then it has been an on and off condition.

29112017 Dealing with No Thumbprints

So back in this post in 2014 I wrote about my skin allergy on my fingertips, 

which were basically peeling, making me fingerprints-less. 

Formal documentation has been so difficult like renewing my 

passport and any banking related matters. 

So when I renewed my IC I have requested for a formal letter, 

which is to indicate that both my thumbprints are spoilt, or unreadable, 

I highlighted in the image below in the red box. 

Whenever I go for banking related or renewal of IC/passport/license, 

I will need to bring this letter.

Another downside is, I can't use the autogate at the immigration because...

I don't have my thumbprint in the National registry database, 

so neither are there thumbprints recorded in my passport 

(for autogate you need to scan you thumbprints). 

I still need to queue up the old fashion way. 

The good thing is, the increasing number of people using the autogate,

whether or not they know how to use the gates (especially old folks), 

makes the autogate slower than the counters, the perks.

26112017 Skin shedding day?

So finally am able to keep my skin moist, thanks to the Vaseline Advanced strength lotion. When the skin itself, I'd refer as the base, is moist the upper layer of dead cells start to "shed".

IV has always been referred to as crocodile skin because of the scales, or snake skin because of the "skin changing", or fish scales also cause of the scaly appearance.Today after showering with the Rosken Dry Skin wash, I noticed I was "shedding skin". This happens once a month, and as a female, I think it relates to my cycle, though the duration varies. It usually happens during my ovulation period and after this "shedding" process, silky smooth skin revealed! Then before my period come, the misery of super dry skin comes too. So I concluded that, at least for me, it relates to my hormones.

Here, I am "shedding" skin. Gross isn't it? That's why I need to scrub, it's not itchy or painful tho, no open wound except some old scar spots. 

As seen above, right after applying Vaseline lotion these flakes are no longer visible. Nope I didn't scrap off the flakes, I used to when I was younger, before I found that it's okay and this physical appearance is okay 😊 

Ps. I'm not promoting any of the mentioned products, just thought they are helpful to me, and might be helpful to you 😊

Updated on 29112017, just few days after above condition. I had only scrub on one day, which is on 27112017. Below is my skin condition, right after shower, NO lotion. Amazing isn't it, how the skin changes in just few days. Usually it follows my cycle, and it just past my ovulation week.

25112017 Updates on how I control my IV and eczema

So the truth is there is no actual cure for IV and eczema, since it is some genetic disorder, or something like it is in your blood, it's not tumor, virus or bacteria, it's an autoimmune disorder where your body attacks itself so for now the only way is to control and suppress it.

I had been quite experimental on the products I use and food I take over the years so here are some updates till date. Anyways I am back on land, no more sleeping in air conditioned room.

I am back to using these 2 products: 

Rosken Skin Repair Dry Skin Wash (in lime green)

So far the best shower cream, so glad they recently brought this in. It felt quite clean compared to other soap-free products, it doesn't give me any stinging feeling, it doesn't give me too much dryness/tightness after wash, and I use it as face cleanser too (save me on purchasing expensive cleanser for my even more sensitive face) Sometimes it could feel less clean due to its soap-free, so I sort of scrub using a wet hand towel (IV gives lots of dead cells) followed by this Dry Skin wash, works great!

Back to using Vaseline Intensive Care Advanced Strength (in white bottle)

I had been using the Rosken Dry Skin and Nivea Essential Enriched lotion (apparently for very dry skin) while offshore, didn't bring the Vaseline, a big mistake. Both of these are terrible lotions for IV, at least for me. The Rosken Dry Skin is creamy but yet dries up so fast, the Nivea Nivea Essential Enriched lotion is so watery, also dries up so fast. When I got back to using Vaseline Intensive Care, I realized that it has a more oily base, yes I feel a bit greasy initially upon application but it stays for hours, even the whole day. 

