Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap? Help with PUPPS rash

hwillm1977

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I'm 34 weeks along in my pregnancy, and developed a pupps rash last week.

It's incredibly itchy, to the point of wanting to scratch my skin off. It starts just below my neck and goes right to the tip of my toes. According to the doctor the only way to get rid of it is to deliver the baby... that's 6 WEEKS away. He's willing to induce me 2 weeks early especially if I start getting infections in my skin, but I don't want to have to do that either.

I read online that Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap will work to sooth the itching, but I can't find it anywhere in Canada...

Does anyone have a great home cure for itchy rash? Right now I'm using colloidial oatmeal lotion and calamine lotion... I don't have a bathtub so I can't soak in a cool oatmeal bath... I just need something to help the itching before I go crazy, I can't sleep, or get comfortable at all.
 

miss_thenorth

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Man!, I just googled it, I had never heard of it before. My sympathies go out to you for having to go through this for possibly the next 6 weeks. I have no advice, and it also really sucks that you don;t have a tub. I would be soaking all the time if I had this.

:hugs
 

miss_thenorth

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Do you have a BulkBarn in NB? I just googled them and searched pine tar soap, it says they have it. I thought of it, b/c I buy some soap for my ds there.
 

journey11

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I had PUPPS early in my first pregnancy, lasted about a month then suddenly disappeared. MISERABLE. You have my sympathy!! :hugs
 

hwillm1977

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We do have a bulk barn... I'm definitely going to check it out, there's one only about 40 minutes from my house :) I've never bought soap there, but we get tons of pantry supplies there.

I called a few health food stores and small pharmacies, but no one seemed to have any pine tar soap.

It is horribly miserable.... there's nothing that really makes the itching go away. It's like having 9000 mosquito bites from your head to toes that NEVER stop itching.

That Naomi Kritzer website is great, thanks! :)
 

mordarlar

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hwillm1977 said:
I'm 34 weeks along in my pregnancy, and developed a pupps rash last week.

It's incredibly itchy, to the point of wanting to scratch my skin off. It starts just below my neck and goes right to the tip of my toes. According to the doctor the only way to get rid of it is to deliver the baby... that's 6 WEEKS away. He's willing to induce me 2 weeks early especially if I start getting infections in my skin, but I don't want to have to do that either.

I read online that Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap will work to sooth the itching, but I can't find it anywhere in Canada...

Does anyone have a great home cure for itchy rash? Right now I'm using colloidial oatmeal lotion and calamine lotion... I don't have a bathtub so I can't soak in a cool oatmeal bath... I just need something to help the itching before I go crazy, I can't sleep, or get comfortable at all.
I had pupps late in my pregnancy. I am SO sorry you're going through that. It is horrible.

I did use Grandpa's tar soap. I bought about 7 bars online. DS was born nearly three years ago and we're still using the soap for itches and insect prevention when we go hiking.

It did help. It was not absolute but it allowed be to get some sleep and kept me from scratching myself to death. The soap makes you smell like a campfire (who cares if it works right?) and can dry out your skin (i was using it several times a day) so make sure you moisturize with an oatmeal type of lotion. Also, the soap is not an instant fix. It may take a little time. I noticed real relief after about 3 days of several showers a day.

One thing i want you to know...It passes AS SOON as the baby is born. I was feeling a bit frantic and panicked because i could not see an end to it but it DOES go away and you hardly remember it after you lay eyes on your beautiful little one.

I have also heard that cool baking soda paste works well but i didn't know it to try it at the time.

I do hope you find some relief. Best wishes on your upcoming family changes!!!! : )

Shannon
 

MorelCabin

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I would usually bath in a vinegar bath, but you don't have a tub...I might suggest putting 1/4 cup of vinegar and fill a spray bottle with water and mist yourself with this immediately after your shower and throughout the day again if you need to. Vinegar is amazing for balancing the PH levels and takes the itch right out. Not sure if it would actually work for pups rash but I know it sure works for any other itching.
 

Lady Henevere

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I had a friend who had suffered from PUPPP so I asked her today whether she knew of anything that relieves the symptoms. She said, "Yeah -- birth." :/ (She added that oatmeal baths help a little, but that doesn't do you much good without a bathtub.)

Back when this friend had it, I told my DD (about 10 at the time) about the friend's rash, how itchy it is, and how it usually doesn't go away until the baby is born. DD thought about it for a second, then said with a sly smile, "So I guess your friend's really itchin' to have the baby, huh?"

I wish I had more helpful advice! Feel better soon. :hugs
 

MorelCabin

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Okay this may sound strange, but try rubbing the inside of a banana skin on it. Just do a certain part of the body for now ( I would do the abdomen if you have it there because scratching there will cause stretch marks) See how it feels. I have a feeling it will work wonders
 

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