During the last 2 days I was offshore, I couldn't take the discomfort anymore so I applied steroid cream once a day to all the affected area. It got so much better but the dryness was still there. It has been back for only a few days now, used both the products above and look at how much my skin changes from the last post (check it out here)!

Huge difference without any editing, both after using Rosken Dry Skin Wash but before using lotion. 

I have those 3 dots scars to identify that this is the same leg, same pose hahaha

As for my eczema, I have no breakouts since I stopped taking food I am allergic to, such as prawns and crabs. I reduced my dairy, coffee and sugar intake, drink more water, do more workouts to sweat more (to detox?), change my sheets and pillow cases more often...so far no triggers. 

I'll write again if I find some other helpful controls, some said drink virgin coconut oil or there are some non steroid creams out there...who knows, I am always open to options to make it under control so do write to me if you have any questions or opinions!

14112017 A fortnight in continuous air conditioned room, how it affects IV

Due to work offshore, I had been living in a fully air-conditioned quarters and office. It has been 2 weeks and there will be another week to go before I am off. Since the air conditioner is centralized and it is always on full blast, it has caused major discomfort. My Ichthyosis Vulgaris (IV) is considered to be quite minor, thus I have never mention this during my work medical check ups, on whether I am fit for (this) work. 

I have no major problem in my past assignments, at least the room temperature was controllable. However this time I felt additional discomfort, probably also due to a more haywire sleeping routine (also during the odd working hours I had been sleeping 5-6hrs per day). Or, maybe I brought the wrong lotion.

Remember in the last post I mentioned on testing out the Rosken for dry skin, it was totally a mistake to bring this lotion which I have never tested prior. despite mentioned for dry skin, it was not helping at all, dried out so fast that I had to request for another bottle of lotion from the medic on board. Fortunately there was one bottle left on his shelf, the Nivea lotion for dry skin, which is even milder than the Rosken. 

So since I had to reapply my lotion every 1-2hours, I am currently layering these 2, probably used up half of my new bought Rosken in just 2 weeks. There is no other choice but to bear with it right now. I have always dislike being in air conditioned room for long hours, it worsens IV, just like being in cold dry climate. The air conditioner has never been this cold, this time even the Canadian said it is freezing, having experienced below zero temperature for few months a year, you know sometimes it is unbearable (especially now that it is Monsoon season).

Below images are quite graphic, I just want to share how external factors can affect IV, and here exposed to continuous air conditioner for 2 weeks. I had serious dry skin with rashes, no particular eczema break out, it just happens to the whole body.  You could stop reading here to avoid getting too much info and graphical contents.

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Reddish lines appeared around my torso area which looks very much like stretch marks except that they are not, they are just rashes and/or dry skin making crack like lines. All around the torso till my back and thighs.

These minor crack lines have always been there but less obvious on usual days before exposed to air conditioner. After being so dehydrated (but I drink a lot, and I have read that water intake does not make IV or eczema better), the reddish cracks got more and more prominent, the lines kinda "pops" up and you can feel them on the skin surface.

Can you see the crack on my middle finger? Close to my nail. The crack appeared along the lines, and the other 2 lines seem like they are gonna crack too. This is because it is so dry whenever I move my fingers the skin tear 😭😭 Sometimes it hurts a bit but no nothing much to do except to keep it moisturized.

31102017 Trying new ROSKEN Dry Skin Lotion

In my last post, I mentioned I was using the Dry Skin Wash by ROSKEN in light green bottle (you could refer to the post here). I bought the ROSKEN Sensitive Skin cream and gave it a try. It has been 3 weeks and I found that it is not as good as the Vaseline. Despite being free from many antigents because it is made for sensitive skin, the moisturizing factor is just not there. When used for the whole body, which I usually do, it dried up too fast. 

I have a desk job so I sit at least 8hrs in air conditioned office. When using the ROSKEN Sensitive Skin cream, it dries up so fast that I need to reapply lotion every 2-3hrs. Even when I apply it right after shower, I feel like my skin is tight and dry when I got in the car, that is less than an hour after. My verdict is that it may suit Sensitive skin but does not suit Sensitive AND Dry skin.

So I recently top up my Dry Skin Wash and noticed a Purchase-with-Purchase promotion for the Dry Skin Lotion in light orange (as shown below). Despite being for Normal to Dry skin, and my skin is very dry, because it is ROSKEN I decided to give it a try!

I have yet to try this but I will soon. 

I will try it for the same period (around 3 weeks) and come out with my verdict!

09102017: Skin care routine update

Ages since I last updated, busy catching up with life :)

So about a month ago I had rashes, which are more Eczema like than anything related to ichthyosis. This created open cuts and using the body scrub I recommended earlier has resulted in stinging sensation and it was not comfortable. I previously also read that frequent scrub will result in abrasions and additional dryness. 

Thus, I was on a hunt for suitable body wash. The first criteria is that it must be soap-free, non drying. I found a body wash by ROSKEN, for dry skin (in light green, right side). It is suitable for senstive skin and is soap-free. I have not seen this around in Malaysia before so figured it is newly imported. 

It usually comes with the Sensitive skin cream, or lotion (in light blue, left side) but I have yet to try this because I am still using the Vaseline Intensive Care lotion as mentioned here:

My verdict for the ROSKEN Dry Skin Body wash: it smells slightly medicated, very mild bubbles and does not feel oily or sticky to me. Though the soap-free element may leave you feeling less clean, it helps in keeping the sensitive skin moist. I usually just do a double wash (rinse off the first round and wash another round) for a cleaner feeling.  

So now I am using this on a daily basis and the bodyscrub only once a aweek.

Might try a combination of both ROSKEN products (for dry & senstivie skin) and hopefully get a better result!

I bought mine under promotion, 3 bottles of 400ml each, at RM60. So each bottle is around RM20+ usually, approximately with the Vaseline Intensive lotion I am using.

14072015: Amazing shower scrubs!

I found these tubs of bath salts on a local Malaysian online shop on Instagram.

 Since it was quite cheap for a big tub (700g) and all the reviews were positive,

 I decided to give them a try!

My first purchase was the Detox scrub which is black in coal due to the coal content. 

Bought it because the reviews were really great with photographic proofs. 

Before I even finished it, 

I bought another tub together with the Dry Away scrub which 

works excellent for removing scaly skin.

I use them alternatively as suggested by the seller and now rarely have bad scaly skin,

 there is no need to scrub! 

Sometimes I can even skip my lotion when I am on a rush,

 I used to think I can't live without lotion. 

I bring these tubs everywhere with me! 

Sometimes the detox and other times the dry away.

RM29.00 each (700g)

Contact freshop_malaysia if you're residing in Malaysia.

If you're overseas and would really like to try these, contact me.

I will find out whether they ship overseas or maybe I can ship them for you! ^^

They are all homemade with natural ingredients. My skin is very very sensitive towards soap. Anything soapy or contains antibacterial properties, it will start becoming reddish and peels.

This was my skin condition before and after shaving, which I posted in this post questioning whether shaving helps: http://copingwithichthyosis.blogspot.com/2014/02/does-shaving-helps-skin-shed.html. But you can't possibly shave everyday and this only happens when I shave after a very longgg time.

It's the most effective, natural and no side effects product I've tried so far.

Now! Big difference? What's more amazing, no lotion!

I am not promoting the products, 

just sharing what really works and since it's so cheap (RM29 = less than 8USD?!) it's worth the try!

These are my 3rd purchase!! 

02052015: Vaseline Intensive Rescue lotion

I changed my whole routine because I found the side effects of the cream and lotion I was using.

If you read my past posts on Handling Eczema where I used Econazine cream, it contains quite high steroid. After I used it with the Dermal Therapy lotion, my skin was thinning very badly. Which I believe the Dermal Therapy contained restricted ingredients which was why it was restricted in my country. The side effects was scary, a little rub or abrasion my skin gets scald-like wound. I stopped using both.

I went to the pharmacy and requested for something lighter than Econazine, I was given Egocort. My brother is using the same cream, it works better for mild eczema I am currently having. It is less thinning compared to Econazine. 

Since I was not allowed to buy anymore Dermal Therapy lotion, I had been using St. Ive's for the past few months. I mentioned about St. Ive's here. One day I was desperately searching for St. Ive's Vitamin E but it was sold out at all Guardians and Watsons outlets nearby. I had to travel the next day so I grab a bottle of Vaseline Intensive rescue Moisture Locking, it is great! I rarely have flakes now and I don't even scrub so often anymore. It could be a new lotion because I have not seen it before. And best thing is it's Hypoallergenic, my skin is so sensitive it has to be Hypoallergenic lotion.

I saw Repairing moisture and Soothing moisture online but have yet to see these on the counter. I do however avoid air conditioned room, avoid hot shower...anything which could possibly make the skin dryer than it's already is.

I am currently trying out homemade bath salt and moisture scrub, will share review once I can see any difference :)

11122014: Skin allergy

My finger tips are peeling very badly. They weren't this sensitive until early this year. Each time I lay my hands on soap which are not baby friendly or non organic, they will start peeling. Washing detergent (for dishes and clothes) are worst. Even when not direct contact, touching the clothes after they are tumbled dried also caused the peeling.

There were times when I lost my sense of touch or they became so sensitive to touch. When it peels, the tips become reddish and the areas are protected by only thin layer of skin, I find it painful to even button up my shirt/pants or opening containers. When the new layer of skin grows, the peels become hard and made it difficult to feel textures.

I was requested for my thumb prints for my IC and driving license renewal. But due to this problem,my thumb prints cannot be detected by the machine. The conventional way using the stamp pad also resulted into thumb print which looked different all the time.

Hand creams and Dermal Therapy are not helping.  =.=

28112014: No more dermal therapy?

Hello there! So it was been months since I last updated. Skin condition is good, getting spots of eczema here and there probably due to the humidity (it's monsoon season over here). Or it could be the dryness due to the air conditioner since I started working (office based). That's how problematic it is, the weather cannot be too wet or too dry =.=

I tried avoiding medication but sometimes it bothers my sleep so I have to take sleeping pill (only once so far, touch wood) and use the Econazine cream when the breakout is really bad. I heard that these skin cream has thinning effects (I know my skin "grow" or shed faster than normal) but I am not going to risk it :)

Back in March I wrote about Dermal Therapy Alpha Hydroxy Lotion (link here). So after I finished that bottle, which arrived in a month using "not trackable surface mail small packet" shipping method, I ordered another 1 bottle. I did ask my readers to purchase in bulk but I was unemployed so I can only afford one at that time >_<

It was a terrible mistake that I ordered only when my first bottle was finishing. This time it took 2 months!! And for 2 months I had to use my St.Ives, which was quite torturous. I was back to using long pants and long sleeves, I really avoided shorts, skirts and dresses. It is important to understand that there is no cure for Ichthyosis, there are only relieve methods and ways to reduce the side effects. So when I stopped using the lotion, my skin was back to its dry-state.

Now, there is another very terrible horrible news (for Malaysians at least). The Dermal Therapy Alpha Hydroxy Lotion is against the Malaysia's law. The reason for the additional 1 month delay was because the lotion was on hold by the custom officers. I was issued a warning letter as I attached below:

I understand that there are many unregistered cosmetics being brought into Malaysia but continued to being widely used in Malaysia. This lotion is probably the only thing which really work for many of us suffering from Ichthyosis Vulgaris. Since the lotion is created specifically to treat Ichthyosis, I have not feel any side effects from it. I, however, have never requested for my family or friends without Ichthyosis to try the lotion so I am unsure how will it effect people without Ichthyosis.

I have used a quarter of my second bottle and now thinking on how can I get the lotion in future. I need opinions on whether seeing a skin specialist help? Can I request for a specialist prescription? How if the specialist will not help? (Or not even know about Ichthyosis, like those I seek for at Government hospital years ago) And seeing specialist means more money to be spent T____T

Quite frustrated as well because not only the doctors were not able to diagnose my skin problem (read here), even prescribed me with the wrong medicine (which worsen the condition) and now they want to stop me from using the only thing which works for me wtf

11032014: Dermal Therapy's Alpha Hydroxy Lotion

I received a few comments and emails regarding the "miracle lotion" on Ichthyosis forum. 

The miracle lotion here is Dermal Therapy's Alpha Hydroxy Lotion 

which can be bought from https://www.dermaltherapy.com/. 

This product is formulated specially for Ichthyosis skin type with high content of 

Urea and Lactic Acid which helps the skin to shed.

Previously I found a friend in Malaysia who is also suffering from Ichthyosis who asked whether any Malaysian wants to order the lotion with her in bulk to save on postage. However at that moment I just bought a new big bottle of St.Ives and figured I will order only after I finish my St.Ives. So she ordered without me. After I finished my St.Ives, I figured it is really time to give this one a try, so I went ahead to get a bottle. Only one as I was afraid that it may not suit my skin as some user said they dislike the strong smell of urea.

For 1 bottle that I ordered, I was given the option to choose between postage with tracking and without tracking. Obviously the postage without tracking is cheaper than those with tracking. So I asked my friend who has experienced buying the product. She said she used the postage without tracking twice and never lost the product, they all arrived safely...so fingers crossed!

Here are the emails I received after placing my order:

First you will receive your order summary in your shopping chart. One bottle of 16 oz. is $25. 

I didn't try if I order more than one whether the shipping & handling will be reduced but I think it will.

Second you will receive another email for shipping out of Canada/US. Other types of shipping are more expensive the the lotion itself T_____T so I chose the not trackable surface mail small packet after hearing the review from fellow Ichthyosis friend. After that it depends on luck, I waited for almost 4 weeks (a month). I was really worried it will be lost and there is no way for me to ever track it. But in fact it arrived early! 12 weeks can be a devastating wait. When it arrived, I was so happy!

So in total for one bottle I paid $25+$8+$18.13=$51.13. That is like RM167.65 based on today's exchange rate. It shouldn't be much different on other days except if there is a major change in the exchange rate. Based on what our Ichthyosis friend said, one bottle could last 2-3 months.

Buying in bulk will definitely be cheaper because you will be saving on shipping. For example if you buy 2-3, the not trackable shipping will be only few dollars additional, around $25.

The package arrived safely!

And so securely wrapped up in bubble wraps!

Here is the lotion! and free samples~

They gave 4 packets of best-selling Dermal Therapy Heel Care cream samples.

Haven't use them cause I don't have cracked heels but gave them to my brother :)

Regarding the lotion, Awesome!! It really is a miracle lotion. I used it in Malaysia and not greasy at all! But my Mum did complaint about the urea smell. So after using the lotion, I topped it with nice-smelling baby lotion :) I recently went to Hong Kong which has Spring temperature, I didn't scrub for a week and I can still barely see flakes! Now I can confidently wear shorts and skirts in public, am so thankful for this miracle lotion.

However since it is quite pricey to be bought individually, especially the shipping, I hope in future fellow Malaysians suffering from Ichthyosis can share the shipping fee! Feel free to drop me an email at meilinxo(at)gmail(dot)com or using the "contact me" box on the right sidebar if you are interested to share shipping with us! :)

08022014: Does shaving helps the skin shed?

Hello! Back from (Chinese New Year) CNY holidays~

So during CNY we wear new pretty and new clothes, naturally as a lady I would love to wear skirts and dresses, not to mention Cheongsam (traditional Chinese dress)!

I don't have really hairy body, meaning I rarely shave because it's unnecessary, plus I wear long jeans or leggings most of the time. 

Once in a while when I want to wear dress or skirt I will shave/wax my legs and one thing I found out, everytime after I did that, my skin is super smooth!

I told my Mum about it and she said maybe because I cleared the hair follicles and makes the skin shedding easier. But of course I can't shave everyday, not only it is time consuming but it actually grows kinda slow. No point of shaving if there is nothing right? So after a week or 2 after shaving, it goes back to square one. Rough and cracked skin.

So just wanna share on how different it looks like before and after shaving.

These were taken under the same lighting of my room.

The "Before" is before I shave my legs, hair is fine so not quite visible but you can still slightly see.

"After" is a day after I got them shaved! 

The "After" photo probably looks brighter because of angle and because my skin is brighter!! :)

There is a patch of darker pigmented area as you can see at the center.

I had been scrubbing this part like mad, lightened a bit but I think it is some stubborn dead skin >_<

So after I shaved, I went out visiting in my favourite skater mini skirt!

But there was still slight insecurity, I avoid bright places just so I can hide my skin a lil.

But still, if you have an emergency, try shaving and slab on lots of hydrating lotion.

You might get smooth skin for at least 3 days!

Sufficient for me, at least, to wear skirts and dresses out~

24012014: IV in tropical countries

I guess because we live in a humid tropical country many wouldn't have thought that people here could be affected by Ichthyosis Vulgaris as well. Of course without the dry winter, it is much better here. However just like during summer, the whole year of sun caused side effects as well. 

Due to the sun, the skin sweat, though not as much as normal-skin people, it causes itchiness and rashes. The heat burns the skin, causing redness and peeling. I read that many think their skin got better after they go under the sun for a while, but here in Malaysia, I don't think going under the sun will be a good idea.

The sun doesn't come with a chilly breeze, just stingy extremely hot sun which might cause skin cancer, unnecessary tans or any other skin disorders.

In fact I have found some people with Ichthyosis Vulgaris in Malaysia! It is of course not an active topic, we don't even have proper care for it and doctors don't even know what is wrong with us. After I wrote a post on my personal blog, one of my friend read it and told me "ooooh now I know what is wrong with me, now I know the name of my skin disorder". Then I was looking for Ichthyosis Vulgaris creams selling in Malaysia and bumped into a girl through a forum who has Ichthyosis Vulgaris, but apparently there are only two of us with such disorder in the forum because no one replied haha~

So there, besides my Dad and my brother who has Ichthyosis Vulgaris, I just found 2 other Malaysians having Ichthyosis Vulgaris. Not so bad, I had always been sad because I am the only girl affected in the family, and you know how important is the skin to a female. Thus I believe there are many other like me even in Indonesia, Thailand or Singapore, just that our conditions might defer from these living in seasonal countries.

Of course we feel grateful but we still feel different and uncomfortable. I hope we can open up and learn that this genetic disorder is not any of our mistakes but it is God probably trying to make us unique.

22012014: handling eczema

Since I have developed some mild Eczema due to my Ichthyosis Vulgaris, I tried all kinds of cream to reduce the rashes, dryness and itchiness. Some provided by the doctors, even skin specialists, caused more itchiness and spreading rashes. I found this cream the most effective for me, and it is very cheap, only RM5 for the 10g and I think RM8 for the 20g tube. The 10g tube can last me for a month during normal breakout because it only takes a few days to reduce the redness and itch.

It is called "Econazine" cream, I am not sure how I found out about it since I had been using it for over 5 years now. Probably just a day when I had Eczema and my parents dropped me at some pharmacy and the pharmacist just introduced me to this cream. 

This is how the Econazine creams look like. They have the 10g and 20g tubes, I usually bring the 10g for traveling and get a few 20g to keep at home. As written, the cream is actually for antifungal and anti-inflammatory use. It is also written for infective eczema, which is probably my case because this works wonders! 

This is able to reduce my Eczema in over a night. I applied before bed and when I'm awake, tadaaa the redness reduced so much. To fully cure the eczema, I have to apply twice a day for at least 3 days (small affected area). If I apply this quickly when the symptoms come, it wouldn't develop to something worst.

For those having Eczema, there is no harm trying this cream, it is only RM5 after all...that is like 1.5USD?? It is however a controlled medicine so make sure you get it from a licensed pharmacy or clinic :)

Good news! I ordered AHA Lotion from Dermal Therapy but it will take around 3 weeks to arrive in Malaysia boohooo~ Anyways, I am excited and will do a pictorial review once it arrives! I heard many  positive stories about how effective it is for Ichthyosis Vulgaris and also normal dry skin.

19012014: soap and lotion

This is my first post for my "Coping with Ichthyosis" diary. I am diagnosed (by myself because non of the doctors I went to knew what was wrong, read My Story) with Ichthyosis Vulgaris.

Because of this (exposing myself) I might never find a boyfriend and get married Lol joking I had 3 ex boyfriends (so don't worry so much about your appearances, none of them mind!) but would prefer single life at least for now. I would like to help those who are also suffering from Ichthyosis Vulgaris but mistakenly diagnosed as Eczema (like me), those who are too shy to admit (like me when I was younger, I avoided questions, now I just proudly say "I have Ichthyosis Vulgaris, go Google") and those who would like to know soothing remedies (it would also be best to read and join the forum on Ichthyosis.com).

After I knew I had Ichthyosis Vulgaris, I not only explain how and why my skin is such, people seem to be more considered. Not that I wanted the special treatment but they seem to understand if the area I sleep I covered with flakes, my table appear dusty even though it's just fine skin particles (ewww I know but I couldn't help it, it's nature doing it's job), and I unconsciously scratch myself at night while sleeping. My roommate of 5 years in university is admirably tolerant because even I feel annoyed that the floor on my side always feel sandy and dusty from the flakes.

Anyways, here will be the journey of my ups and downs coping with Ichthyosis Vulgaris and types of remedies I tried for my skin. There is no cure for Ichthyosis Vulgaris but we all try to minimize the itch, irritation and pain.

As of today, I am using the Johnson's Baby Milk Bath (other types of Baby baths didn't work) and St.Ives Hydrating Vitamin E lotion with scrubbing using coarse loofah.

The weather is pretty humid these days (I found molds growing on my one-week left aside backpack yikes!) so the flaking isn't that bad. Maybe except my back which is more difficult for me to scrub.

I also blogged about it on my personal blog 2 years ago when I discovered I have Ichthyosis Vulgaris
http://meilinxo.blogspot.com/2010/07/of-ichthyosis-vulgaris-and-me.html

The most frequently asked question is "why are your hands like that?" The top is like wrinkly (can be denied, I might be so hardworking washing dishes & cleaning the house Lol) but the palm is obviously not like a common person. These palms were what the trainee doctor was amazed with and he took out his camera right away, started taking pictures of my palms instead of inspecting me *sigh. I hope he finally found what is the disease and will one day find a cure =.= And these is a name for it, it's called "Hyperlinear Palm Wrinkles" 

Scaly leg and arm. I just applied lotion so the scales don't look so bad right now. Some other time you can see white flakes (you can see some on the arm) and just so scaly even if you stand 2-3 meters away you will notice.

No eczema rashes because it rained whole day, I just stayed home. But feet had been sensitive to dirty floor so we had been vacuuming and mopping alternate days. Even the slightest dust can cause itch. And sometimes I missed out the sole while applying lotion because I need to hurry so the sole crack on the lines.